I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4912 

To require the evaluation of certain criteria relating to locations for deployment of successor radar systems of the National Weather Service, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 26, 2023 

Mr. JACKSON of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To require the evaluation of certain criteria relating to locations for deployment of successor radar systems of the 

National Weather Service, and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. EVALUATION OF LOCATIONS FOR DEPLOY4 MENT OF SUCCESSOR RADAR SYSTEMS OF 

5 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 

6 (a) PLAN TO IMPROVE RADAR COVERAGE.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec9 retary of Commerce and the Director of the NaVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:27 Aug 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4912.IH H4912

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1 tional Weather Service, in consultation with the Ad2 ministrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, 

3 shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, 

4 and Technology and the Committee on Appropria5 tions of the House of Representatives and Com6 mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

7 and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 

8 a plan for improving radar coverage, by integrating 

9 or upgrading, to the extent practicable and as the 

10 case may be, additional observation solutions to im11 prove hazardous weather detection and forecasting. 

12 (2) DETERMINATION.— 

13 (A) IN GENERAL.—In developing the plan 

14 to improve radar coverage under paragraph (1), 

15 the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of 

16 the National Weather Service, in consultation 

17 with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 

18 Administration— 

19 (i) shall prioritize locations for the de20 ployment of the successor radar system 

21 that will replace the current Next Genera22 tion Weather Radar of the National 

23 Weather Radar Service (NEXRAD); and 


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1 (ii) may determine additional appro2 priate locations for the deployment of such 

3 successor radar system installations. 

4 (B) CONSIDERATION.—In making a deter5 mination pursuant to subparagraph (A), the 

6 Secretary of Commerce and the Director of the 

7 National Weather Service shall consider deploy8 ment in at least three locations that are not less 

9 than 75 miles from an existing NEXRAD sta10 tion. In making such a determination for a de11 ployment location, the Secretary of Commerce 

12 and the Director of the National Weather Serv13 ice may also consider the criteria described in 

14 subsection (b). 

15 (b) CRITERIA DESCRIBED.—The criteria described in 

16 this subsection are the following: 

17 (1) Whether a population of 200,000 or more 

18 would be served by a successor radar installation at 

19 the location. 

20 (2) The frequency of any of the following 

21 issuances at the location: 

22 (A) Severe thunderstorm watches or warn23 ings. 

24 (B) Tornado watches or warnings. 

25 (C) Flash flood watches or warnings. 


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1 (D) Winter storm warnings. 

Æ 


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