National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Program Act

Bill: 111-s-782
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2009-04-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Department of the Interior
Earth sciences
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Natural disasters
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2009-04-02
text: 
National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), to establish within USGS a National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System program to monitor volcanic activity and to warn and protect U.S. citizens from harm. 
 
Sets forth as System purposes to organize, modernize, standardize, and stabilize monitoring systems of U.S. volcano observatories and to unify monitoring systems into a single interoperative system. Sets forth as System objectives to monitor all U.S. volcanoes at a level commensurate with the threat they pose by upgrading existing networks on monitored volcanoes and installing new networks on unmonitored volcanoes.
 
Requires the System to include: (1) a national volcano watch office that is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week; (2) a national volcano data center; and (3) an external grants program to support research in volcano monitoring science and technology.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) submit to Congress a five-year management plan for establishing and operating the System and an annual report; (2) establish an advisory committee; and (3) coordinate activities under this Act with the heads of relevant federal agencies. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with universities and state agencies as volcano observatory partners.

action_date: 2010-03-02
text: 
National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Program Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish within the United States Geological Survey (USGS) a National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Program, consisting of a national volcano watch office and data center, to oversee and coordinate the activities of USGS regional volcano watch and data centers. Sets forth as Program purposes: (1) to monitor and study volcanic activity throughout the United States at a level commensurate with the threat; and (2) to warn and protect people and property from harm.
 
Requires the Secretary to prepare a management plan for the Program, which shall include: (1) annual cost estimates of operating the Program and updating the data collection, monitoring, and analysis systems; (2) annual standards and performance goals; and (3) recommendations for establishing or enhancing partnerships with state agencies or universities.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements or partnerships under which state agencies or universities are designated as volcano observatory partners for the Program. Directs the Secretary to coordinate activities under this Act with the heads of relevant federal agencies, including the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).
 
Authorizes the Secretary to establish a competitive grant program to support research and monitoring of volcanic activities in furtherance of this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-03-02
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 283.
action_date: 2010-03-02
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-133.
action_date: 2010-03-02
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-133.
action_date: 2009-12-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2009-06-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-65.
action_date: 2009-04-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2009-04-02
text: Introduced in Senate