[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 242 (Monday, December 18, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65056-65058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30627]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


National Weather Service Modernization and Associated 
Restructuring

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On October 27, 1995, the Secretary of Commerce released a 
report to Congress entitled, Secretary's Report to Congress on Adequacy 
of NEXRAD Coverage and Degradation of Weather Services under the 
National Weather Service Modernization for 32 Areas of Concern. This 
report was prepared by a Departmental team with expertise in radar 
meteorology, operational weather services, employee relations, and 
strategic planning. The Secretary's report applied the criteria 
developed in the National Research Council's (NRC) study, Toward a New 
National Weather Service--Assessment of NEXRAD Coverage and Associated 
Weather Services, which was delivered to the Secretary in June, 1995. 
The Modernization Transition Committee (MTC), a Federal advisory 
committee established by the Weather Service Modernization Act (WSMA), 
15 U.S.C. 313 note, P.L. 102-567, was consulted on the Secretary's 
Report on October 30, 1995.
    The Secretary's report assessed the adequacy of Doppler weather 
surveillance radar (WSR-88D), also known as NEXRAD, coverage and 
degradation of weather services under the National Weather Service 
(NWS) modernization plan for 32 geographical areas of concern and 
identified mitigation actions for areas where degradation was 
indicated. Late last year, comments from the public were solicited to 
identify community concerns about possible degradation of weather 
services under the NWS modernization plan (published November 4, 1994, 
59 FR 55254). Over 67,000 public comments were received from 32 
different geographical areas. These 32 areas were then established as 
areas of concern to receive in depth analysis based on the NRC's 
assessment criteria (published February 23, 1995, 60 FR 10066).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Scanlon at 301-713-1413 or Nick 
Scheller at 301-713-0454.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Mitigation Recommendations: The mitigation 
recommendations contained in the report and the Secretary's transmittal 
letter are:
    Additional WSR-88Ds and/or WFO--The Secretary's team recommends the 
acquisition and siting of three additional WSR-88Ds and one Weather 
Forecast Office (WFO) to provide coverage for:
    ``(1) Northern Indiana and Northwest Ohio. The Team recommends that 
the National Weather Service install a WSR-88D, along with a fully 
staffed WFO, to provide forecast and warning services to the citizens 
of northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio. The Team finds that this 
combined area experiences a high frequency of especially severe 
weather, and that the present NEXRAD configuration will not provide the 
low level surveillance necessary for detecting reflectivity and 
velocity signatures associated with tornado formation and other severe 
weather phenomena. It is the opinion of the Team that the frequency of 
severe weather, areal extent of radar coverage degradation, increased 
work load associated with a large spotter network, argues for the 
establishment of a full-service WFO. In addition, the Team recommends 
that the NWS re-examine the distribution of county warning 
responsibility throughout northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio 
following placement of the WSR-88D. The Team further recommends that 
the Fort Wayne Weather Service Office and WSR-74C remain in service 
until the new WSR-88D and WFO are operational.
    (2) Northern Alabama and Southeast Tennessee. The Team recommends 
the addition of a WSR-88D optimized for coverage of severe weather 
phenomena (particularly mini-supercells and 

