[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 86 (Thursday, May 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6869-S6872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Nelson of Florida, 
        and Mr. Martinez):
  S. 1509. A bill to improve United States hurricane forecasting, 
monitoring, and warning capabilities, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak about 
a very important, and timely issue, for constituents all along the Gulf 
Coast, as well as coastal residents along the Atlantic seaboard, the 
need for accurate hurricane forecasting and tracking. This issue is 
particularly timely with the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane season beginning 
next week. According to the National Hurricane Center, 2007 is 
estimated to have between 13 to 17 named storms, 7 to 10 hurricanes, 
and 3 to 5 major hurricanes. When I hear ``three to five major 
hurricanes'' I have to admit it makes me and my constituents a little 
nervous because, in 2005, as the world is well aware, we had another 
active hurricane season with three major storms, Katrina, Rita and 
Wilma impacting the Gulf Coast States. Two of these powerful storms, 
Katrina and Rita, slammed into my State of Louisiana. We lost hundreds 
of lives and thousands of businesses as a result. To this day, the 
region is still slowly recovering, but by all accounts, the loss of 
life and property could have been much worse had we not had top notch 
forecasting and tracking of these storms. Accurate monitoring of these 
storms, from their development in the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean, until 
they slammed into the Gulf Coast, literally saved lives as thousands of 
residents were able to evacuate from the impacted areas. This accurate 
forecast, showing residents if they are in the possible ``danger 
zone,'' is provided by the experts in the National Hurricane Center but 
they cannot do their job without the necessary data. Such data is 
provided via buoys in the water, Hurricane Hunter Aircraft, radar 
stations on the ground, as well as satellites.
  With recent advances in technology, I believe sometimes we take for 
granted these satellites, which are so far removed from our daily 
existence as to be ``out of sight, out of mind.'' However, they are a 
major part of our daily lives as satellites now provide us with our 
radio stations, give us driving directions, bring us our favorite 
television shows. These same satellites also give us views of distant 
galaxies/stars and allow us to see weather patterns days before they 
come through our towns. It is this use of weather tracking satellites 
of which I would like to highlight with the upcoming hurricane season. 
As Hurricane Katrina showed us, Federal and State response plans are 
not worth the paper they are printed on if you do not know where or 
when the disaster might strike. No amount of satellite phones or 
stockpiles of supplies are helpful if they are on the other side of the 
country when a disaster hits. Pre-positioning personnel and supplies 
ahead of a disaster, as well as efficient evacuations of residents from 
a possible disaster area depends just as much on accurate weather 
forecasting as it does on efficient planning. That is why these weather 
satellites are so key, they allow experts to say with some certainty 
that one area will be out of harm's way while another area is in 
potential danger.
  One of these weather satellites is the Quick Scatterometer, or 
QuikSCAT satellite. QuikSCAT is an ocean-observing satellite launched 
in June 1999 to replace the capability of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration Scatterometer, NSCAT, satellite. The NSCAT lost 
power in 1997, 9 months after launch in September 1996. QuikSCAT has 
the objective of improving weather forecasts near coastlines by using 
wind data in numerical weather-and-wave prediction. It also was 
launched with the purpose of improving hurricane warning/monitoring as 
well as serving as the next ``El Nino watcher'' for NASA. This 
particular satellite was instrumental in accurate tracking of Tropical 
Storm, later Hurricane Katrina, as it provided NOAA experts with 
accurate data on the wind speed and direction for Katrina. It gives 
experts an estimate of the size of the tropical storm winds and the 
hurricane winds.

