[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 34 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 237
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 34
[Report No. 114-146]
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 8, 2015
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
September 22, 2015
Reported by Mr. Thune, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, warning,
research, and mitigation program of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Tsunami Warning, Education,
and Research Act of 2015''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE TSUNAMI WARNING AND EDUCATION
ACT.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this
Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or
repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be
considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Tsunami
Warning and Education Act (33 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.).</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF PURPOSES OF TSUNAMI WARNING AND EDUCATION
ACT.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Section 3 (33 U.S.C. 3202) is amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``research,''
after ``warnings,'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as
follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) to enhance and modernize the existing United
States Tsunami Warning System to increase the accuracy of
forecasts and warnings, to maintain full coverage of tsunami
detection assets, and to reduce false alarms;'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) by amending paragraph (3) to read as
follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) to improve and develop standards and
guidelines for mapping, modeling, and assessment efforts to
improve tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings, notification,
mitigation, resiliency, response, outreach, and
recovery;'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), and (6)
as paragraphs (5), (6), and (8), respectively;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) by inserting after paragraph (3) the
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(4) to improve research efforts related to
improving tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings,
notification, mitigation, resiliency, response, outreach, and
recovery;'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) by striking ``and increase'' and
inserting ``, increase, and develop uniform standards
and guidelines for''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) by inserting ``, including the warning
signs of locally generated tsunami'' after
``approaching'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated, by
striking ``, including the Indian Ocean; and'' and inserting a
semicolon; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) by inserting after paragraph (6), as so
redesignated, the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(7) to foster resilient communities in the face
of tsunami and other coastal hazards; and''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF TSUNAMI FORECASTING AND WARNING
PROGRAM.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 4 (33 U.S.C.
3203) is amended by striking ``Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf
of Mexico region'' and inserting ``Atlantic Ocean region, including the
Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Components.--Subsection (b) of such section 4 is
amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``established''
and inserting ``supported or maintained'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``and
safeguarding port and harbor operations'' after
``communities'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) in paragraph (7)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) by inserting ``, including graphical
warning products,'' after ``warnings'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) by inserting ``, territories,'' after
``States''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) by inserting ``and Wireless Emergency
Alerts'' after ``Hazards Program''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) in paragraph (8), by inserting ``and
commercial and Federal undersea communications cables'' after
``observing technologies''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Tsunami Warning System.--Subsection (c) of such
section 4 is amended to read as follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Tsunami Warning System.--The program under this
section shall operate a tsunami warning system that--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) is capable of forecasting tsunami, including
forecasting tsunami arrival time and inundation estimates,
anywhere in the Pacific and Arctic Ocean regions and providing
adequate warnings;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) is capable of forecasting and providing
adequate warnings in areas of the Atlantic Ocean, including the
Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, that are determined--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) to be geologically active, or to
have significant potential for geological activity;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) to pose significant risks of tsunami
for States along the coastal areas of the Atlantic
Ocean, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of Mexico; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) supports other international tsunami
forecasting and warning efforts.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Tsunami Warning Centers.--Subsection (d) of such
section 4 is amended to read as follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(d) Tsunami Warning Centers.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall support
or maintain centers to support the tsunami warning system
required by subsection (c). The Centers shall include--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) the National Tsunami Warning Center,
located in Alaska, which is primarily responsible for
Alaska and the continental United States;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center,
located in Hawaii, which is primarily responsible for
Hawaii, the Caribbean, and other areas of the Pacific
not covered by the National Center; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) any additional forecast and warning
centers determined by the National Weather Service to
be necessary.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of
the centers supported or maintained pursuant to paragraph (1)
shall include the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) Continuously monitoring data from
seismological, deep ocean, coastal sea level, and tidal
monitoring stations and other data sources as may be
developed and deployed.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) Evaluating earthquakes, landslides,
and volcanic eruptions that have the potential to
generate tsunami.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) Evaluating deep ocean buoy data and
tidal monitoring stations for indications of tsunami
resulting from earthquakes and other sources.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) To the extent practicable, utilizing
a range of models to predict tsunami arrival times and
flooding estimates.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(E) Disseminating forecasts and tsunami
warning bulletins to Federal, State, and local
government officials and the public.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(F) Coordinating with the tsunami hazard
mitigation program conducted under section 5 to ensure
ongoing sharing of information between forecasters and
emergency management officials.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(G) Making data gathered under this Act
and post-warning analyses conducted by the National
Weather Service or other relevant Administration
offices available to researchers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Fail-safe warning capability.--The tsunami
warning centers supported or maintained pursuant to paragraph
(1) shall maintain a fail-safe warning capability and ability
to perform back-up duties for each other.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(4) Coordination with national weather
service.--The National Weather Service shall coordinate with
the centers supported or maintained pursuant to paragraph (1)
to ensure that regional and local forecast offices--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) have the technical knowledge and
capability to disseminate tsunami warnings for the
communities they serve; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) leverage connections with local
emergency management officials for optimally
disseminating tsunami warnings and forecasts.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(5) Uniform operating procedures.--The
Administrator shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) develop uniform operational
procedures for the centers supported or maintained
pursuant to paragraph (1), including the use of
software applications, checklists, decision support
tools, and tsunami warning products that have been
standardized across the program supported under this
section;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) ensure that processes and products
of the warning system operated pursuant to subsection
(c)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) reflect industry best
practices;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) conform to the maximum
extent practicable with internationally
recognized standards for information
technology; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(iii) conform to the maximum
extent practicable with other warning products
and practices of the National Weather
Service;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) ensure that future adjustments to
operational protocols, processes, and warning
products--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(i) are made consistently across
the warning system operated pursuant to
subsection (c); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(ii) are applied in a uniform
manner across such warning system;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) disseminate guidelines and metrics
for evaluating and improving tsunami forecast
models.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(6) Available resources.--The Administrator,
through the National Weather Service, shall ensure that
resources are available to fulfill the obligations of this Act.
This includes ensuring supercomputing resources are available
to run such computer models as are needed for purposes of the
tsunami warning system operated pursuant to subsection
(c).''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Transfer of Technology; Maintenance and Upgrades.--
Subsection (e) of such section 4 is amended to read as
follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(e) Transfer of Technology; Maintenance and Upgrades.--
In carrying out this section, the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) develop requirements for the equipment used
to forecast tsunami, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) provisions for multipurpose
detection platforms;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) reliability and performance metrics;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) to the maximum extent practicable,
requirements for the integration of equipment with
other United States and global ocean and coastal
observation systems, the global Earth observing system
of systems, the global seismic networks, and the
Advanced National Seismic System;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) develop and execute a plan for the transfer
of technology from ongoing research conducted as part of the
program supported or maintained under section 6 into the
program under this section; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) ensure that the Administration's operational
tsunami detection equipment is properly
maintained.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (f) Federal Cooperation.--Subsection (f) of such section 4
is amended to read as follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(f) Federal Cooperation.--When deploying and maintaining
tsunami detection technologies under the program under this section,
the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) identify which assets of other Federal
agencies are necessary to support such program; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) work with each agency identified under
paragraph (1)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) to acquire the agency's assistance;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) to prioritize the necessary
assets.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (g) Unnecessary Provisions.--Such section 4 is further
amended by striking subsections (g) through (k).</DELETED>
SEC. 5. MODIFICATION OF NATIONAL TSUNAMI HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM.
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Section 5 (33 U.S.C. 3204) is amended by
striking subsections (a) through (d) and inserting the
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(a) Program Required.--The Administrator, in
consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency and the heads of such other agencies as the Administrator
considers relevant, shall conduct a community-based tsunami hazard
mitigation program to improve tsunami preparedness and resiliency of
at-risk areas in the United States and the territories of the United
States.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(b) Program Components.--The Program conducted pursuant
to subsection (a) shall include the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) Technical and financial assistance to
coastal States, territories, tribes, and local governments to
develop and implement activities under this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Integration of tsunami preparedness and
mitigation programs into ongoing State-based hazard warning,
resilience planning, and risk management activities, including
predisaster planning, emergency response, evacuation planning,
disaster recovery, hazard mitigation, and community development
and redevelopment programs in affected areas.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Activities to promote the adoption of
tsunami resilience, preparedness, warning, and mitigation
measures by Federal, State, territorial, tribal, and local
governments and nongovernmental entities, including educational
and risk communication programs to discourage development in
high-risk areas.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(4) Activities to support the development of
regional tsunami hazard and risk assessments, using inundation
models that meet programmatic standards for accuracy. Such
regional risk assessments may include the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) The sources, sizes, and histories of
tsunami in that region.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) Inundation models and maps of
critical infrastructure and socioeconomic vulnerability
in areas subject to tsunami inundation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) Maps of evacuation areas and
evacuation routes.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) Evaluations of the size of
populations that will require evacuation, including
populations with special evacuation needs.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(5) Activities to support the development of
community-based outreach and education programs to ensure
community readiness and resilience, including the
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) The development, implementation, and
assessment of technical training and public education
programs, including education programs that address
unique characteristics of distant and near-field
tsunami.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) The development of decision support
tools.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) The incorporation of social science
research into community readiness and resilience
efforts.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) The development of evidence-based
education guidelines.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(6) Dissemination of guidelines and standards
for community planning, education, and training products,
programs, and tools, including standards for--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) mapping products;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) inundation models; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) effective emergency
exercises.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Authorized Activities.--In addition to activities
conducted under subsection (b), the program conducted pursuant to
subsection (a) may include the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) Multidisciplinary vulnerability assessment
research, education, and training to help integrate risk
management and resilience objectives with community development
planning and policies.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Risk management training for local officials
and community organizations to enhance understanding and
preparedness.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Development of practical applications for
existing or emerging technologies, such as modeling, remote
sensing, geospatial technology, engineering, and observing
systems.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(4) Risk management, risk assessment, and
resilience data and information services, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) access to data and products derived
from observing and detection systems; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) development and maintenance of new
integrated data products to support risk management,
risk assessment, and resilience programs.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(5) Risk notification systems that coordinate
with and build upon existing systems and actively engage
decisionmakers, local and State government agencies, business
communities, nongovernmental organizations, and the
media.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(d) No Preemption.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) Designation of at-risk areas.--The
establishment of national standards for inundation models under
this section shall not prevent States, territories, tribes, and
local governments from designating additional areas as being at
risk based on knowledge of local conditions.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) No new regulatory authority.--Nothing in
this Act may be construed as establishing new regulatory
authority for any Federal agency.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Report on Accreditation of TsunamiReady Program.--Not
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
shall 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 which authorities and
activities would be needed to have the TsunamiReady program of the
National Weather Service accredited by the Emergency Management
Accreditation Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. MODIFICATION OF TSUNAMI RESEARCH PROGRAM.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Section 6 (33 U.S.C. 3205) is amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in the matter before paragraph (1), by
striking ``The Administrator shall'' and all that follows
through ``establish or maintain'' and inserting the
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall, in
consultation with such other Federal agencies, State and territorial
governments, and academic institutions as the Administrator considers
appropriate, the coordinating committee under section 11(b), and the
panel under section 8(a), support or maintain'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by striking ``and assessment for tsunami
tracking and numerical forecast modeling. Such research program
shall--'' and inserting the following: ``assessment for tsunami
tracking and numerical forecast modeling, and standards
development.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(b) Responsibilities.--The research program supported or
maintained pursuant to subsection (a) shall--'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) in subsection (b), as designated by paragraph
(2)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as
follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) consider other appropriate research to
mitigate the impact of tsunami, including the improvement of
near-field tsunami detection and forecasting capabilities,
which may include use of new generation Deep-ocean Assessment
and Reporting of Tsunamis and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration supercomputer capacity to develop a rapid
tsunami forecast for all United States coastlines;'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) in paragraph (3)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) by striking ``include'' and
inserting ``conduct''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) by striking ``and'' at the
end;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as
paragraph (5); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) by inserting after paragraph (3) the
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(4) develop the technical basis for validation
of tsunami maps, numerical tsunami models, digital elevation
models, and forecasts; and''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Pilot Project.--The Administrator may, pursuant to
subsection (b), develop a pilot project for near-field tsunami forecast
development for the Cascadia region along the west coast of the United
States using new generation Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of
Tsunamis, upcoming and existing cable networks, and new National
Centers for Environmental Protection modeling capability.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 7. GLOBAL TSUNAMI WARNING AND MITIGATION
NETWORK.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Section 7 (33 U.S.C. 3206) is amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as
follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(a) Support for Development of International Tsunami
Warning System.--The Administrator shall, in coordination with the
Secretary of State and in consultation with such other agencies as the
Administrator considers relevant, provide technical assistance and
training to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the
World Meteorological Organization of the United Nations, and such other
international entities as the Administrator considers appropriate, as
part of the international efforts to develop a fully functional global
tsunami forecast and warning system comprised of regional tsunami
warning networks.'';</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``shall'' and
inserting ``may''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) in subsection (c)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) in paragraph (1), by striking
``establishing'' and inserting ``supporting'';
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) in paragraph (2)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) by striking ``establish'' and
inserting ``support''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) by striking ``establishing''
and inserting ``supporting''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 8. TSUNAMI SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY
PANEL.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--The Act is further amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) by redesignating section 8 (33 U.S.C. 3207) as
section 9; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by inserting after section 7 (33 U.S.C. 3206)
the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``SEC. 8. TSUNAMI SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY
PANEL.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(a) Designation.--The Administrator shall designate an
existing working group within the Science Advisory Board of the
Administration to serve as the Tsunami Science and Technology Advisory
Panel to provide advice to the Administrator on matters regarding
tsunami science, technology, and regional preparedness.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(b) Membership.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) Composition.--The working group designated
under subsection (a) shall be composed of no fewer than 7
members selected by the Administrator from among individuals
from academia or State agencies who have academic or practical
expertise in physical sciences, social sciences, information
technology, coastal resilience, emergency management, or such
other disciplines as the Administrator considers
appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Federal employment.--No member of the
working group designated pursuant to subsection (a) may be a
Federal employee.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Responsibilities.--Not less frequently than once
every 4 years, the working group designated under subsection (a)
shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) review the activities of the Administration,
and other Federal activities as appropriate, relating to
tsunami research, detection, forecasting, warning, mitigation,
resiliency, and preparation; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) submit to the Administrator and such others
as the Administrator considers appropriate--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) the findings of the working group
with respect to the most recent review conducted
pursuant to paragraph (1); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) such recommendations for legislative
or administrative action as the working group considers
appropriate to improve Federal tsunami research,
detection, forecasting, warning, mitigation,
resiliency, and preparation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(d) Reports to Congress.--Not less frequently than once
every 4 years, the Administrator shall 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 findings and recommendations received by the
Administrator under subsection (c)(2).''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 9. REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF TSUNAMI WARNING AND
EDUCATION ACT.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a
report on the implementation of the Tsunami Warning and Education Act
(33 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
include the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) A detailed description of the progress made in
implementing sections 4(d)(6), 5(b)(6), and 6(b)(4) of the
Tsunami Warning and Education Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) A description of the ways that tsunami
warnings and warning products issued by the Tsunami Forecasting
and Warning Program established under section 4 of the Tsunami
Warning and Education Act (33 U.S.C. 3203) can be standardized
and streamlined with warnings and warning products for
hurricanes, coastal storms, and other coastal flooding
events.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Section 9 of the Act, as redesignated by section 8(a)(1)
of this Act, is amended to read as follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Administrator to carry out this Act $27,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2015 through 2017, of which--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) not less than 27 percent of the amount
appropriated for each fiscal year shall be for activities under
the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program under section 5;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) not less than 8 percent of the amount
appropriated for each fiscal year shall be for the Tsunami
Research Program under section 6.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 11. OUTREACH RESPONSIBILITIES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, in coordination with State and local
emergency managers, shall develop and carry out formal outreach
activities to improve tsunami education and awareness and foster the
development of resilient communities. Outreach activities may include--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the development of outreach plans to ensure
the close integration of tsunami warning centers supported or
