II 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3780 

To require the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere to develop a 

storm surge scale to be used in conjunction with the Saffir-Simpson 

scale to measure and predict the impact of storm surges caused by 

hurricanes and tropical storms and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 3, 2006 

Mr. VITTER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To require the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere 

to develop a storm surge scale to be used in conjunction 

with the Saffir-Simpson scale to measure and predict 

the impact of storm surges caused by hurricanes and 

tropical storms 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. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Predict Accurate 

5 Storm Surge Act of 2006’’. 


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•S 3780 IS

1 SEC. 2. DEVELOPMENT OF STORM SURGE SCALE. 

2 (a) REQUIREMENT TO DEVELOP STORM SURGE

3 SCALE.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than June 1, 

5 2007, the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmos6 phere of the Department of Commerce shall develop 

7 a storm surge scale to be used in conjunction with 

8 the Saffir-Simpson scale to measure and predict the 

9 impact of storm surges caused by storm events, in10 cluding hurricanes and tropical storms. 

11 (2) COOPERATION AND CONSULTATION.—The 

12 Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere shall 

13 develop the storm surge scale described in paragraph 

14 (1) in cooperation with the Chief of Engineers of the 

15 Army Corps of Engineers, the Director of United 

16 States Geological Survey, the Under Secretary for 

17 Emergency Preparedness and Response of the De18 partment of Homeland Security, and in consultation 

19 with appropriate national, regional, and state engi20 neering, flood plain, and emergency managers orga21 nizations. 

22 (b) CONSIDERATIONS.—The storm surge scale devel23 oped pursuant to subsection (a) shall take into account 

24 factors related to the storm that will produce the storm 

25 surge, including wind speed and rainfall amounts and the 

26 characteristics of the area where the storm will make landVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:10 Aug 05, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3780.IS S3780

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1 fall, including the slope of the continental shelf and shape 

2 of the coastline of such area and whether such area is 

3 urban or rural area. 

4 (c) REQUIREMENTS.—The storm surge scale devel5 oped pursuant to subsection (a) shall be— 

6 (1) developed to assist in the accurate modeling 

7 and prediction of the effect of a storm surge upon 

8 landfall and to assist officials in planning for the 

9 storm surge; 

10 (2) used to measure the storm surge associated 

11 with storm events, including hurricanes and tropical 

12 storms; and 

13 (3) incorporated into the engineering and de14 sign of appropriate coastal, flood, and hurricane pro15 tection projects carried out by the United States. 

Æ 


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