115 HR 4475 IH: National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act U.S. House of Representatives 2017-11-28 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I115th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 4475IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESNovember 28, 2017Mr. Young of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural ResourcesA BILLTo provide for the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act.

2.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey. (2)

System

The term System means the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System established under section 3(a)(1).

3.

National volcano early warning and monitoring system

(a)

Establishment

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall establish within the United States Geological Survey a system, 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 volcano observatories in the United States, which include the Alaska Volcano Observatory, California Volcano Observatory, Cascades Volcano Observatory, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and Yellowstone Volcano Observatory; and (B)to unify the monitoring systems of volcano observatories in the United States into a single interoperative system. (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 monitored volcanoes; (B)installing new networks on un­mon­i­tored volcanoes; and (C)employing geodetic and other components 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

Modernization activities under the System shall include the comprehensive application of emerging technologies, including digital broadband seismometers, real-time continuous Global Positioning System receivers, satellite and airborne radar interferometry, acoustic 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 operating the System. (B)

Inclusions

The management plan submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include— (i)annual cost estimates for modernization activities and operation of the System; (ii)annual milestones, standards, and performance goals; and (iii)recommendations for, and prog­ress towards, establishing new, or enhancing existing, partnerships to leverage resources. (2)

Advisory committee

The Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to assist the Secretary in implementing the System, to be comprised of representatives of relevant agencies and members of the scientific community, to be appointed 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 coordinate the activities under this Act with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, including— (A)the Secretary of Transportation; (B)the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration; (C)the Administrator of the National Oceanic 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.

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. (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 hazards activities and programs.