maintained pursuant to section 4(d) of the Tsunami Warning and
Education Act (33 U.S.C. 3203(d)) with local Weather Forecast
Offices of the National Weather Service and emergency
managers;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) working with appropriate local Weather
Forecast Offices to ensure they have the technical knowledge
and capability to disseminate tsunami warnings to the
communities they serve; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) evaluating the effectiveness of warnings and
of coordination with local Weather Forecast Offices after
significant tsunami events.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Coordinating Committee of the National Tsunami Hazard
Mitigation Program.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Administrator shall convene a
coordinating committee to assist the Administrator in the
conduct of the program required by section 5(a) of the Tsunami
Warning and Education Act (33 U.S.C. 3204(a)).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Composition.--The coordinating committee shall
be composed of members from each of the States at risk from
tsunami, and any other such representatives as the
Administrator considers appropriate to represent Federal,
State, tribal, territorial, and local governments.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Subcommittees.--The Administrator may approve
the formation of subcommittees to address specific program
components or regional issues.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Responsibilities.--The coordinating committee
shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) provide feedback on how funds should
be prioritized to carry out the program required by
section 5(a) of the Tsunami Warning and Education Act
(33 U.S.C. 3204(a));</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) ensure that areas described in section
4(c) of the Tsunami Warning and Education Act (33
U.S.C. 3203(c)) in the United States and its
territories have the opportunity to participate in the
program;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) provide recommendations to the
Administrator on how to improve and continuously
advance the TsunamiReady program, particularly on ways
to make communities more tsunami resilient through the
use of inundation maps and models and other hazard
mitigation practices; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) ensure that all components of the
program required by section 5(a) of the Tsunami Warning
and Education Act (33 U.S.C. 3204(a)) are integrated
with ongoing State-based hazard warning, risk
management, and resilience activities, including--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) integrating activities with
emergency response plans, disaster recovery,
hazard mitigation, and community development
programs in affected areas; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) integrating information to
assist in tsunami evacuation route
planning.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Tsunami Warning, Education, and
Research Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE TSUNAMI WARNING AND EDUCATION ACT.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to
be made to a section or other provision of the Tsunami Warning and
Education Act (Public Law 109-424; 33 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.).
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF PURPOSES OF TSUNAMI WARNING AND EDUCATION ACT.
Section 3 (33 U.S.C. 3202) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``research,'' after
``warnings,'';
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) to enhance and modernize the existing United States
Tsunami Warning System to increase the accuracy of forecasts
and warnings, to ensure full coverage of tsunami threats to the
United States with a network of detection assets, and to reduce
false alarms;'';
(3) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
``(3) to improve and develop standards and guidelines for
mapping, modeling, and assessment efforts to improve tsunami
detection, forecasting, warnings, notification, mitigation,
resiliency, response, outreach, and recovery;'';
(4) by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) as
paragraphs (5), (6), and (8), respectively;
(5) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
``(4) to improve research efforts related to improving
tsunami detection, forecasting, warnings, notification,
mitigation, resiliency, response, outreach, and recovery;'';
(6) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated--
(A) by striking ``and increase'' and inserting ``,
increase, and develop uniform standards and guidelines
for''; and
(B) by inserting ``, including the warning signs of
locally generated tsunami'' after ``approaching'';
(7) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated, by striking ``,
including the Indian Ocean; and'' and inserting a semicolon;
and
(8) by inserting after paragraph (6), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(7) to foster resilient communities in the face of
tsunami and other similar coastal hazards; and''.
SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF TSUNAMI FORECASTING AND WARNING PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 4 (33 U.S.C. 3203) is
amended by striking ``Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico
region'' and inserting ``Atlantic Ocean region, including the Caribbean
Sea and the Gulf of Mexico''.
(b) Components.--Subsection (b) of such section 4 is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``established'' and
inserting ``supported or maintained'';
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (9) as
paragraphs (9) through (11), respectively;
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (6) as
paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively;
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) to the degree practicable, maintain not less than 80
percent of the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis
buoy array at operational capacity to optimize data
reliability;''.
(5) by amending paragraph (5), as redesignated by paragraph
(3), to read as follows:
``(5) provide tsunami forecasting capability based on
models and measurements, including tsunami inundation models
and maps for use in increasing the preparedness of communities
and safeguarding port and harbor operations, that incorporate
inputs, including--
``(A) the United States and global ocean and
coastal observing system;
``(B) the global Earth observing system;
``(C) the global seismic network;
``(D) the Advanced National Seismic system;
``(E) tsunami model validation using historical and
paleotsunami data;
``(F) digital elevation models and bathymetry; and
``(G) newly developing tsunami detection
methodologies using satellites and airborne remote
sensing;'';
(6) by inserting after paragraph (7), as redesignated by
paragraph (3), the following:
``(8) include a cooperative effort among the
Administration, the United States Geological Survey, and the
National Science Foundation under which the Director of the
United States Geological Survey and the Director of the
National Science Foundation shall--
``(A) provide rapid and reliable seismic
information to the Administrator from international and
domestic seismic networks; and
``(B) support seismic stations installed before the
date of the enactment of the Tsunami Warning,
Education, and Research Act of 2015 to supplement
coverage in areas of sparse instrumentation;''.
(7) in paragraph (9), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
(A) by inserting ``, including graphical warning
products,'' after ``warnings'';
(B) by inserting ``, territories,'' after
``States''; and
(C) by inserting ``and Wireless Emergency Alerts''
after ``Hazards Program''; and
(8) in paragraph (10), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
(A) by inserting ``provide and'' before ``allow'';
and
(B) by inserting ``and commercial and Federal
undersea communications cables'' after ``observing
technologies''.
(c) Tsunami Warning System.--Subsection (c) of such section 4 is
amended to read as follows:
``(c) Tsunami Warning System.--The program under this section shall
operate a tsunami warning system that--
``(1) is capable of forecasting tsunami, including
forecasting tsunami arrival time and inundation estimates,
anywhere in the Pacific and Arctic Ocean regions and providing
adequate warnings;
``(2) is capable of forecasting and providing adequate
warnings, including tsunami arrival time and inundation models
where applicable, in areas of the Atlantic Ocean, including the
Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, that are determined--
``(A) to be geologically active, or to have
significant potential for geological activity; and
``(B) to pose significant risks of tsunami for
States along the coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean,
Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of Mexico; and
``(3) supports other international tsunami forecasting and
warning efforts.''.
