1.This Act may be cited as the
National Windstorm Impact Reduction
Reauthorization Act of 2008
.
2.Section 202 of the National Windstorm Impact
Reduction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15701) is amended—
(1)by redesignating
paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively;
(2)by inserting after
paragraph (2) the following:
(3)Global climate
variability and climate change may alter the frequency and intensity of severe
windstorm events, but further research is needed to identify any such linkages
and, if appropriate, to incorporate climate-related impacts into windstorm risk
and vulnerability assessments and mitigation
activities.
;
and
(3)in paragraph (5),
as redesignated, by striking interagency coordination
and
inserting coordination among Federal agencies and with State and local
governments
.
3.
(a)Section 203(1) of the National Windstorm
Impact Reduction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15702(1)) is amended by striking
Office of Science and Technology Policy
and inserting
National Institute of Standards and Technology
.
(b)Interagency
Working GroupSection 203 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 15702) is amended—
(1)by redesignating
paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively;
and
(2)by inserting after
paragraph (1) the following:
(2)Interagency
working groupThe term Interagency Working Group
means the Interagency Working Group on Wind Impact Reduction established
pursuant to section
204(f).
.
4.National
windstorm impact reduction program
(a)Section 204 of the
National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15703) is
amended—
(1)by striking
subsection (c);
(2)by redesignating
subsection (d) as subsection (c); and
(3)by inserting after
subsection (c), as redesignated, the following:
(d)The National Institute of Standards and Technology shall
be the lead Federal agency for planning, management, and coordination of the
Program. In carrying out this subsection, the Director shall—
(1)establish a Program Office, which shall be
under the direction of a full-time Program Director, to provide the planning,
management, and coordination functions described in subsection (e);
(2)in conjunction with other Program agencies,
prepare an annual budget for the Program, which shall be submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget and shall include, for each Program agency and
for each major goal established for the Program components under subsection
(c)—
(A)the Program budget
for the current fiscal year; and
(B)the proposed
Program budget for the subsequent fiscal year;
(3)facilitate the
preparation of the Interagency Working Group’s biennial report to Congress and
the National Science and Technology Council under subsection (j);
(4)support research
and development to improve building codes, standards, and practices for design
and construction of buildings, structures, and lifelines;
(5)in conjunction with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, work closely with national standards and model building code
organizations to promote the implementation of research results;
(6)in partnership with other Federal agencies,
State and local governments, academia, and the private sector, support—
(A)the organization and deployment of
comprehensive, discipline-oriented interagency teams to investigate major
windstorm events; and
(B)the gathering, publishing, and archiving of
collected data and analysis results; and
(7)participate in,
coordinate, or support, as needed, other Program mitigation activities
authorized under subsection
(c).
.
(b)Section 204 of such
Act, as amended by subsection (a), is further amended—
(1)by striking
subsection (e);
(2)by redesignating
subsection (f) as subsection (j); and
(3)by
inserting after subsection (d), as added by
subsection (a)(3) of this Act, the
following:
(e)The Program Office
established under subsection (d)(1) shall—
(1)ensure that all statutory requirements,
including reporting requirements, are met in accordance with this Act;
(2)ensure
coordination and synergy across the Program agencies in meeting the strategic
goals and objectives of the Program;
(3)implement an
outreach program to identify and build effective partnerships with stakeholders
in the construction and insurance industries, Federal, State, and local
governments, academic and research institutions, and non-governmental entities,
such as standards, codes, and technical organizations;
(4)conduct studies on
cross-cutting planning issues, particularly those that are significant for the
development and updating of the strategic plan required under subsection (i);
and
(5)conduct analysis
and evaluation studies to measure the progress and results achieved in meeting
the strategic goals and objectives of the
Program.
.
(c)Interagency
Working GroupSection 204 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 15703) is further amended by inserting after subsection
(e), as added by
subsection (b)(3) of this Act, the
following:
(f)Interagency
Working Group
(1)There is established
an Interagency Working Group on Wind Impact Reduction, which shall report to
the Director.