  Given how important this satellite is for hurricane forecasting, many 
in Congress including myself are concerned as this essential satellite 
is currently 5 years over its intended 3 year lifespan and could fail 
at any moment. I am aware that there are ongoing discussions in terms 
of getting a replacement satellite for QuikSCAT but it is just that, 
discussions. As it stands today, there are currently no contingency 
plans in place should this satellite fail and no program in place to 
fast track a next-generation QuikSCAT. What would the impact be you ask 
if this satellite fails? Well, according to Bill Proenza, Director of 
the National Hurricane Center, without QuikSCAT, hurricane forecasting 
would be 16 percent less accurate 72 hours before hurricane landfall 
and 10 percent less accurate 48 hours before hurricane landfall. This 
loss of accuracy means a great deal for those impacted by future storms 
as experts would have to expand the area possibly impacted to fully 
ensure those impacted were properly warned. For example, a 16 percent 
loss of accuracy at 72 hours before landfall would increase the area 
expected to be under hurricane danger from 197 miles to 228 miles on 
average. With a 10 percent loss of accuracy at 48 hours before 
landfall, the area expected to be under hurricane danger would rise 
from 136 miles to 150 miles on average. Greater inaccuracy of this type 
would lead to more ``false alarm'' evacuations along the Gulf Coast and 
Atlantic Coast and, as a result, decrease the possibility of impacted 
populations sufficiently heeding mandatory evacuations. As someone who 
has spent my whole life in Louisiana and who has been through many 
hurricanes, I can tell you that if someone evacuates and then the storm 
turns or does not impact their area,

[[Page S6870]]

they are less likely to evacuate for the next storm. It is human nature 
and although Katrina has left many in my part of the country more 
attentive to evacuation orders, as time passes certainly people will 
not heed orders if inaccurate hurricane forecasts cause them to pack 
their belongings and rush away from their homes, only to have the storm 
hit another State. So it is essential to provide the National Hurricane 
Center and NOAA with the tools they need to get the forecast right and 
better prepare coastal residents for future hurricanes and storms.
  With this in mind, I am introducing today the Improved Hurricane 
Tracking and Forecasting Act of 2007. I am proud to be joined on this 
legislation by Senators Kerry, Bill Nelson, and Martinez. My colleagues 
from Florida spend much time working on hurricane preparedness and I am 
honored to have their support on this bill, as well as the support from 
my friend from Massachusetts. This broad array of support from senators 
from both the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast shows how essential this 
particular satellite program is for our coastal residents. Furthermore, 
my colleague from Louisiana, Representative Charlie Melancon, 
introduced the House version of this bill along with Representative Ron 
Klein from Florida.
  This is very straightforward bill as it authorizes $375 million for a 
new satellite. QuikSCAT is 5 years past its projected lifespan and a 
new replacement is needed so this bill fills the need. The funds would 
go to NOAA for the design and launch of an improved QuikSCAT satellite. 
This new satellite would take advantage of recent advances in 
technology and maintain continuity of operations for the current 
QuikSCAT weather forecasting and warning capabilities. To ensure that 
we are not left in another position like this, with an ailing satellite 
in space and no contingency plans for a replacement, this bill also 
institutes some reporting requirements for the new QuikSCAT satellite. 
When this satellite is launched, NOAA would be required to update 
Congress on the operational status of the satellite and its data 
capabilities. I believe this is a commonsense requirement which would 
put the Congress in a position in the future to fast track 
authorization or funding should it be necessary, rather than having to 
play catch up.
  I strongly believe this bill is necessary to protect our coastal 
residents from future hurricanes. This is because, according to the 
U.S. Census Bureau, close to 53 percent of the U.S. population resides 
within the first 50 miles of the coast. You also have to take into 
account that although hurricanes usually hit the Gulf Coast or southern 
Atlantic Coast, hurricanes have and possibly will strike the more 
populous northeast Atlantic Coast. Hurricane Katrina devastated 
Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi but consider the same magnitude of 
storm striking heavily populated New York, Massachusetts, or 
Pennsylvania it would not only devastate the region but leave the 
Nation's financial and commerce centers in ruins. I urge my colleagues 
to support this legislation since it will help improve hurricane 
forecasting and will maintain continuity of operations for current 
hurricane forecasting and warning capabilities.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and articles 
relating to QuikSCAT be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1509

       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 ``Improved Hurricane Tracking 
     and Forecasting Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Scatterometers on satellites are state-of-the-art radar 
     instruments which operate by transmitting high-frequency 
     microwave pulses to the ocean surface and measuring echoed 
     radar pulses bounced back to the satellite.
       (2) Scatterometers can acquire hundreds of times more 
     observations of surface wind velocity each day than can ships 
     and buoys, and are the only remote-sensing systems able to 
     provide continuous, accurate and high-resolution measurements 
     of both wind speeds and direction regardless of weather 
     conditions.
       (3) The Quick Scatterometer satellite (QuikSCAT) is an 
     ocean-observing satellite launched on June 19, 1999, to 
     replace the capability of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration Scatterometer (NSCAT), an instrument which 
     lost power in 1997, 9 months after launch in September 1996.
       (4) The QuikSCAT satellite has the operational objective of 
     improving weather forecasts near coastlines by using wind 
     data in numerical weather-and-wave prediction, as well as 
     improve hurricane warning and monitoring and acting as the 
     next ``El Nino watcher'' for the National Aeronautics and 
     Space Administration.
       (5) The QuikSCAT satellite was built in just 12 months and 
     was launched with a 3-year design life, but continues to 
     perform per specifications, with its backup transmitter, as 
     it enters into its 8th year--5 years past its projected 
     lifespan.
       (6) The QuikSCAT satellite provides daily coverage of 90 
     percent of the world's oceans, and its data has been a vital 
     contribution to National Weather Service forecasts and 
     warnings over water since 2000.
       (7) Despite its continuing performance, the QuikSCAT 
     satellite is well beyond its expected design life and a 
     replacement is urgently needed because, according to the 
     National Hurricane Center, without the QuikSCAT satellite--
       (A) hurricane forecasting would be 16 percent less accurate 
     72 hours before hurricane landfall and 10 percent less 
     accurate 48 hours before hurricane landfall resulting in--
       (i) with a 16 percent loss of accuracy at 72 hours before 
     landfall, the area expected to be under hurricane danger 
     would rise from 197 miles to 228 miles on average; and
       (ii) with a 10 percent loss of accuracy at 48 hours before 
     landfall, the area expected to be under hurricane danger 
     would rise from 136 miles to 150 miles on average; and
       (B) greater inaccuracy of this type would lead to more 
     ``false alarm'' evacuations along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic 
     Coast and decrease the possibility of impacted populations 
     sufficiently heeding mandatory evacuations.
       (8) According to recommendations in the National Academies 
     of Science report entitled ``Decadal Survey'', a next 
     generation ocean surface wind vector satellite mission is 
     needed during the three year period beginning in 2013.
       (9) According to the National Hurricane Center, a next 
     generation ocean surface vector wind satellite is needed to 
     take advantage of current technologies that already exist to 
     overcome current limitations of the QuikSCAT satellite and 
     enhance the capabilities of the National Hurricane Center to 
     better warn coastal residents of possible hurricanes.

     SEC. 3. PROGRAM FOR IMPROVED OCEAN SURFACE WINDS VECTOR 
                   SATELLITE.

       (a) Requirement.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic 
     and Atmospheric Administration shall, in consultation with 
     the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration and the head of any other department or agency 
     of the United States Government designated by the President 
     for purposes of this section, carry out a program for an 
     improved ocean surface winds vector satellite.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the program required under 
     subsection (a) shall be to provide for the development of an 
     improved ocean surface winds vector satellite in order to--
       (1) address science and application questions related to 
     air-sea interaction, coastal circulation, and biological 
     productivity;
       (2) improve forecasting for hurricanes, coastal winds and 
     storm surge, and other weather-related disasters;
       (3) ensure continuity of quality for satellite ocean 
     surface vector wind measurements so that existing weather 
     forecasting and warning capabilities are not degraded;
       (4) advance satellite ocean surface vector wind data 
     capabilities; and
       (5) address such other matters as the Administrator of the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration, considers appropriate.
       (c) Annual Reports.--
       (1) Reports required.--Not later than six months after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter 
     until the termination of the program required under 
     subsection (a), 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 and Technology of the House of 
     Representatives a report on the program required under 
     subsection (a).
       (2) Elements.--Each report under paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following:
       (A) A current description of the program required under 
     subsection (a), including the amount of funds expended for 
     the program during the period covered by such report and the 
     purposes for which such funds were expended.
       (B) A description of the operational status of the 
     satellite developed under the program, including a 
     description of the current capabilities of the satellite and 
     current estimate of the anticipated lifespan of the 
     satellite.
       (C) A description of current and proposed uses of the 
     satellite by the United States Government, and academic, 
     research, and other private entities, during the period 
     covered by such report.

