17786 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 70 / Friday, April 11, 1997 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

National Weather Service

Modernization and Associated

Restructuring

AGENCY: National Weather Service

(NWS), NOAA, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and opportunity for

public comment.

SUMMARY: The NWS is publishing

proposed certifications for the

consolidation, automation, and closure

of the following Weather Service offices

at the indicated FAA Weather

Observation Service Level:

(1) Madison Weather Service Office

(WSO) which will be automated at FAA

Weather Observation Service Level B

and have its services consolidated into

the future Milwaukee, Green Bay, and

LaCrosse Weather Forecast Offices

(WFOs);

(2) Peoria WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level B and have its services

consolidated into the future Central

Illinois and Quad Cities WFOs;

(3) Rochester WSO which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and have its services

consolidated into the future Buffalo and

Binghamton WFOs; and

(4) Residual Tucson WSO which will

be automated at FAA Weather

Observation Service Level B and have

its services consolidated into the future

Tucson WFO. In accordance with Pub.

Law 102–567, the public will have 60-

days in which to comment on these

proposed consolidation, automation,

and closure certifications.

DATES: Comments are requested by June

10, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the

proposed consolidation, automation and

closure packages should be sent to Tom

Beaver, Room 09356, 1325 East-West

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910,

telephone 301–713–0300. All comments

should be sent to Tom Beaver at the

above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Julie Scanlon at 301–713–1698 ext 151.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In

accordance with section 706 of Pub.

Law 102–567, the Secretary of

Commerce must certify that these

consolidations, automations, and

closures will not result in any

degradation of service to the affected

areas of responsibility and must publish

the proposed consolidation, automation,

and closure certifications in the FR. The

documentation supporting each

proposed certification includes the

following:

(1) A draft memorandum by the

meteorologist(s)-in-charge

recommending the certification, the

final of which will be endorsed by the

Regional Director and the Assistant

Administrator of the NWS if

appropriate, after consideration of

public comments and completion of

consultation with the Modernization

Transition Committee (the Committee);

(2) A description of local weather

characteristics and weather-related

concerns which affect the weather

services provided within the service

area;

(3) A comparison of the services

provided within the service area and the

services to be provided after such

action;

(4) A description of any recent or

expected modernization of NWS

operation which will enhance services

in the service area;

(5) An identification of any area

within the affected service area which

would not receive coverage (at an

elevation of 10,000 feet) by the next

generation weather radar network;

(6) Evidence, based upon operational

demonstration of modernized NWS

operations, which was considered in

reaching the conclusion that no

degradation in service will result from

such action including the WSR–88D

Radar Commissioning Report(s), User

Confirmation of Services Report(s), and

the Decommissioning Readiness Report

(as applicable);

(7) Evidence, based upon operational

demonstration of modernized NWS

operations, which was considered in

reaching the conclusion that no

degradation in service will result from

such action including the ASOS

Commissioning Report; series of three

letters between NWS and FAA

confirming that weather services will

continue in full compliance with

applicable flight aviation rules after

ASOS commissioning; Surface Aviation

Observation Transition Checklist

documenting transfer of augmentation

and backup responsibility from NWS to

FAA; successful resolution of ASOS

user confirmation of services

complaints; and in-place supplementary

data program at the responsible WFO(s);

(8) Warning and forecast verification

statistics for pre-modernized and

modernized services which were

utilized in determining that services

have not been degraded;

(9) An Air Safety Appraisal for offices

which are located on an airport; and

(10) A letter appointing the liaison

officer.

These proposed certifications do not

include any report of the Committee

which could be submitted in accordance

with sections 706(b)(6) and 707(c) of

Pub. Law 102–567. In December 1995

the Committee decided that, in general,

they would forgo the optional

consultation on proposed certifications.

Instead, the Committee would just

review certifications after the public

comment period had closed so their

consultation would be with the benefit

of public comments that had been

submitted.

This notice does not include the

complete certification packages because

they are too voluminous to publish.

Copies of the certification packages and

supporting documentation can be

obtained through the contact listed

above.

Once all public comments have been

received and considered, the NWS will

complete consultation with the

Committee and determine whether to

proceed with the final certification. If a

decision to certify is made, the Secretary

of Commerce must publish the final

certification in the FR and transmit the

certification to the appropriate

Congressional committees prior to

consolidating, automating, and closing

these offices.

Dated: April 7, 1997.

Elbert W. Friday, Jr.,

Assistant Administrator for Weather Services.

[FR Doc. 97–9327 Filed 4–10–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–12–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

National Weather Service

Modernization and Associated

Restructuring

AGENCY: National Weather Service

(NWS), NOAA, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and opportunity for

public comment.

SUMMARY: The NWS is publishing

proposed certifications for the

automation and closure of the following

Weather Service offices at the indicated

FAA Weather Observation Service

Level:

(1) Residual Indianapolis Weather

Service Office (WSO) which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation

Service Level A and with services being

provided by the future Indianapolis

WFO;

(2) Residual Kansas City Weather

Service Office (WSO) which will be

automated at FAA Weather Observation