3.0.0 572 2023-01-11T13:36:18Z 2023-01-11T13:36:18Z Senate S 2017-03-08 115 sscm00 Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Senate Standing Referred to 2017-03-08T18:53:24Z To require the Secretary of Commerce to study the coverage gaps of the Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service and to develop a plan for improving radar coverage and hazardous weather detection and forecasting. 115 1427 HR 2017-04-25 Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment. Related bill CRS 2017-03-08 sscm00 Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. IntroReferral 2017-03-08 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress B001135 Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC] Richard Burr R NC Mauze N C000127 Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA] Maria Cantwell D WA 2017-03-08 True T000476 Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] Thomas Tillis R NC Roland 2017-03-08 True Science, Technology, Communications Atmospheric science and weather Congressional oversight Government studies and investigations Science, Technology, Communications 00 2017-03-08 Introduced in Senate 2017-07-18T21:40:26Z This bill directs the Department of Commerce to complete a study on gaps in the coverage of the Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service (NEXRAD).

Commerce shall identify areas in the United States with limited or no NEXRAD coverage below 6,000 feet above ground level of the surrounding terrain.

For those areas identified, Commerce shall also:

  • identify the key weather effects for which prediction would improve with improved radar detection;
  • identify additional sources of observations for high impact weather available and operational for such areas, including Terminal Doppler Weather Radar, air surveillance radars of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and cooperative network observers; and
  • assess the feasibility and advisability of efforts to integrate and upgrade federal radar capabilities in such areas that are not owned or controlled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including radar capabilities of the FAA and the Department of Defense.

In addition, under such study Commerce shall:

  • assess the feasibility and advisability of incorporating state-operated and other nonfederal radars into the operations of the National Weather Service (NWS); and
  • identify options to improve radar coverage in all of the areas identified as having limited or no NEXRAD coverage.

After completing the study, Commerce shall submit a plan for improving radar coverage in the identified areas by integrating and upgrading additional observation solutions to improve hazardous weather detection and forecasting.

Commerce shall seek third-party reviews on scientific methodology related to, and the feasibility and advisability of, implementing the plan to improve radar coverage, including the extent to which warning and forecast services of the NWS would be improved by additional NEXRAD coverage.

]]> A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to study the coverage gaps of the Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service and to develop a plan for improving radar coverage and hazardous weather detection and forecasting, and for other purposes. Display Title A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to study the coverage gaps of the Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service and to develop a plan for improving radar coverage and hazardous weather detection and forecasting, and for other purposes. Official Title as Introduced A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to study the coverage gaps of the Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service and to develop a plan for improving radar coverage and hazardous weather detection and forecasting, and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Introduced in Senate 2017-03-08T05:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-115s572is/xml/BILLS-115s572is.xml 2017-03-08 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 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. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.