[[Page S6871]]

       (D) Any other matters that the Administrator of the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration, considers appropriate.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration $375,000,000 to carry out the program required 
     under subsection (a).

                   [From Florida Today, May 17, 2007]

            Key Hurricane-Detecting Satellite May Fail Soon

                            (By Jim Waymer)

       Fort Lauderdale, Fla.--A vital satellite for determining a 
     hurricane's power could soon go kaput. NASA's QuikSCAT polar 
     satellite is running on borrowed time and may soon leave 
     forecasters--and therefore the general public--without the 
     best, most precise information about how powerful approaching 
     storms might become, a top hurricane official warned. And 
     there's nothing to replace it. ``We are already on its backup 
     transmitter,'' Bill Proenza, director of the National 
     Hurricane Center, told a crowd of about 4,000 Wednesday at 
     the first day of the Governor's Hurricane Conference in Fort 
     Lauderdale. ``When we lose that, that satellite is gone.''
       Proenza said the QuikSCAT satellite, launched in 1999, 
     could take up to five years and $400 million to replace. The 
     satellite was only designed to operate for three to five 
     years, the new director of the hurricane center said. Proenza 
     recently replaced Max Mayfield as director. ``I came in and 
     was very concerned it wasn't being addressed,'' Proenza said 
     in an interview with Florida Today. Proenza said he has 
     emphasized the satellite's importance to top officials from 
     the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       QuikSCAT measures broad windfields, giving forecasters a 
     bigger picture of storms than ships or aircraft. Last year, 
     the satellite's data revealed that what forecasters thought a 
     weak tropical storm was really Hurricane Helene, a Category 2 
     hurricane. Kinks in an infrared camera and $3 billion in cost 
     overruns have stalled the next generation of weather 
     satellites, threatening a three-year or longer gap in 
     coverage from orbiters that loop the Earth's poles and help 
     predict where the next big hurricane will hit. The gap could 
     worsen forecast errors from a few miles to a few hundred 
     miles.
       The precision of the two-day forecast would drop 10 
     percent, Proenza said, and the three-day forecast by 16 
     percent. Either loss in accuracy would equate to landfall 
     predictions being off by potentially hundreds of miles in 
     Florida, since storms approach at a steep angle.
       Officials rely on precise predictions for tracks to avoid 
     expensive, unnecessary evacuations--or worse, a failure to 
     evacuate those in harm's way. A QuikSCAT failure and less 
     precise predictions could lead to ``hurricane fatigue,'' with 
     more people deciding to take their chances against 
     approaching storms, officials said. ``There will be more 
     cries of wolf,'' said Charlie Roberts, senior emergency 
     management coordinator for Brevard County (Fla.) Emergency 
     Management. ``And the probability of us jumping the gun 
     increases.''
       Launches of six replacement satellites were to start in 
     2009. But engineering difficulties with the satellites' 
     cameras, bureaucratic snags and other delays caused the cost 
     of the project to skyrocket to $10 billion--about 30 percent 
     over budget--triggering a Department of Defense review of the 
     project. Now, the earliest launch for the first replacement 
     satellites would be 2012.
       Forecasters worry that if the last of a fleet of older-
     generation satellites, planned for launch in late 2007, fails 
     at or shortly after liftoff--one in 10 do--they would have 
     insufficient satellite coverage beyond 2010. Longer high-
     altitude aerial flights could help make up for breaks in 
     satellite forecast coverage. But airplanes are only good for 
     forecasting small regions surrounding the storms, not the 
     three- to five-day forecasts so vital for evacuation 
     planning, Proenza said. Other NASA or European satellites may 
     help compensate for some data lapses, too, but many of those 
     are designed to gather long-term climate data, not storm 
     information.
       ``I would like to see something that would last 10 years,'' 
     Proenza said of a QuikSCAT replacement. ``NOAA needs to take 
     it as a top priority from here.''
                                  ____


              [From the Houston Chronicle, March 16, 2007]

      Expert Warns of Worse Hurricane Forecasts if Satellite Fails

                          (By Jessica Gresko)

       Miami.--Certain hurricane forecasts could be up to 16 
     percent less accurate if a key weather satellite that is 
     already beyond its expected lifespan fails, the National 
     Hurricane Center's new director said Friday in calling for 
     hundreds of millions of dollars in new funding for expanded 
     research and predictions.
       Bill Proenza also told the Associated Press in an wide-
     ranging interview that ties between global warming and 
     increased hurricane strength seemed a ``natural linkage.'' 
     But he cautioned that other weather conditions currently play 
     a larger part in determining the strength and number of 
     hurricanes.
       One of Proenza's immediate concerns is the so-called 
     ``QuikScat'' weather satellite, which lets forecasters 
     measure basics such as wind speed. Replacing it would take at 
     least four years even if the estimated $400 million cost were 
     available immediately, he said.
       It is currently in its seventh year of operation and was 
     expected to last five, Proenza said, and it is only a matter 
     of time until it fails. Without the satellite providing key 
     data, Proenza said, both two- and three-day forecasts of a 
     storm's path would be affected. The two-day forecast could be 
     10 percent worse while the three-day one could be affected up 
     to 16 percent, Proenza said. That would mean longer stretches 
     of coastline would have to be placed under warnings, and more 
     people than necessary would have to evacuate.
       Average track errors last year were about 100 miles on two-
     day forecasts and 150 miles on three-day predictions. Track 
     errors have been cut in half over the past 15 years. Losing 
     QuikScat could erode some of those gains, Proenza 
     acknowlegded, adding he did not know of any plans to replace 
     It.
       Proenza, 62, also discussed a series of other concerns, 
     naming New Orleans, the Northeast and the Florida Keys as 
     among the areas most vulnerable to hurricanes. Apart from 
     working with the media and emergency managers to help 
     vulnerable residents prepare, he proposed having students 
     come up with plans at school to discuss with their parents.
       He said he believes hundreds of millions of dollars more 
     money is needed to better understand storms. At the same 
     time, he strongly opposed a proposal to close any of the 
     National Weather Service's 122 offices around the nation or 
     have them operate part time, saying ``weather certainly 
     doesh't take a holiday.''
       Proenza took over one of meteorology's most highly visible 
     posts in January. His predecessor, Max Mayfield, had held the 
     top spot for six years.
       Like Mayfield, Proenza stressed the importance of 
     preparedness, but he also set out slightly different 
     positions. Global warming was one of them. Last year, the 
     Caribbean and western Atlantic had the second-highest sea 
     temperatures since 1930, but the season turned out to be 
     quieter than expected, Proenza said. ``So there's got to be 
     other factors working and impacting hurricanes and tropical 
     storms than just sea surface temperatures or global 
     warming,'' he said.
       His comments distinguished him from Mayfield, who had said 
     climate change didn't substantially enhance hurricane 
     activity, especially the number of storms. Both men talked 
     about being in a period of heightened hurricane activity 
     since 1995, as part of a natural fluctuation.
                                  ____


       [From the Institute for Emergency Management, May 2, 2007]

