[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1437 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 224
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1437
[Report No. 117-304]
To amend the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to
direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide
comprehensive and regularly updated Federal precipitation information,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 26, 2021
Ms. Sherrill (for herself, Ms. Ross, Ms. Norton, Mr. Pascrell, Ms.
Johnson of Texas, Mr. Crist, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Sires, and Ms. Moore
of Wisconsin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
May 3, 2022
Additional sponsors: Mr. Pallone, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Casten,
Mrs. Luria, Ms. Kuster, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Wild, Mr.
Lucas, Mrs. Bice of Oklahoma, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Meijer, Ms. Bonamici,
Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Rush, Mr. Cleaver, and Ms. Blunt
Rochester
May 3, 2022
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on
February 26, 2021]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to
direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide
comprehensive and regularly updated Federal precipitation information,
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 ``Providing Research and Estimates of
Changes In Precipitation Act'' or the ``PRECIP Act''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVATION
ACT OF 2017.
(a) In General.--The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation
Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8521) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``TITLE VI--IMPROVING FEDERAL PRECIPITATION INFORMATION
``SEC. 601. STUDY ON PRECIPITATION ESTIMATION.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of the PRECIP Act, the Administrator, in consultation with
other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall seek to enter an agreement
with the National Academies--
``(1) to conduct a study on the state of practice and
research needs for precipitation estimation, including probable
maximum precipitation estimation; and
``(2) to submit, not later than 24 months after the date on
which such agreement is finalized, to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate, and make publicly available on a website, a report on
the results of the study under paragraph (1).
``(b) Study.--The report under subsection (a) shall include the
following:
``(1) An examination of the current state of practice for
precipitation estimation at scales appropriate for
decisionmaker needs, and rationale for further evolution of
this field.
``(2) An evaluation of best practices for precipitation
estimation that are based on the best-available science,
include assumptions of non-stationarity, and can be utilized by
the user community.
``(3) A framework for--
``(A) the development of a National Guidance
Document for estimating extreme precipitation in future
conditions; and
``(B) evaluation of the strengths and challenges of
the full spectrum of approaches, including for probable
maximum precipitation studies.
``(4) A description of existing research needs in the field
of precipitation estimation in order to modernize current
methodologies and incorporate assumptions of non-stationarity.
``(5) 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.
``(6) A recommended plan for a Federal research and
development program, including specifications for costs,
timeframes, and responsible agencies for addressing identified
research needs.
``(7) 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.
``(8) Recommendations for data management to promote long-
term needs such as enabling retrospective analyses and data
discoverability, interoperability, and reuse.
``(9) Recommendations for how data and services from the
entire enterprise can be best leveraged by the Federal
Government.
``(10) A description of non-Federal precipitation data, its
accessibility by the Federal Government, and ways for National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve or expand
such datasets.
``(11) Such other topics as the Administrator or National
Academies consider appropriate.
``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
$1,500,000 to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
carry out this study.
``SEC. 602. IMPROVING PRECIPITATION FREQUENCY ESTIMATES.
``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall--
``(1) not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of
this title and not less frequently than every 5 years
thereafter, update precipitation frequency estimates for the
United States, such that each update includes at least one
precipitation frequency atlas that incorporates assumptions of
non-stationarity;
``(2) develop products targeted at users of this data in
support of the mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
``(3) make publicly available, in a searchable,
interoperable format, all precipitation frequency estimate
studies developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration that the Administrator has the legal right to
redistribute and that are deemed to be at an appropriate stage
of development on an internet website of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration; and
``(4) ensure all precipitation frequency estimate data,
products, and supporting documentation and metadata are
preserved, curated, and served by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, as appropriate.
``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
carry out this section $3,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through
2030.
``SEC. 603. IMPROVING PROBABLE MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which
the National Academies makes public the report under section 601, the
Administrator, in consideration of the report recommendations, shall
consult with relevant partners, including users of the data, on the
development of a plan to--
``(1) not later than 6 years after the completion of the
National Academies report under section 601 and not less than
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;
``(2) coordinate with partners to conduct research in the
field of extreme precipitation estimation, in accordance with
the research needs identified by the National Academies report
under section 601;
``(3) 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 deemed to be at an appropriate state of
development on an internet website of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration; and
``(4) 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.
``(b) National Guidance Document for the Development of Probable
Maximum Precipitation Estimates.--The Administrator, in collaboration
with Federal agencies, State, territorial, tribal and local
governments, academia and other partners the Administrator deems
appropriate, shall develop a National Guidance Document that--
``(1) 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;
``(2) considers the recommendations provided in the
National Academies study in section 601;
``(3) facilitates review of probable maximum precipitation
studies by regulatory agencies;
``(4) provides confidence in regional and site-specific
probable maximum precipitation estimates; and
``(5) includes such other topics as the Administrator deems
appropriate.
``(c) Publication.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which
the National Academies makes public the report under section 601, the
Administrator shall make publicly available the National Guidance
Document under subsection (b) on an internet website of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
``(d) Updates.--The Administrator shall update the National
Guidance Document not less than once every 10 years after the
publication of the National Guidance Document under subsection (c) and
publish such updates in accordance with such subsection.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
carry out this section:
``(1) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2022.
``(2) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2023.
``(3) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.
``(4) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.
``(5) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
``(6) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.
``SEC. 604. DEFINITIONS.
`` In this title:
``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
``(2) National academies.--The term `National Academies'
means the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine.
``(3) Precipitation frequency atlas.--The term
`precipitation frequency atlas' means a geographical atlas,
such as the NOAA Atlas 14, that contains precipitation
frequency estimates for the United States with associated lower
and upper bounds of a determined confidence interval and
supplementary information on temporal distribution of heavy
precipitation, analysis of seasonality, and trends in annual
maximum series data.
``(4) Precipitation frequency estimate.--The term
`precipitation frequency estimate' means the magnitude
associated with specific average recurrence interval or annual
exceedance probability for a given duration.
``(5) United states.--The term `United States' 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.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1(b) of the Weather Research and
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501 note) is amended in
the table of contents by adding at the end the following:
``TITLE VI--IMPROVING FEDERAL PRECIPITATION INFORMATION
``Sec. 601. Study on precipitation estimation.
``Sec. 602. Improving precipitation frequency estimates.
``Sec. 603. Improving probable maximum precipitation estimates.
``Sec. 604. Definitions.''.
Union Calendar No. 224
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1437
[Report No. 117-304]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to
direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide
comprehensive and regularly updated Federal precipitation information,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 3, 2022
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed