H. R. 3237—96 
60303.
Pilot projects to encourage public sector applications. 
60304.
Program evaluation. 
60305.
Data availability. 
60306.
Education. 
§ 60301. Definitions 
In this chapter: 
(1) GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION.—The term ‘‘geospatial informa-
tion’’ means knowledge of the nature and distribution of phys-
ical and cultural features on the landscape based on analysis 
of data from airborne or spaceborne platforms or other types 
and sources of data. 
(2) HIGH RESOLUTION.—The term ‘‘high resolution’’ means 
resolution better than five meters. 
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘institu-
tion of higher education’’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
§ 60302. General responsibilities 
The Administrator shall— 
(1) develop a sustained relationship with the United States 
commercial remote sensing industry and, consistent with 
applicable policies and law, to the maximum practicable, rely 
on their services; and 
(2) in conjunction with United States industry and univer-
sities, research, develop, and demonstrate prototype Earth 
science applications to enhance Federal, State, local, and tribal 
governments’ use of government and commercial remote sensing 
data, technologies, and other sources of geospatial information 
for improved decision support to address their needs. 
§ 60303. Pilot projects to encourage public sector applica-
tions 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall establish a program 
of grants for competitively awarded pilot projects to explore the 
integrated use of sources of remote sensing and other geospatial 
information to address State, local, regional, and tribal agency 
needs. 
(b) PREFERRED PROJECTS.—In awarding grants under this section, 
the Administrator shall give preference to projects that— 
(1) make use of commercial data sets, including high resolu-
tion commercial satellite imagery and derived satellite data 
products, existing public data sets where commercial data sets 
are not available or applicable, or the fusion of such data 
sets; 
(2) integrate multiple sources of geospatial information, such 
as geographic information system data, satellite-provided posi-
tioning data, and remotely sensed data, in innovative ways; 
(3) include funds or in-kind contributions from non-Federal 
sources; 
(4) involve the participation of commercial entities that 
process raw or lightly processed data, often merging that data 
with other geospatial information, to create data products that 
have significant value added to the original data; and 
(5) taken together demonstrate as diverse a set of public 
sector applications as possible.
H. R. 3237—97 
(c) OPPORTUNITIES.—In carrying out this section, the Adminis-
trator shall seek opportunities to assist— 
(1) in the development of commercial applications potentially 
available from the remote sensing industry; and 
(2) State, local, regional, and tribal agencies in applying 
remote sensing and other geospatial information technologies 
for growth management. 
(d) DURATION.—Assistance for a pilot project under subsection 
(a) shall be provided for a period not to exceed 3 years. 
(e) REPORT.—Each recipient of a grant under subsection (a) shall 
transmit a report to the Administrator on the results of the pilot 
project within 180 days of the completion of that project. 
(f) WORKSHOP.—Each recipient of a grant under subsection (a) 
shall, not later than 180 days after the completion of the pilot 
project, conduct at least one workshop for potential users to dissemi-
nate the lessons learned from the pilot project as widely as feasible. 
(g) REGULATIONS.—The Administrator shall issue regulations 
establishing application, selection, and implementation procedures 
for pilot projects, and guidelines for reports and workshops required 
by this section. 
§ 60304. Program evaluation 
(a) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The Administrator shall establish an 
advisory committee, consisting of individuals with appropriate 
expertise in State, local, regional, and tribal agencies, the university 
research community, and the remote sensing and other geospatial 
information industries, to monitor the program established under 
section 60303 of this title. The advisory committee shall consult 
with the Federal Geographic Data Committee and other appropriate 
industry representatives and organizations. Notwithstanding sec-
tion 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 App. U.S.C.), 
the advisory committee established under this subsection shall 
remain in effect until the termination of the program under section 
60303 of this title. 
(b) EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION.—Not later than December 31, 
2009, the Administrator shall transmit to Congress an evaluation 
of the effectiveness of the program established under section 60303 
of this title in exploring and promoting the integrated use of sources 
of remote sensing and other geospatial information to address State, 
local, regional, and tribal agency needs. Such evaluation shall have 
been conducted by an independent entity. 
§ 60305. Data availability 
The Administrator shall ensure that the results of each of the 
pilot projects completed under section 60303 of this title shall 
be retrievable through an electronic, internet-accessible database. 
§ 60306. Education 
The Administrator shall establish an educational outreach pro-
gram to increase awareness at institutions of higher education 
and State, local, regional, and tribal agencies of the potential 
applications of remote sensing and other geospatial information 
and awareness of the need for geospatial workforce development.
H. R. 3237—98 
CHAPTER 605—EARTH SCIENCE 
Sec. 
60501.
Goal. 
60502.
Transitioning experimental research into operational services. 
60503.
Reauthorization of Glory Mission. 
60504.
Tornadoes and other severe storms. 
60505.
Coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
60506.
Sharing of climate related data. 
§ 60501. Goal 
The goal for the Administration’s Earth Science program shall 
be to pursue a program of Earth observations, research, and applica-
tions activities to better understand the Earth, how it supports 
life, and how human activities affect its ability to do so in the 
future. In pursuit of this goal, the Administration’s Earth Science 
program shall ensure that securing practical benefits for society 
will be an important measure of its success in addition to securing 
new knowledge about the Earth system and climate change. In 
further pursuit of this goal, the Administration shall, together 
with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 
other relevant agencies, provide United States leadership in devel-
oping and carrying out a cooperative international Earth observa-
tions-based research program. 
§ 60502. Transitioning experimental research into oper-
ational services 
(a) INTERAGENCY PROCESS.—The Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Administrator, the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion, and other relevant stakeholders, shall develop a process to 
transition, when appropriate, Administration Earth science and 
space weather missions or sensors into operational status. The 
process shall include coordination of annual agency budget requests 
as required to execute the transitions. 
(b) RESPONSIBLE AGENCY OFFICIAL.—The Administrator and the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion shall each designate an agency official who shall have the 
responsibility for and authority to lead the Administration’s and 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s transition 
activities and interagency coordination. 
(c) PLAN.—For each mission or sensor that is determined to 
be appropriate for transition under subsection (a), the Administra-
tion and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
shall transmit to Congress a joint plan for conducting the transition. 
The plan shall include the strategy, milestones, and budget required 
to execute the transition. The transition plan shall be transmitted 
to Congress no later than 60 days after the successful completion 
of the mission or sensor critical design review. 
§ 60503. Reauthorization of Glory Mission 
Congress reauthorizes the Administration to continue with 
development of the Glory Mission, which will examine how aerosols 
and solar energy affect the Earth’s climate. 
§ 60504. Tornadoes and other severe storms 
The Administrator shall ensure that the Administration gives 
high priority to those parts of its existing cooperative activities 
with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that
H. R. 3237—99 
are related to the study of tornadoes and other severe storms, 
tornado-force winds, and other factors determined to influence the 
development of tornadoes and other severe storms, with the goal 
of improving the Nation’s ability to predict tornados and other 
severe storms. Further, the Administrator shall examine whether 
there are additional cooperative activities with the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration that should be undertaken in the 
area of tornado and severe storm research. 
§ 60505. Coordination 
with 
the 
National 
Oceanic 
and 
Atmospheric Administration 
(a) JOINT WORKING GROUP.—The Administrator and the Adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
shall appoint a Joint Working Group, which shall review and mon-
itor missions of the two agencies to ensure maximum coordination 
in the design, operation, and transition of missions where appro-
priate. The Joint Working Group shall also prepare the plans 
required by subsection (c). 
(b) COORDINATION REPORT.—Not later than February 15 of each 
year, the Administrator and the Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall jointly transmit a 
report to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate on how the Earth science programs 
of the Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration will be coordinated during the fiscal year following 
the fiscal year in which the report is transmitted. 
(c) COORDINATION OF TRANSITION PLANNING AND REPORTING.— 
The Administrator, in conjunction with the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and in consulta-
tion with other relevant agencies, shall evaluate relevant Adminis-
tration science missions for their potential operational capabilities 
and shall prepare transition plans for the existing and future Earth 
observing systems found to have potential operational capabilities. 
(d) LIMITATION.—The Administrator shall not transfer any 
Administration Earth science mission or Earth observing system 
to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration until the 
plan required under subsection (c) has been approved by the 
Administrator and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration and until financial resources have been 
identified to support the transition or transfer in the President’s 
budget request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration. 
§ 60506. Sharing of climate related data 
The Administrator shall work to ensure that the Administration’s 
policies on the sharing of climate related data respond to the 
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office’s report 
on climate change research and data-sharing policies and to the 
recommendations on the processing, distribution, and archiving of 
data by the National Academies Earth Science Decadal Survey, 
‘‘Earth Science and Applications from Space’’, and other relevant 
National Academies reports, to enhance and facilitate their avail-
ability and widest possible use to ensure public access to accurate 
and current data on global warming.