Metropolitan Weather Hazards Protection Act of 2015

To require the Secretary of Commerce to maintain and operate at least one Doppler weather radar site within 55 miles of each city in the United States that has a population of more than 700,000 individuals, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Metropolitan Weather Hazards Protection Act of 2015 2. Requirement for operation of Doppler weather radar sites near large cities (a) Requirement Beginning not later than 450 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall— (1) maintain and operate at least one Doppler weather radar site within 55 miles of each city in the United States that has a population of more than 700,000 individuals; and (2) ensure that each radar maintained and operated near a city described in paragraph (1) is available to the office of the National Weather Service that provides services to such city. (b) Standards The Secretary shall ensure that each radar maintained and operated under subsection (a) conforms with the same standards that apply to radars operated by the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, including standards relating to the use of dual-polarization technology or other technologies included in Weather Surveillance Radar, 1988, Doppler (WSR–88D) radars. (c) Considerations When determining the location for constructing a radar to meet the requirements of subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into consideration nearby counties that have populations of more than 130,000 and do not otherwise have radar beam coverage below 10,000 feet from Weather Surveillance Radar, 1988, Doppler (WSR–88D) radars. (d) Report (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report detailing the Doppler weather radar sites that need to be constructed or acquired in order to meet the requirement of subsection (a). (2) Contents The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) Feasible locations for placement and construction of radar sites, determined by the Secretary to provide the necessary meteorological capabilities to best protect a city described in subsection (a). (B) A timeline for when construction or acquisition of each radar site will be complete.

Summary: Metropolitan Weather Hazards Protection Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Commerce to: (1) maintain and operate at least one Doppler weather radar site within 55 miles of each city in the United States with a population of more than 700,000, and (2) ensure that each such radar is available to the office of the National Weather Service that provides services to that city. Commerce shall ensure that each such radar conforms with the same standards that apply to radars operated by Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including standards relating to the use of dual-polarization technology or other technologies included in Weather Surveillance Radar, 1988, Doppler (WSR-88D) radars. When determining the location for construction of a radar meeting the requirements of this Act, Commerce shall consider nearby counties that have populations over 130,000 and do not otherwise have radar beam coverage below 10,00 feet from such Doppler radars. Commerce shall report to Congress on the Doppler weather radar sites that need to be constructed or acquired to meet this Act's requirements.