[[Page 65057]]
macrobursts) in the northern Alabama, southeastern Tennessee, and 
northwestern Georgia region. The climatology of severe weather for this 
area is such that there are a significant number of tornadoes whose 
genesis is observable only from low level radar information. The 
recommended WSR-88D may be operated as a remote radar due to the 
accessibility of locations in the region, and reliability of commercial 
communications. The NWS should re-evaluate the county warning area 
distribution for future WFOs Nashville, TN, Birmingham, AL, Atlanta, 
GA, and Morristown, TN in order to determine which WFOs are best 
positioned to provide primary warning responsibilities for counties 
assumed from the Chattanooga and Huntsville areas. The Team further 
recommends that the Chattanooga and Huntsville WSR-74C's remain in 
service until the NWS commissions the new WSR-88D and achieves 
confirmation of services with users.
    (3) Northwest Arkansas/Eastern Oklahoma. The Team recommends that 
an additional WSR-88D be installed to the southwest of Fort Smith and 
operated with dedicated communications to both WFO Tulsa and WFO Little 
Rock. The Fort Smith area experiences a very high frequency of severe 
thunderstorms and flash floods. The southern portion of the Fort Smith 
county warning area, comprising the counties of Le Flore, Scott and 
Polk, is beyond the range of reliable detection of the low, mid and 
upper altitude radar features used to identify the severe thunderstorms 
and weak to moderate tornadoes associated with squall lines and 
intersecting outflow boundaries. Many of the storms move into the area 
from the southwest of these counties--an area also too far from 
surrounding WSR-88Ds for reliable severe weather identification. The 
Team further recommends that the Fort Smith WSR-74C remain in service 
until the NWS commissions the new WSR-88 and achieves confirmation of 
services with users.''
    Continuation of Office Operations--The Secretary's team recommends 
the continuation of office operations at the following sites:
    (1) Caribou, Maine. The Team recommends continued operations at 
Caribou, Maine, until the NWS can: (a) Validate reliable communications 
and maintenance for the Hodgdon WSR-88D site; and (b) certify that 
other distance- and time-sensitive service considerations have been 
reconciled, including maintenance of equipment and the coordination of 
northern Maine emergency management requirements and community 
outreach. If solutions to remote radar (and other equipment) 
communications and maintenance reliability concerns cannot be found, 
and if adequate community coordination and outreach cannot be assured, 
the Team recommends that a nearby WFO be established. The office should 
incorporate, at a minimum, adequate staffing for maintaining and 
operating the radar for severe weather observations and the 
dissemination of warnings, and for coordinating outreach activities 
with northern Maine communities.
    (2) Key West, Florida. The Team recommends continued operations at 
Key West, Florida, until the NWS can validate reliable communications 
and maintenance between the Key West WSR-88D site and WFO Miami. If 
solutions to remote radar communications and maintenance reliability 
concerns cannot be found, the Team recommends a continued NWS presence 
at Key West, with, at a minimum, adequate staffing for maintaining and 
operating the radar for severe weather observations and the 
dissemination of warnings.''
    Continuation of Radar Operations--The Secretary's team recommends 
continued radar operations at the following sites, in addition to those 
listed above:
    ``(1) Erie, Pennsylvania. As a result of the degraded radar 
coverage for certain lake-effect snow events, the Team recommends the 
continued operation of WSO Erie's WRS-74C pending the results of ``The 
Lake Effect Snow Study.'' This assessment should compare the adequacy 
of existing WSR-88D information, and other data sources (the composite 
system) with the local warning radar to determine capabilities for lake 
effect snow identification. The Team recommends that the NWS remote the 
WSR-74C data to WFO Cleveland in order to facilitate the schedule 
spindown of WSO Erie.
    (2) South Bend, Indiana. As a result of the degraded radar coverage 
for certain lake-effect snow events, the Team recommends continued 
radar operations at WSO South Bend pending the results of the lake 
effect snow study. This assessment should compare the adequacy of 
existing WSR-88D information, and other data sources (the composite 
system) with the local warning radar to determine capabilities for lake 
effect snow identification.''
    Continuation of Office and Radar Operations--The Secretary decided 
to continue office and radar operations in the Williston, North Dakota, 
area. The following was extracted from the Secretary's transmittal 
letter:
    ``However, I remain concerned about the team's finding of 
significant degradation of radar coverage at the lower levels for the 
Williston, North Dakota, area. In this location, the team concluded 
that weather services should not be degraded, although their assessment 
included the finding that low-altitude radar coverage would be degraded 
over portions of all eight counties of the county warning area for 
certain weather phenomena. The geographic area which would experience 
some level of degradation of radar information is far more extensive 
than for any of the other areas examined. Therefore, I have decided 
that the NWS will maintain the operations of the Williston Weather 
Service Office and its associated radar for a period of two years 
before implementing the team's recommendation to proceed with planned 
radar decommissioning and weather office closure. During this time, the 
NWS will conduct an operational evaluation to assess whether mid- and 
upper-altitude NEXRAD data and information from composite system 
sources provide adequate information to detect, and warn for, all 
weather phenomena of concern. The team concurs with my decision.''
    Funding for Mitigation Recommendations: There are no resources 
(dollars or work force positions) in the current NWS budget for 
additional radars or offices beyond those already identified in the 
strategic plan for NWS modernization. Additional radars and offices 
identified in the Secretary's report will require additional funding 
authority and appropriations. Recommended mitigation actions, 
identified in the Secretary's report, will be reflected in the normal 
budget process beginning in fiscal year 1997.
    Release of Remaining Areas of Concern: Actions to close, 
consolidate, relocate, or automate any field office or decommission any 
NWS radar in an area of concern were prohibited until the Secretary had 
reported to Congress that he believed that such actions would not 
result in a degradation of service and a 30-day grace period had 
elapsed. The Secretary's report was submitted to Congress on October 
27, 1995, and the 30-day grace period elapsed on November 27, 1995. 
Thus the prohibition on actions to close, consolidate, relocate, or 
automate any field office or decommission any NWS radar in an area of 
concern is removed for the following areas of concern where the 
Secretary's report found no degradation of service:


[[Page 65058]]

WSO Asheville, NC
WSO Astoria, OR
WSO Athens, GA
WSO Baton Rouge, LA
WSO Cape Hatteras, NC
WSO Charlotte, NC
WSO Colorado Springs, CO
WSO Del Rio, TX
WSO Elkins, WV
WSO Evansville, IN
WSO Grand Island, NE
WSO Greensboro, NC
WSO Harrisburg, PA
WSO International Falls, MN
WSO Kalispell, MT
WSO Lexington, KY
WSO Montgomery, AL
WSO Redding, CA
WSO Toledo, OH
WSO Wichita Falls, TX
WSO Wilmington, DE
WSO Hondo, TX
Central Oregon/Central Washington

    The Secretary is still required to satisfy the requirement of sec. 
706(b) of the WSMA to certify no degradation of service when she/he 
restructures a filed office. If the field office is located in an area 
of concern, the Secretary is required to provide all public comments 
relating to that area of concern to the Modernization Transition 
Committee during the certification process.
    Obtaining Copies of the Secretary's Report: The Secretary's report 
consists of two volumes. Volume 1 provides the overall report and 
includes the methodology used by the Secretary's team and a summary of 
assessment results for each of the 32 areas of concern. Volume 2 
consists of an individual package of information for each of the 32 
areas of concern. Each package includes all the detailed information 
considered by the team in making its assessment of potential 
degradation of service. The report has been submitted to the U.S. 
Government Printing Office for printing. Copies should be available in 
February 1996. Distribution of Volume 1 is planned throughout NWS and 
to Congress and people who submitted the public comments that 
established the areas of concern. Volume 2 will be available by request 
only. If you would like a copy of Volume 1 and/or Volume 2 mailed to 
you, please specify which area(s) of concern you want and send your 
name and address to: National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, Attn: Wx21-Patricia Daenecke.
    In the interim, copies of the report are available to the public at 
centrally located libraries in each of the 32 areas of concern. A list 
of these libraries is attached to this notice.

    Dated: December 7, 1995.
Louis J. Boezi,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Modernization.

List of Libraries

Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC 28801
Astoria Public Library, 459 Tenth Street, Astoria, OR 97103
Athens/Clark County Library, 2025 Baxter Street, Athens, GA 30606
East Baton Rouge Parish, Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Boulevard, 
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Dare County Library Hatteras Branch, Hatteras Community Center, P.O. 
Box 309, Hatteras, NC 27943
Caribou Public Library, 30 High Street, Caribou, ME 04736
Deschutes County Library, 507 NW Wall Street, Bend, OR 97701
Yakima Valley Regional Library, 102 North 3rd Street, Yakima, WA 
98901
The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, 310 North 
Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202
Chattanooga/Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, 1001 Broad Street, 
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Pikes Peak Library District, 5550 North Union Boulevard, Colorado 
Springs, CO 80901
Val Verde County Public Library, 300 Spring Street, Del Rio, TX 
78840
Elkins-Randolph Public Library, 416 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241
Erie County Library, 27 South Park Row, Erie, PA 16501-1102
Evansville-Vanderburgh County Public Library, 22 Southeast Fifth 
Street, Evansville, IN 47708-1604
Fort Smith Public Library, 61 South 8th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901
Allen County Public Library, P.O. Box 2270, Fort Wayne, IN 46801
Edith Abbott Memorial Library, 211 North Washington, Grand Island, 
NE 68801-5855
Greensboro Public Library, 201 North Greene Street, P.O. Box 3178, 
Greensboro, NC 27402
Dauphin County Library System, 101 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA 
17101, 717-234-4961
Hondo Public Library, 1011 19th Street, Hondo, TX 78861
Huntsville/Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe Street, 
Huntsville, AL 35801
International Falls Public Library, 750 Fourth Street, International 
Falls, MN 56649
Flathead County Library, 247 1st Avenue East, Kalispell, MT 59901
Monroe County Library, 700 Fleming Street, Key West, FL 33040-6897
Lexington Public Library, 140 East Main, Lexington, KY 40507-1376
Montgomery City/County Library, 245 High Street, Montgomery, AL 
36104
Shasta County Public Library, 1855 Shasta Street, Redding, CA 96001
Saint Joseph County Public Library, 304 South Main, South Bend, IN 
46601-2125
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, 325 North Michigan Street, 
Toledo, Ohio 43624
Wichita Falls Public Library, 1300 Lamar, Wichita Falls, TX 76301
Williston Community Library, 1302 Davidson Drive, Williston, ND 
58801
Wilmington Institute Library, 10th and Market Street, Wilmington, DE 
19801

FR Doc. 95-30627 Filed 12-15-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-M