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(c) PRIORITY.—In carrying out subsection (b), the 
Under Secretary shall prioritize consideration of the fol-
lowing technology-based mitigation solutions: 
(1) Phased array weather radar systems. 
(2) Supplementing or replacing contaminated 
data with commercial radar data. 
(3) The utilization of data from private sector 
associated meteorological towers or similar capabili-
ties. 
(4) The display on local forecasting equipment 
of wind farm boundaries and consolidated wind farm 
areas. 
(5) The installation and provision of access to 
rain gauges. 
(6) Any other technology-based mitigation solu-
tion the Under Secretary determines could improve 
radar coverage by overcoming interferences, beam 
blockage, or ghost echoes. 
(d) REPORT; RECOMMENDATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this section and 
annually thereafter until the Program terminates 
pursuant to subsection (e), the Under Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on the implemen-
tation of the Program, including an evaluation of 
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each technology-based mitigation solution identified 
for priority consideration pursuant to subsection (c), 
and a recommendation regarding additional identi-
fication and testing of new technologies based on 
such consideration. 
(2) FINAL RECOMMENDATION.—Not later than 
five years after the date of the enactment of this 
section, the Under Secretary shall provide to Con-
gress a recommendation on whether additional re-
search, testing, and development through the Pro-
gram established under subsection (a) is needed, and 
a determination of whether a cessation of field re-
search, testing, development and evaluation is appro-
priate. 
(e) TERMINATION.—The authority of the Under Sec-
retary to carry out the Program shall terminate on the 
earlier of— 
(1) September 30, 2029; or 
(2) one year after the date on which the final 
recommendation required under subsection (d)(2) is 
submitted by the Under Secretary. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BEAM BLOCKAGE.—The term ‘‘beam block-
age’’ means a signal that is partially or fully blocked 
due to an interference. 
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(2) GHOST
ECHO.—The term ‘‘ghost echo’’ 
means radar signal reflectivity or velocity return er-
rors in radar data due to the proximity of an inter-
ference. 
(3) INTERFERENCE.—The term ‘‘interference’’ 
includes the following: 
(A) a wind turbine that could limit the ef-
fectiveness of a weather radar system; 
(B) any building that disrupts or limits the 
effectiveness of a weather radar system; or 
(C) any other natural or human built 
structure that affects a weather radar system. 
SEC. 202. NEXT GENERATION RADAR. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall de-
velop a plan to replace the Next Generation Weather 
Radar of the National Weather Service (‘‘NEXRAD’’) 
system in existence as of the date of the enactment of this 
section. 
(b) PROCUREMENT DEADLINE.—The Under Sec-
retary shall take such actions as may be necessary to en-
sure the replacement described in subsection (a) is com-
pleted by not later than September 30, 2040. 
(c) ELEMENTS.—The plan developed pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
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(1) Estimates of quantifiable improvements in 
radar performance and service delivery, including 
coverage and accuracy, to be made from replacement 
of the NEXRAD system referred to in such sub-
section. 
(2) Development of a digital phased array radar 
test article designed to test and determine the speci-
fications and requirements for such replacement. 
(3) Establishment of a weather surveillance 
radar testbed for the following: 
(A) Evaluation of commercial radars with 
the potential to replace or supplement the 
NEXRAD system. 
(B) Providing technical assistance for com-
mercial replacement or supplemental radars, in-
cluding data void filling radars in regions where 
geographical topography prevents full utilization 
of conventional systems. 
(4) Consultation and input solicited from mete-
orologists, emergency managers, and public safety 
officials regarding the specifications and require-
ments for the replacement of the NEXRAD system 
referred in such subsection. 
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(5) Prioritized locations for initial deployment 
of the replacement system described in subsection 
(a) that will replace the NEXRAD system. 
(6) Expected locations of such replacement sys-
tem described in subsection (a), including sites lo-
cated more than 75 miles away from an existing 
NEXRAD station and additional appropriate loca-
tions. 
(d) RADAR-AS-A-SERVICE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to supplement data 
voids in radar coverage in existence as of the date 
of the enactment of this section and ensure the con-
tinued performance of weather radar capabilities, 
the Under Secretary may utilize and contract with 
third party entities to fill such low-level and wide- 
area radar data voids using diverse weather radars 
and data assimilation technologies to better detect 
significant precipitation and severe weather over a 
greater area across the population. 
(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out the ac-
tivities under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary 
may consider— 
(A) utilizing and contracting with third- 
party entities that have participated in the 
testbed established in accordance with sub-
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