[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2441 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2441

   To provide for an independent review of the implementation of the 
National Implementation Plan for modernization of the National Weather 
           Service at specific sites, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 19 (legislative day, September 12), 1994

  Mr. Heflin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for an independent review of the implementation of the 
National Implementation Plan for modernization of the National Weather 
           Service at specific sites, 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 ``Weather Service Modernization Review 
Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the safety and welfare of the public depends on the 
        provision of accurate and timely weather information;
            (2) in general, the National Implementation Plan for 
        modernization of the National Weather Service required under 
        the Weather Service Modernization Act provides a cost effective 
        approach to initiation of weather service modernization;
            (3) some geographic areas may not realize the full benefits 
        of weather service implementation under the plan; and
            (4) no independent process presently exists to receive 
        public comment, provide technical review, or recommend 
        remediation plans for communities or regions of the country 
        that assert that the National Implementation Plan has resulted 
        in or will result in a degradation of existing service.

SEC. 3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY.

    (a) The Secretary of Commerce (in this Act referred to as the 
``Secretary'') shall provide for the public safety by ensuring that the 
implementation of the National Implementation Plan for the 
modernization of the National Weather Service required under the 
Weather Service Modernization Act (in this Act referred to as the 
``National Implementation Plan'') does not result in a degradation of 
service in any specific geographic area, which shall include 
maintaining radar coverage with no degradation of service for areas 
served by the National Weather Service system, and also shall provide 
for radar coverage in some areas which might not otherwise be adequate 
with respect to specific unique weather phenomena which pose a 
substantial threat to public safety.
    (b) Within 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
biennially thereafter until 2 years have passed after the 
implementation of the National Implementation Plan is completed, the 
Secretary shall publish a notice in the Federal Register soliciting 
public comment for a period of 60 days on specific geographic areas 
where there is uncertainty whether such implementation will result in 
or has resulted in any degradation in service.
    (c) Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
within 60 days after the end of each biennial comment period under 
subsection (b), the Secretary shall enter into an agreement for an 
independent review, to be completed within 180 days, by the National 
Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. The Secretary, in 
consultation with the Modernization Transition Committee established 
under section 707 of the Weather Service Modernization Act, shall 
select geographic areas for such independent review, based on comments 
received through a public comment period under subsection (b). Such 
review shall, for each geographical area selected--
            (1) evaluate any unique or extraordinary weather conditions 
        in the area;
            (2) consider the proposed NEXRAD radar coverage for the 
        area, particularly to determine if the area is or will be in an 
        area of weak radar coverage;
            (3) consider the effects of closing any local Weather 
        Service office on local weather service and interaction with 
        local emergency management agencies;
            (4) consider the effects of transferring local warning 
        responsibility to a remote Weather Forecast Office, including 
        the effect on issuing weather warnings by that remote office 
        and communicating with emergency management personnel with 
        regard to weather emergencies; and
            (5) evaluate and compare the feasibility and cost of 
        proposed remedial actions, including options for relocating 
        overlapping military and civilian NEXRAD facilities.
    (d) The National Research Council shall submit recommendations, 
including any dissenting views, to the Secretary regarding the need to 
supplement the National Implementation Plan, revise any specific siting 
plans, establish radar coverage at altitudes less than 10,000 feet, or 
improve radar coverage service.
    (e) Within 60 days after receiving recommendations from the 
National Research Council under subsection (d), the Secretary shall 
transmit to the Congress a report containing--
            (1) the recommendations of the National Research Council; 
        and
            (2) the actions the Secretary proposes to take in response 
        to those recommendations.
    (f) For any area selected for review under subsection (c), the 
Secretary shall take no action which may result in a reduction of 
public safety, including the closure of weather service offices, 
transfer of responsibilities or duties of those offices, 
decommissioning of any warning radar, or transfer or reduction in 
personnel in those offices, until such time as the independent review 
is completed and a report with respect to such review is transmitted to 
the Congress under subsection (e).
    (g) In carrying out this Act, the Secretary shall consult with the 
Secretary of Defense and with the Secretary of Transportation with 
respect to coverage of those Department of Defense radars and 
Department of Transportation radars, respectively, which supplement the 
civil system.
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