(d) Tsunami Warning Centers.--Subsection (d) of such section 4 is
amended to read as follows:
``(d) Tsunami Warning Centers.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall support or
maintain centers to support the tsunami warning system required
by subsection (c). The Centers shall include--
``(A) the National Tsunami Warning Center, located
in Alaska, which is primarily responsible for Alaska
and the continental United States;
``(B) the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, located
in Hawaii, which is primarily responsible for Hawaii,
the Caribbean, and other areas of the Pacific not
covered by the National Center; and
``(C) any additional forecast and warning centers
determined by the National Weather Service to be
necessary.
``(2) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the
centers supported or maintained pursuant to paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
``(A) Continuously monitoring data from
seismological, deep ocean, coastal sea level, and tidal
monitoring stations and other data sources as may be
developed and deployed.
``(B) Evaluating earthquakes, landslides, and
volcanic eruptions that have the potential to generate
tsunami.
``(C) Evaluating deep ocean buoy data and tidal
monitoring stations for indications of tsunami
resulting from earthquakes and other sources.
``(D) To the extent practicable, utilizing a range
of models, including ensemble models, to predict
tsunami, including arrival times, flooding estimates,
coastal and harbor currents, and duration.
``(E) Using data from the Integrated Ocean
Observing System of the Administration in coordination
with regional associations to calculate new inundation
estimates and periodically update existing inundation
estimates.
``(F) Ensuring supercomputing resources of the
National Centers for Environmental Prediction are
available to run, as rapidly as possible, such computer
models as are needed for purposes of the tsunami
warning system operated pursuant to subsection (c).
``(G) Disseminating forecasts and tsunami warning
bulletins to Federal, State, tribal, and local
government officials and the public.
``(H) Coordinating with the tsunami hazard
mitigation program conducted under section 5 to ensure
ongoing sharing of information between forecasters and
emergency management officials.
``(I) Evaluating and recommending procedures for
ports and harbors at risk of tsunami inundation,
including review of readiness, response, and
communication strategies to ensure coordination and
data sharing with the Coast Guard.
``(J) Making data gathered under this Act and post-
warning analyses conducted by the National Weather
Service or other relevant Administration offices
available to the public.
``(K) Integrating and modernizing the program
operated under this section with advances in tsunami
science to improve performance without compromising
service.
``(3) Fail-safe warning capability.--The tsunami warning
centers supported or maintained pursuant to paragraph (1) shall
maintain a fail-safe warning capability and perform back-up
duties for each other.
``(4) Coordination with national weather service.--The
Administrator shall coordinate with the forecast offices of the
National Weather Service, the centers supported or maintained
pursuant to paragraph (1), and such program offices of the
Administration as the Administrator or the coordinating
committee consider appropriate to ensure that regional and
local forecast offices--
``(A) have the technical knowledge and capability
to disseminate tsunami warnings for the communities
they serve;
``(B) leverage connections with local emergency
management officials for optimally disseminating
tsunami warnings and forecasts; and
``(C) implement mass communication tools in effect
on the day before the date of the enactment of the
Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2015
used by the National Weather Service on such date and
newer mass communication technologies as they are
developed as a part of the Weather-Ready Nation program
of the Administration, or otherwise, for the purpose of
timely and effective delivery of tsunami warnings.
``(5) Uniform operating procedures.--The Administrator
shall--
``(A) develop uniform operational procedures for
the centers supported or maintained pursuant to
paragraph (1), including the use of software
applications, checklists, decision support tools, and
tsunami warning products that have been standardized
across the program supported under this section;
``(B) ensure that processes and products of the
warning system operated pursuant to subsection (c)--
``(i) reflect industry best practices when
practicable;
``(ii) conform to the maximum extent
practicable with internationally recognized
standards for information technology; and
``(iii) conform to the maximum extent
practicable with other warning products and
practices of the National Weather Service;
``(C) ensure that future adjustments to operational
protocols, processes, and warning products--
``(i) are made consistently across the
warning system operated pursuant to subsection
(c); and
``(ii) are applied in a uniform manner
across such warning system;
``(D) establish a systematic method for information
technology product development to improve long-term
technology planning efforts; and
``(E) disseminate guidelines and metrics for
evaluating and improving tsunami forecast models.
``(6) Available resources.--The Administrator, through the
National Weather Service, shall ensure that resources are
available to fulfill the obligations of this Act. This includes
ensuring supercomputing resources are available to run such
computer models as are needed for purposes of the tsunami
warning system operated pursuant to subsection (c).''.
(e) Transfer of Technology; Maintenance and Upgrades.--Subsection
(e) of such section 4 is amended to read as follows:
``(e) Transfer of Technology; Maintenance and Upgrades.--In
carrying out this section, the Administrator shall--
``(1) develop requirements for the equipment used to
forecast tsunami, including--
``(A) provisions for multipurpose detection
platforms;
``(B) reliability and performance metrics; and
``(C) to the maximum extent practicable,
requirements for the integration of equipment with
other United States and global ocean and coastal
observation systems, the global Earth observing system
of systems, the global seismic networks, and the
Advanced National Seismic System;
``(2) develop and execute a plan for the transfer of
technology from ongoing research conducted as part of the
program supported or maintained under section 6 into the
program under this section; and
``(3) ensure that the Administration's operational tsunami
detection equipment is properly maintained.''.