(2)The primary purpose of the Interagency
Working Group is to coordinate activities and facilitate better communication
among the Program agencies in reducing the impacts of windstorms.
(3)The
Interagency Working Group shall—
(A)facilitate Program
planning, analysis, and evaluation;
(B)facilitate
coordination and synergy among Program agencies in meeting the strategic goals
and objectives of the Program;
(C)prepare the
coordinated interagency budget for the Program;
(D)prepare the
interim working plan required under subsection (h);
(E)prepare the
strategic plan with stakeholder input required under subsection (i);
(F)prepare the
biennial report to Congress and the National Science and Technology Council
required under subsection (j);
(G)work with States,
local governments, non-governmental organizations, industry, academia, and
research institutions, as appropriate; and
(H)in partnership with
State and local governments, academia, and the private sector,
facilitate—
(i)the organization
and deployment of comprehensive discipline-oriented interagency teams to
investigate major windstorm events; and
(ii)the gathering,
publishing, and archiving of collected data and analysis results.
(4)The
Interagency Working Group shall be comprised of 1 representative from—
(A)the National
Institute of Standards and Technology;
(B)the National
Science Foundation;
(C)the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
(D)the Federal
Emergency Management Agency;
(E)the Department of
Transportation;
(F)the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration;
(G)the United States
Army Corps of Engineers;
(H)the Office of
Science and Technology Policy; and
(I)the Office of
Management and Budget.
(5)The Program Director referred to in
subsection (d)(1) shall chair the Interagency Working Group.
(6)The Chair shall—
(A)convene at least 4
Interagency Working Group meetings per year, the first of which shall be
convened not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the
National Windstorm Impact Reduction
Reauthorization Act of 2008;
(B)ensure the timely
submission of the Interagency Working Group’s biennial report to Congress and
the National Science and Technology Council required under subsection (j);
and
(C)carry out such
other duties as may be necessary to carry out this
Act.
.
(d)Section 204 of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 15703) is further amended by inserting after subsection (f), as
added by
subsection (c) of this Act, the
following:
(g)
(1)National science
foundationThe National Science Foundation shall support research
in engineering and the atmospheric sciences to improve the understanding of the
behavior of windstorms and the impact of windstorms on buildings, structures,
and lifelines.
(2)National oceanic
and atmospheric administrationThe National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration shall support atmospheric sciences research to
improve the understanding of the behavior of windstorms and the impact of
windstorms on buildings, structures, and lifelines through wind observations,
modeling, and analysis.
(3)Federal
emergency management agencyThe Federal Emergency Management
Agency shall support—
(A)the development
of risk assessment tools, effective mitigation techniques, and related guidance
documents and products;
(B)windstorm-related
data collection and analysis;
(C)evacuation
planning;
(D)public outreach
and information dissemination; and
(E)the
implementation of mitigation measures consistent with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency’s all-hazards approach.
(4)Department of
transportationThe Department of Transportation shall—
(A)support research
aimed at understanding, measuring, predicting, and designing for wind effects
on transportation infrastructure, including bridges; and
(B)assist in
evacuation planning.
(5)National
aeronautics and space administrationThe National Aeronautics and
Space Administration shall support—
(A)research to
improve understanding of the regional and global behavior of windstorms;
and
(B)dissemination and
utilization of observational data from existing satellites and sensors,
forecasts, and other analytical products that can aid in reducing windstorm
impacts.
(6)United States
Army Corps of EngineersThe United States Army Corps of Engineers
shall—
(A)support research
to improve understanding of wind effects on storm surge and other flooding;
and
(B)support the
development of evacuation plans and other activities or tools to reduce the
potential for loss of life or structure damage resulting from
windstorms.
.
(e)Interim Working
Plan; Strategic PlanSection
204 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15703) is further amended by inserting after
subsection (g), as added by
subsection (d) of this Act, the
following:
(h)Not later than 6 months
after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Interagency Working
Group shall submit to Congress an interim working plan that will guide the
implementation of Program operations until the approval of the strategic plan
under subsection (i).
