The list of communities will be published in today's Federal Register. The 32 areas were identified by public comments received by the NWS in response to a Federal Register solicitation notice published on Nov. 4, 1994. The notice requested comments identifying service areas where some communities believe that current weather services may be degraded as existing radars are decommissioned or as field offices are closed, consolidated, automated or related during the modernizaton of the National Weather Service. The NWS received more than 67,000 public comments during the 60-day period that closed on Jan. 3. The intent of the comment period was to allow citizens to comment on our modernization efforts.
Weather radars are vital for detecting and monitoring the movement and development of severe storms.
The modernization plan also includes a new structure of field offices for the National Weather Service. An NRC report on the NWS modernization is due to Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown in May 1995. Secretary Brown will then report to Congress on adjustments needed to the modernization plan to ensure no degradation of weather services in these areas. The Secretary's report to Congress is expected this fall. Until this process is complete, no existing radars will be permanently shut down and no existing offices in the areas where residents expressed concern will be consolidated.