                  Failing Hurricane Tracking Satellite

       Hurricanes take lives and destroy property along the Gulf 
     and Atlantic coasts virtually every year. The danger to lives 
     and property is increasing as more and more people move to 
     the coastlines. Over 50 percent of the U.S. population lives 
     within 50 miles of the coast. Of this population, 7 million 
     have moved to the coast since 2005--many of these people have 
     never faced a hurricane before.
       As coastlines become more densely populated, longer lead 
     times are needed to evacuate each area threatened by a storm. 
     As a result, hurricane forecasting tools have become 
     increasingly important. The nation's principal forecast 
     agencies are the National Weather Service and the National 
     Hurricane Center. The National Hurricane Center uses a 
     variety of scientific instruments and tools, including 
     satllites, reconnaissance planes, radar, and weather-sensing 
     devices. One very crucial forecasting tool is the QuikSCAT 
     satellite.
       The QuikSCAT satellite was launched in 1999 by NASA's Jet 
     Propulsion Laboratory, and was expected to last until 2002. 
     It includes an experimental sensor to determine a Hurricane's 
     intensity and wind patterns. It is like a storm's X-ray, 
     showing the inner structure of a hurricane. The QuikSCAT is 
     still functioning, but it is now 8 years old, five years past 
     its projected lifespan. If it fails, tbe consequences could 
     be dire.
       There is considerable uncertainty about the path of a 
     hurricane. When a storm is far out at sea, a large section of 
     the coastline is identified as being a potential landfall 
     site. As the storm gets closer, the area of expected landfall 
     shrinks down. Since cities and communities have to evacuate 
     many hours before expected landfall, it is important to know 
     as early as possible where a storm might strike. Most cities 
     along the coast require more than 36 hours to safely evacuate 
     the majority of their residents. If there are large numbers 
     of citizens without cars or the ability to move, the time 
     needed to evacuate becomes considerably longer. In 2005, good 
     forecasting prompted timely evacuations of appropriate areas, 
     and was responsible for saving thousands of lives threatened 
     by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.
       Without the QuikSCAT, the National Hurricane Center has 
     estimated that hurricane forecasting would be l6 percent less 
     accurate 72 hours before Hurricane landfall and 10 percent 
     less accurate 48 hours before landfall. With a 16 percent 
     loss of accuracy at 72 hours before landfall, the area 
     expected to be under hurricane danger would rise from 197 
     miles to 228 miles, on the average. With a 10 percent loss of 
     accuracy at 48 hours before landfall, the average area under 
     hurricane danger would rise from 136 miles to 150 miles.
       More communities being warned is not better. Greater 
     inaccuracy will lead to many

[[Page S6872]]

     ``false alarms.'' If communities are evacuated multiple 
     times, but do not suffer a direct hit, people will stop 
     responding to evacuation mandates. There has been no 
     assessment of how the loss of forecasting accuracy would 
     impact deaths or damages from potential storms all along the 
     Gulf and Atlantic coasts.


       Why Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Cannot Replace the QUikScAT

       The valiant Hurricane Hunter aircraft, managed by the U.S. 
     Air Force Reserves, are important tools for assessing a 
     developing storm. Hurricane Hunter pilots fly directly into 
     the storm and gather data along the flight path. The crafts 
     have been provided with ``active microwave scatterometers,'' 
     technology similar to what is installed in the QuikSCAT. This 
     technology, installed at a cost of $10 million, allows the 
     aircraft to gather the same kind of data that the QuikSCAT 
     collects.
       However, the Hurricane Hunter craft cannot replace the 
     QuikSCAT satellite. This is easiest to explain through 
     analogy. Hurricane Katrina's massive storm winds filled the 
     entire Gulf of Mexico and the storm system towered miles into 
     the atmosphere. Imagine that the whole area covered by such a 
     massive storm is an extremely large fishing pond. A single 
     plane gathering data is like a tiny fishing line collecting 
     data only along the single strand of the line. The satellite, 
     on the other hand, provides rich, detailed data horizontally 
     from one side of the storm to the other side, and vertically, 
     from the ocean surface to the top of the storm's swirling 
     winds. The QuikSCAT is like a detailed MRI.


                            Looking Forward

       Designing and launching a replacement satellite for the 
     aging QuikSCAT will take from three to five years and cost 
     approximately $375 million. No plans are currently in place 
     to replace the satellite, but if it stops functioning, we 
     will face serious consequences. Dr. William M. Gray, storm 
     forecaster, has predicted 17 named storms for 2007, including 
     nine hurricanes, with five of them being intense.
                                 ______