(i)
(1)Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment
of this subsection, the Interagency Working Group shall submit to Congress a
strategic plan for achieving the objectives of the Program.
(2)The strategic plan shall include—
(A)strategic goals
and objectives for each Program component area to be achieved in the areas of
data collection and analysis, risk assessment, outreach, technology transfer,
and research and development;
(B)an assessment of
the strategic priorities required to fill critical gaps in knowledge and
practice to ensure reduction in future windstorm impacts based on a review of
past and current public and private sector efforts, including windstorm
mitigation activities supported by the Federal Government;
(C)measurable outputs
and outcomes to achieve the strategic goals and objectives;
(D)a description of
how the Program will achieve such goals and objectives including detailed
responsibilities for each Program agency; and
(E)plans for
cooperation and coordination with interested public and private sector entities
in each Program component area.
(3)The strategic
plan—
(A)shall be developed with stakeholder input;
and
(B)shall not be initially required to be
reviewed by the National Advisory Committee on Windstorm Impact
Reduction.
(4)Not less frequently
than once every 3 years, the strategic plan—
(A)shall be updated with stakeholder input;
and
(B)shall be reviewed by the National Advisory
Committee on Windstorm Impact
Reduction.
.
(f)Section 204(j) of such Act, as redesignated by subsection
(b)(2), is amended to read as follows:
(j)The Interagency Working Group, on a biennial basis, and
not later than 90 days after the end of the preceding 2 fiscal years,
shall—
(1)after considering
the recommendations of the advisory committee established under section 205,
prepare a biennial report that describes the status of the Program,
including—
(A)Program
activities and progress achieved during the preceding 2 fiscal years in meeting
goals established for each Program component under subsection (c);
(B)challenges and
impediments to the fulfillment of the Program’s objectives; and
(C)any
recommendations for legislative and other action the Interagency Working Group
considers necessary and appropriate; and
(2)submit the report
prepared under paragraph (1) to Congress and the National Science and
Technology
Council.
.
5.National advisory
committee on windstorm impact reduction
(a)Section 205(a) of the
National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15704(a)) is amended
by striking The Director
, and inserting Not later than 6
months after the date of the enactment of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Reauthorization Act of
2008, the Director
.
(b)Section 205(b)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15704(b)(2))
is amended by striking section 204(d)
and inserting
section 204(c)
.
6.Authorization of
appropriationsSection 207 of
the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15706) is
amended to read as follows:
207.Authorization
of appropriations
(a)There are authorized
to be appropriated $30,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013
to carry out this Act, of which not greater than—
(1)$5,000,000 shall
be allocated for the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
(2)$9,400,000 shall be
allocated for the National Science Foundation;
(3)$2,200,000 shall
be allocated for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
(4)$9,400,000 shall be
allocated for the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(5)$1,333,333 shall
be allocated for the Department of Transportation;
(6)$1,333,333 shall be
allocated for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and
(7)$1,333,333 shall
be allocated for the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
(b)Authorization
for Program Planning, Management, and Coordination
(1)From the amounts
appropriated for the National Institute of Standards and Technology pursuant to
subsection (a)(1)—
(A)up to $1,000,000 may be allocated for
carrying out the lead agency planning, management, and coordination functions
assigned to the National Institute of Standards and Technology under section
204(d); and
(B)not greater than 8 percent of such amounts
may be allocated for managing the National Institute of Standards and
Technology assigned research and development responsibilities.
(2)From the amounts
appropriated to each of the Program agencies under paragraphs (2) through (7)
of subsection (a), not greater than 8 percent may be allocated to each such
agency for carrying out planning, management, and coordination functions
assigned to such agency under this Act, including participation in the
Interagency Working Group.
(c)Remainder
Authorized for Program ActivitiesAny amounts appropriated pursuant to
subsection (a) that are not allocated under subsection (b) shall be allocated
to Program activities carried out in accordance with the objectives of the
Program, including—
(1)data collection and analysis;
(2)risk assessment;
(3)outreach;
(4)technology transfer; and
(5)research and
development.
.