I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4475 
To provide for the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning 
and Monitoring System. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 28, 2017 
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To provide for the establishment of the National Volcano 
Early Warning and Monitoring System. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Volcano Early 
Warning and Monitoring System Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector of the United States Geological Survey. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Nov 29, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4475.IH
H4475
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(2) SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘System’’ means the 
National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring 
System established under section 3(a)(1). 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL VOLCANO EARLY WARNING AND MONI-
TORING SYSTEM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
within the United States Geological Survey a sys-
tem, to be known as the ‘‘National Volcano Early 
Warning and Monitoring System’’, to monitor, warn, 
and protect citizens of the United States from undue 
and avoidable harm from volcanic activity. 
(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the System 
are— 
(A) to organize, modernize, standardize, 
and stabilize the monitoring systems of the vol-
cano observatories in the United States, which 
include the Alaska Volcano Observatory, Cali-
fornia Volcano Observatory, Cascades Volcano 
Observatory, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, 
and Yellowstone Volcano Observatory; and 
(B) to unify the monitoring systems of vol-
cano observatories in the United States into a 
single interoperative system. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Nov 29, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4475.IH
H4475
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(3) OBJECTIVE.—The objective of the System is 
to monitor all the volcanoes in the United States at 
a level commensurate with the threat posed by the 
volcanoes by— 
(A) upgrading existing networks on mon-
itored volcanoes; 
(B) installing new networks on unmoni-
tored volcanoes; and 
(C) employing geodetic and other compo-
nents when applicable. 
(b) SYSTEM COMPONENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The System shall include— 
(A) a national volcano watch office that is 
operational 24 hours a day and 7 days a week; 
(B) a national volcano data center; and 
(C) an external grants program to support 
research in volcano monitoring science and 
technology. 
(2) MODERNIZATION
ACTIVITIES.—Moderniza-
tion activities under the System shall include the 
comprehensive application of emerging technologies, 
including digital broadband seismometers, real-time 
continuous Global Positioning System receivers, sat-
ellite and airborne radar interferometry, acoustic 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Nov 29, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4475.IH
H4475
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
pressure sensors, and spectrometry to measure gas 
emissions. 
(c) MANAGEMENT.— 
(1) MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 5-year 
management plan for establishing and oper-
ating the System. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The management plan 
submitted under subparagraph (A) shall in-
clude— 
(i) annual cost estimates for mod-
ernization activities and operation of the 
System; 
(ii) annual milestones, standards, and 
performance goals; and 
(iii) recommendations for, and prog-
ress towards, establishing new, or enhanc-
ing existing, partnerships to leverage re-
sources. 
(2) ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.—The Secretary 
shall establish an advisory committee to assist the 
Secretary in implementing the System, to be com-
prised of representatives of relevant agencies and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Nov 29, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4475.IH
H4475
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
members of the scientific community, to be ap-
pointed by the Secretary. 
(3) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary may enter 
into cooperative agreements with institutions of 
higher education and State agencies designating the 
institutions of higher education and State agencies 
as volcano observatory partners for the System. 
(4) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall co-
ordinate the activities under this Act with the heads 
of relevant Federal agencies, including— 
(A) the Secretary of Transportation; 
(B) the Administrator of the Federal Avia-
tion Administration; 
(C) the Administrator of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration; and 
(D) the Director of the Federal Emergency 
Management Administration. 
(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—Annually, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report that describes the activities 
carried out under this Act. 
SEC. 4. FUNDING. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this Act $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 
through 2024. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Nov 29, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4475.IH
H4475
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(b) EFFECT
ON OTHER SOURCES
OF FEDERAL 
FUNDING.—Amounts made available under this section 
shall supplement, and not supplant, Federal funds made 
available for other United States Geological Survey haz-
ards activities and programs. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:40 Nov 29, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4475.IH
H4475
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS