Title: PRECIP Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Providing Research and Estimates of Changes In Precipitation Act or the PRECIP Act
This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to take actions regarding precipitation estimation.
NOAA shall, no less than every 10 years, update probable maximum precipitation estimates for the United States. NOAA must include specified information in the updates and must make publicly available certain probable maximum precipitation studies developed by NOAA.
NOAA must seek to enter an agreement with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on the state of practice and research needs for precipitation estimation, including probable maximum precipitation estimation.
NOAA, in consideration of the study's recommendations, shall consult with relevant partners on the development of a plan to update probable maximum precipitation estimates.
NOAA shall develop a national guidance document regarding probable maximum precipitation estimates that (1) provides best practices for federal and state regulatory agencies, private meteorological consultants, and other users that perform probable maximum precipitation studies; (2) considers the recommendations provided in the National Academies study; (3) facilitates review of probable maximum precipitation studies by regulatory agencies; and (4) provides confidence in regional and site-specific probable maximum precipitation estimates.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3053 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3053

To amend the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to 
   require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
  Administration to develop a plan and national guidance document to 
        improve precipitation estimates, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 21, 2021

Mr. Booker (for himself and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to 
   require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
  Administration to develop a plan and national guidance document to 
        improve precipitation estimates, 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 ``Providing Research and Estimates of 
Changes In Precipitation Act'' or the ``PRECIP Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVATION 
              ACT OF 2017 TO IMPROVE FEDERAL PRECIPITATION INFORMATION.

    (a) In General.--The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation 
Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:

      ``TITLE VI--IMPROVEMENT OF FEDERAL PRECIPITATION INFORMATION

``SEC. 601. STUDY ON PRECIPITATION ESTIMATION.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of the PRECIP Act, the Administrator, in consultation with 
other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall seek to enter an agreement 
with the National Academies under which the National Academies shall--
            ``(1) conduct a study on the state of practice and research 
        needs for precipitation estimation, including probable maximum 
        precipitation estimation; and
            ``(2) not later than 2 years after the date on which such 
        agreement is finalized--
                    ``(A) submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
                and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
                Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
                Representatives a report on the results of the study 
                conducted under paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) make the report submitted under subparagraph 
                (A) publicly available on a website.
    ``(b) Report on Study.--The report submitted under subsection 
(a)(2)(A) shall include the following:
            ``(1) An examination of the current state of practice for 
        precipitation estimation at scales appropriate for the needs of 
        decisionmakers, and rationale for further evolution of that 
        field.
            ``(2) An evaluation of best practices for precipitation 
        estimation that--
                    ``(A) are based on the best available science, 
                including assumptions of non-stationarity; and
                    ``(B) can be utilized by the user community.
            ``(3) A framework for--
                    ``(A) the development of a national guidance 
                document for estimating extreme precipitation; and
                    ``(B) evaluation of the strengths and challenges of 
                the full spectrum of approaches for such estimation, 
                including for probable maximum precipitation studies.
            ``(4) A description of existing research needs in the field 
        of precipitation estimation in order to modernize current 
        methodologies and incorporate the best available science.
            ``(5) A description of in-situ, airborne, and space-based 
        observation requirements that could enhance precipitation 
        estimation and development of models, including an examination 
        of the use of geographic information systems and geospatial 
        technology for integration, analysis, and visualization of 
        precipitation data.
            ``(6) A recommended plan for a Federal research and 
        development program, including specifications for costs, 
        timeframes, and responsible agencies for addressing identified 
        research needs.
            ``(7) An analysis of the respective roles in precipitation 
        estimation of various Federal agencies, academia, State, 
        tribal, territorial, and local governments, and other public 
        and private stakeholders.
            ``(8) Recommendations for data management to promote long-
        term needs such as enabling retrospective analyses and data 
        discoverability, interoperability, and reuse.
            ``(9) Recommendations for how data and services from the 
        entire enterprise can be best leveraged by the Federal 
        Government.
            ``(10) Such other topics as the Administrator or the 
        National Academies consider appropriate.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
$1,500,000 to carry out the study under this section.

``SEC. 602. IMPROVING PROBABLE MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which 
the National Academies makes publicly available the report under 
section 601, the Administrator, shall, in consideration of the 
recommendations included in the report and in consultation with 
relevant partners, including users of the data, develop a plan to--
            ``(1) not later than 6 years after the completion of the 
        report submitted under section 601 and not less frequently than 
        once every 10 years thereafter, update probable maximum 
        precipitation estimates for the United States, such that each 
        update includes estimates that incorporate assumptions of non-
        stationarity;
            ``(2) coordinate with partners to conduct research in the 
        field of extreme precipitation estimation, in accordance with 
        the research needs identified in the report submitted under 
        section 601;
            ``(3) make publicly available, in a searchable, 
        interoperable format, all probable maximum precipitation 
        studies developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration that the Administrator has the legal right to 
        redistribute and considers to be at an appropriate state of 
        development on an internet website of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration; and
            ``(4) ensure all probable maximum precipitation estimate 
        data, products, and supporting documentation and metadata 
        developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration are preserved, curated, and served by the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as 
        appropriate.
    ``(b) National Guidance Document for the Development of Probable 
Maximum Precipitation Estimates.--The Administrator, in collaboration 
with Federal agencies, State, territorial, tribal and local 
governments, academia, and other partners the Administrator considers 
appropriate, shall develop a national guidance document that--
            ``(1) provides best practices that can be followed by 
        Federal and State regulatory agencies, private meteorological 
        consultants, and other users that perform probable maximum 
        precipitation studies;
            ``(2) considers the recommendations included in the report 
        submitted under section 601;
            ``(3) facilitates review of probable maximum precipitation 
        studies by regulatory agencies;
            ``(4) provides confidence in regional and site-specific 
        probable maximum precipitation estimates; and
            ``(5) includes such other topics as the Administrator 
        considers appropriate.
    ``(c) Publication.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which 
the National Academies makes publicly available the report under 
section 601, the Administrator shall make publicly available the 
national guidance document developed under subsection (b) on an 
internet website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
    ``(d) Updates.--The Administrator shall update the national 
guidance document developed under subsection (b) not less frequently 
than once every 10 years after the publication of the document under 
subsection (c) and make such updates publicly available in accordance 
with such subsection.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to 
carry out this section amounts as follows:
            ``(1) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2022.
            ``(2) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2023.
            ``(3) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.
            ``(4) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.
            ``(5) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
            ``(6) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.

``SEC. 603. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this title:
            ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
        Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            ``(2) National academies.--The term `National Academies' 
        means the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
        Medicine.
            ``(3) United states.--The term `United States' means, 
        collectively, each State of the United States, the District of 
        Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, 
        Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the 
        Virgin Islands of the United States, and any other territory or 
        possession of the United States.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (Public Law 
115-25; 131 Stat. 91) is amended by adding at the end the following:

      ``TITLE VI--IMPROVEMENT OF FEDERAL PRECIPITATION INFORMATION

``Sec. 601. Study on precipitation estimation.
``Sec. 602. Improving probable maximum precipitation estimates.
``Sec. 603. Definitions.''.
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