H. R. 2486
One Hundred Seventh Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
the twenty-third day of January, two thousand and two
An Act
To authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the
United States Weather Research Program, to conduct research and development,
training, and outreach activities relating to inland flood forecasting improvement,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Inland Flood Forecasting and
Warning System Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through
the United States Weather Research Program, shall—
(1) improve the capability to accurately forecast inland
flooding (including inland flooding influenced by coastal and
ocean storms) through research and modeling;
(2) develop, test, and deploy a new flood warning index
that will give the public and emergency management officials
fuller, clearer, and more accurate information about the risks
and dangers posed by expected floods;
(3) train emergency management officials, National
Weather Service personnel, meteorologists, and others as appro-
priate regarding improved forecasting techniques for inland
flooding, risk management techniques, and use of the inland
flood warning index developed under paragraph (2);
(4) conduct outreach and education activities for local mete-
orologists and the public regarding the dangers and risks associ-
ated with inland flooding and the use and understanding of
the inland flood warning index developed under paragraph
(2); and
(5) assess, through research and analysis of previous
trends, among other activities—
(A) the long-term trends in frequency and severity
of inland flooding; and
(B) how shifts in climate, development, and erosion
patterns might make certain regions vulnerable to more
continual or escalating flood damage in the future.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration for carrying out this Act
$1,250,000 for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2005, of which
$100,000 for each fiscal year shall be available for competitive
H. R. 2486—2
merit-reviewed grants to institutions of higher education (as defined
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001)) to carry out the activities described in section 2(5), and
$1,150,000 for each of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007. Of the
amounts authorized under this section, $250,000 for each fiscal
year shall be available for competitive merit-reviewed grants to
institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) to develop models
that can improve the ability to forecast the coastal and estuary-
inland flooding that is influenced by tropical cyclones. The models
should incorporate the interaction of such factors as storm surges,
soil saturation, and other relevant phenomena.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2007, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall transmit
to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate a report on its activities under this Act and the success
and acceptance of the inland flood warning index developed under
section 2(2) by the public and emergency management professionals.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall also,
not later than January 1, 2006, transmit to the Committee on
Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report
on the likely long-term trends in inland flooding, the results of
which shall be used in outreach activities conducted under section
2(4), especially to alert the public and builders to flood hazards.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.