(f) Federal Cooperation.--Subsection (f) of such section 4 is
amended to read as follows:
``(f) Federal Cooperation.--When deploying and maintaining tsunami
detection technologies under the program under this section, the
Administrator shall--
``(1) identify which assets of other Federal agencies are
necessary to support such program; and
``(2) work with each agency identified under paragraph
(1)--
``(A) to acquire the agency's assistance; and
``(B) to prioritize the necessary assets.''.
(g) Unnecessary Provisions.--Such section 4 is further amended--
(1) by striking subsections (g) and (i) through (k); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (g).
(h) Congressional Notifications.--Subsection (g) of such section,
as redesignated by subsection (g)(2), is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and moving such
subparagraphs 2 ems to the right;
(2) in the matter before subparagraph (A), as redesignated
by paragraph (1), by striking ``The Administrator'' and
inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The Administrator'';
(3) in paragraph (1), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), as redesignated by
paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (B), as redesignated by
paragraph (1), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) the occurrence of a significant tsunami
warning.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Contents.--In a case in which notice is submitted
under paragraph (1) within 90 days of a significant tsunami
warning described in subparagraph (C) of such paragraph, such
notice shall include brief information and analysis of--
``(A) the accuracy of the tsunami model used;
``(B) the specific deep ocean or other monitoring
equipment that detected the incident, as well as the
deep ocean or other monitoring equipment that did not
detect the incident due to malfunction or otherwise;
``(C) the effectiveness of the warning
communication procedures including the integration of
warnings with State, territory, local, and tribal
partners in the affected area under the jurisdiction of
the National Weather Service; and
``(D) such other findings as the Administrator
considers appropriate.''.
SEC. 5. MODIFICATION OF NATIONAL TSUNAMI HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 5 (33 U.S.C. 3204) is amended by striking
subsections (a) through (d) and inserting the following:
``(a) Program Required.--The Administrator shall, in consultation
with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and
the heads of such other agencies as the Administrator considers
relevant, conduct a community-based tsunami hazard mitigation program
to improve tsunami preparedness and resiliency of at-risk areas in the
United States and the territories of the United States.
``(b) Program Components.--The Program conducted pursuant to
subsection (a) shall include the following:
``(1) Technical and financial assistance to coastal States,
territories, tribes, and local governments to develop and
implement activities under this section.
``(2) Integration of tsunami preparedness and mitigation
programs into ongoing State-based hazard warning, resilience
planning, and risk management activities, including predisaster
planning, emergency response, evacuation planning, disaster
recovery, hazard mitigation, and community development and
redevelopment planning programs in affected areas.
``(3) Activities to promote the adoption of tsunami
resilience, preparedness, warning, and mitigation measures by
Federal, State, territorial, tribal, and local governments and
nongovernmental entities, including educational and risk
communication programs to discourage development in high-risk
areas.
``(4) Activities to support the development of regional
tsunami hazard and risk assessments. Such regional risk
assessments may include the following:
``(A) The sources, sizes, and other relevant
historical data of tsunami in the region, including
paleotsunami data.
``(B) Inundation models and maps of critical
infrastructure and socioeconomic vulnerability in areas
subject to tsunami inundation.
``(C) Maps of evacuation areas and evacuation
routes, including, when appropriate, traffic studies
that evaluate the viability of evacuation routes.
``(D) Evaluations of the size of populations that
will require evacuation, including populations with
special evacuation needs.
``(E) Evaluations and technical assistance for
vertical evacuation structure planning for communities
where models indicate limited or no ability for timely
evacuation, especially in areas at risk of near shore
generated tsunami.
``(F) Evaluation of at-risk ports and harbors.
``(G) Evaluation of the effect of tsunami currents
on the foundations of closely-spaced, coastal high-rise
structures.
``(5) Activities to promote preparedness in at-risk ports
and harbors, including the following:
``(A) Evaluation and recommendation of procedures
for ports and harbors in the event of a distant or
near-field tsunami.
``(B) A review of readiness, response, and
communication strategies to ensure coordination and
data sharing with the Coast Guard.
``(6) Activities to support the development of community-
based outreach and education programs to ensure community
readiness and resilience, including the following:
``(A) The development, implementation, and
assessment of technical training and public education
programs, including education programs that address
unique characteristics of distant and near-field
tsunami.
``(B) The development of decision support tools.
``(C) The incorporation of social science research
into community readiness and resilience efforts.
``(D) The development of evidence-based education
guidelines.
``(7) Dissemination of guidelines and standards for
community planning, education, and training products, programs,
and tools, including--
``(A) standards for--
``(i) mapping products;
``(ii) inundation models; and
``(iii) effective emergency exercises; and
``(B) recommended guidance for at-risk port and
harbor tsunami warning, evacuation, and response
procedures in coordination with the Coast Guard.
``(c) Authorized Activities.--In addition to activities conducted
under subsection (b), the program conducted pursuant to subsection (a)
may include the following:
``(1) Multidisciplinary vulnerability assessment research,
education, and training to help integrate risk management and
resilience objectives with community development planning and
policies.
``(2) Risk management training for local officials and
community organizations to enhance understanding and
preparedness.
``(3) Interagency, Federal, State, tribal, and territorial
intergovernmental tsunami response exercise planning and
implementation in high risk areas.
``(4) Development of practical applications for existing or
emerging technologies, such as modeling, remote sensing,
geospatial technology, engineering, and observing systems,
including the integration of tsunami sensors into Federal and
commercial submarine telecommunication cables if practicable.
``(5) Risk management, risk assessment, and resilience data
and information services, including--
``(A) access to data and products derived from
observing and detection systems; and
``(B) development and maintenance of new integrated
data products to support risk management, risk
assessment, and resilience programs.
``(6) Risk notification systems that coordinate with and
build upon existing systems and actively engage decisionmakers,
State, local, tribal, and territorial governments and agencies,
business communities, nongovernmental organizations, and the
media.
``(7) Formation of regional coastal risk management
coalitions of Federal, State, local and tribal governments,
community groups, academic institutions, and non-governmental
groups to advance the goals of this section for communities
facing common coastal hazards and risks. Such coalitions may
enter into an agreement with an organization described in
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
establish a nonprofit foundation in order to accept gifts and
donations to support of the goals of this section.
``(d) Coordinating Committee.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall maintain a
coordinating committee to assist the Administrator in the
conduct of the program required by subsection (a).
``(2) Composition.--The coordinating committee shall be
composed of members as follows:
``(A) Representatives of States and territories
most at risk from tsunami, including Alaska,
Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, Puerto Rico,
Guam and American Samoa.
``(B) Such other members as the Administrator
considers appropriate to represent Federal, State,
tribal, territorial, and local governments.
``(3) Subcommittees.--The Administrator may approve the
formation of subcommittees to address specific program
components or regional issues.
``(4) Responsibilities.--The coordinating committee shall--
``(A) provide feedback on how funds should be
prioritized to carry out the program required by
subsection (a);
``(B) ensure that areas described in section 4(c)
in the United States and its territories have the
opportunity to participate in the program;
``(C) provide recommendations to the Administrator
on how to improve and continuously advance the
TsunamiReady program of the National Weather Service,
particularly on ways to make communities more tsunami
resilient through the use of inundation maps and models
and other hazard mitigation practices;
``(D) ensure that all components of the program
required by subsection (a) are integrated with ongoing
State based hazard warning, risk management, and
resilience activities, including--
``(i) integrating activities with emergency
response plans, disaster recovery, hazard
mitigation, and community development programs
in affected areas; and
``(ii) integrating information to assist in
tsunami evacuation route planning.
``(5) Exemption from faca termination requirement.--Section
14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 14)
shall not apply to the committee established and maintained
pursuant to paragraph (1).
``(e) No Preemption With Respect to Designation of At-risk Areas.--
The establishment of national standards for inundation models under
this section shall not prevent States, territories, tribes, and local
governments from designating additional areas as being at risk based on
knowledge of local conditions.
``(f) No New Regulatory Authority.--Nothing in this Act may be
construed as establishing new regulatory authority for any Federal
agency.''.
(b) Report on Accreditation of TsunamiReady Program.--Not later
than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
shall 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 which authorities and
activities would be needed to have the TsunamiReady program of the
National Weather Service accredited by the Emergency Management
Accreditation Program.
SEC. 6. MODIFICATION OF TSUNAMI RESEARCH PROGRAM.
Section 6 (33 U.S.C. 3205) is amended--
(1) in the matter before paragraph (1), by striking ``The
Administrator shall'' and all that follows through ``establish
or maintain'' and inserting the following:
``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall, in consultation with
such other Federal agencies, State, tribal, and territorial
governments, and academic institutions as the Administrator considers
appropriate, the coordinating committee under section 5(d), and the
panel under section 8(a), support or maintain'';
(2) in subsection (a), as designated by paragraph (1), by
striking ``and assessment for tsunami tracking and numerical
forecast modeling. Such research program shall--'' and
inserting the following: ``assessment for tsunami tracking and
numerical forecast modeling, and standards development.
``(b) Responsibilities.--The research program supported or
maintained pursuant to subsection (a) shall--''; and
(3) in subsection (b), as designated by paragraph (2)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) consider other appropriate and cost effective
research to mitigate the impact of tsunami, including the
improvement of near-field and distant tsunami detection and
forecasting capabilities, which may include use of a new
generation of the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of
Tsunamis array, integration of tsunami sensors into commercial
and Federal telecommunications cables, and other real-time
tsunami monitoring systems and supercomputer capacity of the
Administration to develop a rapid tsunami forecast for all
United States coastlines;'';
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``include'' and inserting
``conduct''; and
(ii) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph
(5);
(D) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
``(4) develop the technical basis for validation of tsunami
maps, numerical tsunami models, digital elevation models, and
forecasts; and''; and
(E) in paragraph (5), as redesignated by
subparagraph (C), by striking ``to the scientific
community'' and inserting ``to the public''.
SEC. 7. GLOBAL TSUNAMI WARNING AND MITIGATION NETWORK.
Section 7 (33 U.S.C. 3206) is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) Support for Development of an International Tsunami Warning
System.--The Administrator shall, in coordination with the Secretary of
State and in consultation with such other agencies as the Administrator
considers relevant, provide technical assistance and training to the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the World
Meteorological Organization of the United Nations, and such other
international entities as the Administrator considers appropriate, as
part of the international efforts to develop a fully functional global
tsunami forecast and warning system comprised of regional tsunami
warning networks.'';
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``shall'' and inserting
``may''; and
(3) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``establishing''
and inserting ``supporting''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``establish'' and inserting
``support''; and
(ii) by striking ``establishing'' and
inserting ``supporting''.
SEC. 8. TSUNAMI SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY PANEL.
(a) In General.--The Act is further amended--
(1) by redesignating section 8 (33 U.S.C. 3207) as section
9; and
(2) by inserting after section 7 (33 U.S.C. 3206) the
following:
``SEC. 8. TSUNAMI SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY PANEL.
