115 S3053 IS: Providing Research and Estimates of Changes In Precipitation Act
U.S. Senate
2021-10-21
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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.
1.This Act may be cited as the Providing Research and Estimates of Changes In Precipitation Act
or the PRECIP Act
.2.Amendment to the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to improve Federal precipitation information(a)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:<enum>VI</enum><header>Improvement of Federal precipitation information</header><section id="id96d2675be51b47db8861706d3e14de14"><enum>601.</enum><header>Study on precipitation estimation</header><subsection id="id3c4aafbb3a264d0695ced71dcaddd45e"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the <short-title>PRECIP Act</short-title>, 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—</text><paragraph id="id2a9c065c634d49d8ad9de00df3d7b934"><enum>(1)</enum><text>conduct a study on the state of practice and research needs for precipitation estimation, including probable maximum precipitation estimation; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9274857e1f5c42c8b589eeb94b7b1515"><enum>(2)</enum><text>not later than 2 years after the date on which such agreement is finalized—</text><subparagraph id="id57BB71B146414437B845C4222658860C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>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 </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC1F45D22D9C0474088E7D1FD75B4751B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>make the report submitted under subparagraph (A) publicly available on a website. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="iddb0c094a6dd44faab637fe75bc55d2bc"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report on study</header><text>The report submitted under subsection (a)(2)(A) shall include the following:</text><paragraph id="id3bdd8f62fa6b4ce78866c3df295ac8f1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>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. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="idbb54ae29df9d4de2aefed2f9fc993e85"><enum>(2)</enum><text>An evaluation of best practices for precipitation estimation that—</text><subparagraph id="id8B225A69D7564F54A603E3E04066D492"><enum>(A)</enum><text>are based on the best available science, including assumptions of non-stationarity; and </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idF6796C745BD14A4D933D74023711F1B2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>can be utilized by the user community.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idfdc57ecbf13a45ec9a3beffdd4866769"><enum>(3)</enum><text>A framework for—</text><subparagraph id="idc9238c27e87441b6a820520ef67ce982"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the development of a national guidance document for estimating extreme precipitation; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id98c9b5863f3940b583ef58f5a9164429"><enum>(B)</enum><text>evaluation of the strengths and challenges of the full spectrum of approaches for such estimation, including for probable maximum precipitation studies.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id7056fa2032dc44c3930322e288c9079b"><enum>(4)</enum><text>A description of existing research needs in the field of precipitation estimation in order to modernize current methodologies and incorporate the best available science.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6bffcd00eea447ab8d3e2725b3d47d53"><enum>(5)</enum><text>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.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id0005ae3ee08e46308a427c7c920290fe"><enum>(6)</enum><text>A recommended plan for a Federal research and development program, including specifications for costs, timeframes, and responsible agencies for addressing identified research needs.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6a5556a3708e4645b64f8921e1a8382c"><enum>(7)</enum><text>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.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6574e9f9fa5a451a9b55da0353ec4b57"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Recommendations for data management to promote long-term needs such as enabling retrospective analyses and data discoverability, interoperability, and reuse.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id1d1fc091abc34480bbc6198779a864b0"><enum>(9)</enum><text>Recommendations for how data and services from the entire enterprise can be best leveraged by the Federal Government.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idb02f1dd37ad84ee99d3e6f46b5e8730b"><enum>(10)</enum><text>Such other topics as the Administrator or the National Academies consider appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ide867a31205224a26b41250f0256ad7b4"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration $1,500,000 to carry out the study under this section. </text></subsection></section><section id="id3836065ec8c14b13b9ce7003849d0b93"><enum>602.</enum><header>Improving probable maximum precipitation estimates</header><subsection id="id8282018ae0174f70affd65646e8a94a3"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>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—</text><paragraph id="id537f922ab8324df696f566d63fd9b63a"><enum>(1)</enum><text>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;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id1fe0d828360b49e9a42e22692cf22a36"><enum>(2)</enum><text>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;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id25dac7b26a5a4a51aba14ac064f9c9fc"><enum>(3)</enum><text>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</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ide464414c92bc4debb7213c31ff26eccb"><enum>(4)</enum><text>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.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idf9285d828031473bad9788fa46e2842c"><enum>(b)</enum><header>National guidance document for the development of probable maximum precipitation estimates</header><text>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—</text><paragraph id="id5f288fdf102344efb524a8cd8e84657e"><enum>(1)</enum><text>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;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfff4387bae1a48c9aecbd1c9c403109e"><enum>(2)</enum><text>considers the recommendations included in the report submitted under section 601;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2c54d0747f7f49faa1ee8296eb371617"><enum>(3)</enum><text>facilitates review of probable maximum precipitation studies by regulatory agencies;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id8ff4df1ceec14ae0b3eb947c1dbffde8"><enum>(4)</enum><text>provides confidence in regional and site-specific probable maximum precipitation estimates; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id4fd678a27f0146e9ac01fd96f4dd9ab2"><enum>(5)</enum><text>includes such other topics as the Administrator considers appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id64d132d2b9944d35a0e8d4072ddb24ee"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Publication</header><text>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.</text></subsection><subsection id="id294a6684489f4f06b042ad98fd3f3cac"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Updates</header><text>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.</text></subsection><subsection id="iddfa0e884945a4523995634c6990f1092"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out this section amounts as follows:</text><paragraph id="id03b12598b65a4ff396f8b7746497dc31"><enum>(1)</enum><text>$13,000,000 for fiscal year 2022.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9d1e9e52516e4a259dd7a5067950c8aa"><enum>(2)</enum><text>$14,000,000 for fiscal year 2023.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id1736420d01d74823b3ec4c3b8f389628"><enum>(3)</enum><text>$14,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd95a3b213e2841fcaf9a647eb80cc15a"><enum>(4)</enum><text>$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idf2db7afa92bb454fa8ea2495845f5ba8"><enum>(5)</enum><text>$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idc78546fc66474deb8121dee5f35c3319"><enum>(6)</enum><text>$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idb7ab934065524d0d9bd85e1618759a40"><enum>603.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title: </text><paragraph id="id6bfd8b7915d847788a5a9237e1b1a061"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Administrator</header><text>The term <term>Administrator</term> means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id295e836e442c424a877f960f7fdaa38d"><enum>(2)</enum><header>National Academies</header><text>The term <term>National Academies</term> means the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd9541221e6544ab4a7acee5e2a0b7d51"><enum>(3)</enum><header>United States</header><text>The term <term>United States</term> 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.</text></paragraph></section>.(b)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 informationSec. 601. Study on precipitation estimation.Sec. 602. Improving probable maximum precipitation estimates.Sec. 603. Definitions..