II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 566 

To provide for the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning 

and Monitoring System. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 14, 2011 

Ms. MURKOWSKI introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To provide for the establishment of the National Volcano 

Early Warning and Monitoring System. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Volcano Early 

5 Warning and Monitoring Program Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 

9 the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring 

10 Program established under section 3(a). 


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1 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of the Interior. 

3 SEC. 3. NATIONAL VOLCANO EARLY WARNING AND MONI4 TORING PROGRAM. 

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

6 within the United States Geological Survey a program to 

7 be known as the ‘‘National Volcano Early Warning and 

8 Monitoring Program’’. 

9 (b) COMPONENTS.—The program shall consist of a 

10 national volcano watch office and data center, which shall 

11 oversee and coordinate the activities of United States Geo12 logical Survey regional volcano watch and data centers. 

13 (c) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program are— 

14 (1) to monitor and study volcanoes and volcanic 

15 activity throughout the United States at a level com16 mensurate with the threat posed by each volcano; 

17 and 

18 (2) to warn and protect people and property 

19 from undue and avoidable harm from volcanic activ20 ity. 

21 SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT. 

22 (a) MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

24 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 


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1 shall prepare a management plan for establishing 

2 and operating the program. 

3 (2) INCLUSIONS.—The management plan shall 

4 include— 

5 (A) annual cost estimates of— 

6 (i) operating the program; and 

7 (ii) updating the data collection, moni8 toring, and analysis systems; 

9 (B) annual standards and performance 

10 goals; and 

11 (C) recommendations for establishing new, 

12 or enhancing existing, partnerships with State 

13 agencies or universities. 

14 (b) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary may enter into 

15 cooperative agreements or partnerships with State agen16 cies and universities, under which the Secretary may des17 ignate the agency or university as volcano observatory 

18 partners for the program. 

19 (c) COORDINATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL AGEN20 CIES.—The Secretary shall coordinate activities author21 ized under this Act with the heads of relevant Federal 

22 agencies including— 

23 (1) the Secretary of Transportation; 

24 (2) the Secretary of Commerce; 


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1 (3) the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 

2 Administration; and 

3 (4) the Director of the Federal Emergency 

4 Management Administration. 

5 (d) GRANT PROGRAM.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may establish 

7 a competitive grant program to support research and 

8 monitoring of volcanic activities in furtherance of 

9 this Act. 

10 (2) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT.—The non11 Federal share of the total cost of an activity pro12 vided assistance under this subsection shall be 25 

13 percent. 

14 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall annually 

15 submit to Congress a report that describes the activities 

16 undertaken during the previous year to carry out this Act. 

17 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

18 There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

19 this Act $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 

20 2022. 

Æ 


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