``(a) Designation.--The Administrator shall designate an existing
working group within the Science Advisory Board of the Administration
to serve as the Tsunami Science and Technology Advisory Panel to
provide advice to the Administrator on matters regarding tsunami
science, technology, and regional preparedness.
``(b) Membership.--
``(1) Composition.--The working group designated under
subsection (a) shall be composed of no fewer than 7 members
selected by the Administrator from among individuals from
academia or State agencies who have academic or practical
expertise in physical sciences, social sciences, information
technology, coastal resilience, emergency management, or such
other disciplines as the Administrator considers appropriate.
``(2) Federal employment.--No member of the working group
designated pursuant to subsection (a) may be a Federal
employee.
``(c) Responsibilities.--Not less frequently than once every 4
years, the working group designated under subsection (a) shall--
``(1) review the activities of the Administration, and
other Federal activities as appropriate, relating to tsunami
research, detection, forecasting, warning, mitigation,
resiliency, and preparation; and
``(2) submit to the Administrator and such others as the
Administrator considers appropriate--
``(A) the findings of the working group with
respect to the most recent review conducted pursuant to
paragraph (1); and
``(B) such recommendations for legislative or
administrative action as the working group considers
appropriate to improve Federal tsunami research,
detection, forecasting, warning, mitigation,
resiliency, and preparation.
``(d) Reports to Congress.--Not less frequently than once every 4
years, the Administrator shall 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 findings and recommendations received by the Administrator under
subsection (c)(2).''.
SEC. 9. REPORTS.
(a) Report on Implementation of Tsunami Warning and Education
Act.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall submit to Congress
a report on the implementation of the Tsunami Warning and
Education Act (33 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.).
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) A detailed description of the progress made in
implementing sections 4(d)(6), 5(b)(6), and 6(b)(4) of
the Tsunami Warning and Education Act.
(B) A description of the ways that tsunami warnings
and warning products issued by the Tsunami Forecasting
and Warning Program established under section 4 of the
Tsunami Warning and Education Act (33 U.S.C. 3203) can
be standardized and streamlined with warnings and
warning products for hurricanes, coastal storms, and
other coastal flooding events.
(b) Report on National Efforts That Support Rapid Response
Following Near-shore Tsunami Events.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator and the Secretary
of Homeland Security shall jointly, in coordination with the
Director of the United States Geological Survey, Administrator
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Chief of the
National Guard Bureau, and the heads of such other Federal
agencies as the Administrator considers appropriate, submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the national
efforts in effect on the day before the date of the enactment
of this Act that support and facilitate rapid emergency
response following a domestic near-shore tsunami event to
better understand domestic effects of earthquake derived
tsunami on people, infrastructure, and communities in the
United States.
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) A description of scientific or other
measurements collected on the day before the date of
the enactment of this Act to quickly identify and
quantify lost or degraded infrastructure or terrestrial
formations.
(B) A description of scientific or other
measurements that would be necessary to collect to
quickly identify and quantify lost or degraded
infrastructure or terrestrial formations.
(C) Identification and evaluation of Federal,
State, local, tribal, territorial, and military first
responder and search and rescue operation centers,
bases, and other facilities as well as other critical
response assets and infrastructure, including search
and rescue aircraft, located within near-shore and
distant tsunami inundation areas on the day before the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(D) An evaluation of near-shore tsunami response
plans in areas described in subparagraph (C) in effect
on the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act, and how those response plans would be affected by
the loss of search and rescue and first responder
infrastructure described in such subparagraph.
(E) A description of redevelopment plans and
reports in effect on the day before the date of the
enactment of this Act for communities in areas that are
at high-risk for near-shore tsunami, as well
identification of States or communities that do not
have redevelopment plans.
(F) Recommendations to enhance near-shore tsunami
preparedness and response plans, including recommended
responder exercises, predisaster planning, and
mitigation needs.
(G) Such other data and analysis information as the
Administrator and the Secretary of Homeland Security
consider appropriate.
(3) Appropriate committees of congress.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress''
means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation and the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 9 of the Act, as redesignated by section 8(a)(1) of this
Act, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (5)(B), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) $27,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through
2021, of which--
``(A) not less than 27 percent of the amount
appropriated for each fiscal year shall be for
activities conducted at the State level under the
tsunami hazard mitigation program under section 5; and
``(B) not less than 8 percent of the amount
appropriated shall be for the tsunami research program
under section 6.''.
SEC. 11. OUTREACH RESPONSIBILITIES.
The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, in coordination with State and local emergency
managers, shall develop and carry out formal outreach activities to
improve tsunami education and awareness and foster the development of
resilient communities. Outreach activities may include--
(1) the development of outreach plans to ensure the close
integration of tsunami warning centers supported or maintained
pursuant to section 4(d) of the Tsunami Warning and Education
Act (33 U.S.C. 3203(d)) with local Weather Forecast Offices of
the National Weather Service and emergency managers;
(2) working with appropriate local Weather Forecast Offices
to ensure they have the technical knowledge and capability to
disseminate tsunami warnings to the communities they serve; and
(3) evaluating the effectiveness of warnings and of
coordination with local Weather Forecast Offices after
significant tsunami events.
SEC. 12. REPEAL OF DUPLICATE PROVISIONS OF LAW.
(a) Repeal.--The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-479) is amended
by striking title VIII (relating to tsunami warning and education).
(b) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to
repeal, or affect in any way, Public Law 109-424.
Calendar No. 237
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 34
[Report No. 114-146]
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, warning,
research, and mitigation program of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 22, 2015
Reported with an amendment