[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 172 (Thursday, December 1, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6679-S6680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
METROPOLITAN WEATHER HAZARDS PROTECTION ACT OF 2015
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 629, S. 2058.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 2058) to require the Secretary of Commerce to
maintain and operate at least one Doppler weather radar site
within 55 miles of each city in the United States that has a
population of more than 700,000 individuals, and for other
purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Metropolitan Weather Hazards
Protection Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. STUDY ON GAPS IN NEXRAD COVERAGE AND REQUIREMENT FOR
PLAN TO ADDRESS SUCH GAPS.
(a) Study on Gaps in NEXRAD Coverage.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall
complete a study on gaps in the coverage of the Next
Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service
(known as ``NEXRAD'').
(2) Elements.--Under the study required by paragraph (1),
the Secretary shall--
(A) identify areas in the United States with limited or no
Next Generation Weather Radar coverage below 6,000 feet above
ground level of the surrounding terrain;
(B) for the areas identified under subparagraph (A),
Charlotte, North Carolina, and surrounding counties, central
Washington State, northwest New Mexico, and Columbus, Ohio,
and surrounding counties--
(i) identify the key weather effects for which prediction
would improve with improved radar detection;
(ii) identify additional sources of observations for high
impact weather that were available and operational for such
areas on the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act, including Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (known as
``TDWR''), air surveillance radars of the Federal Aviation
Administration, and cooperative network observers; and
(iii) assess the feasibility and advisability of efforts to
integrate and upgrade Federal radar capabilities in such
areas that are not owned or controlled by of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including radar
capabilities of the Federal Aviation Administration and the
Department of Defense;
(C) assess the feasibility and advisability of
incorporating State-operated and other non-Federal radars
into the operations of the National Weather Service;
(D) identify options to improve radar coverage in the areas
identified under subparagraph (A); and
(E) estimate the cost of, and develop a timeline for,
carrying out each of the options identified under
subparagraph (D).
(3) Report.--Upon the completion of the study required by
paragraph (1), the Secretary 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 of the Secretary
with respect to the study.
(b) Plan to Improve Radar Coverage.--Not later than 30 days
after the completion of the study required by subsection
(a)(1), the Secretary shall develop and 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 plan to improve radar coverage
in the areas identified under subsection (a)(2)(A) by
integrating, and upgrading where practicable, additional
observation solutions to improve hazardous weather detection
and forecasting.
(c) Requirement for Third-party Reviews Regarding Plan to
Improve Radar Coverage.--The Secretary shall seek third-party
reviews on scientific methodology relating to, and the
feasibility and advisability of, implementing the plan
developed and submitted under subsection (b), including the
extent to which warning and forecast services of the National
Weather Service would be improved by additional Next
Generation Weather Radar coverage.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the Burr
substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be considered
read a third time and passed, the title amendment be agreed to, and the
motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was
withdrawn.
The amendment (No. 5123) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to,
as follows:
[[Page S6680]]
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SEC. __. STUDY ON GAPS IN NEXRAD COVERAGE AND REQUIREMENT FOR
PLAN TO ADDRESS SUCH GAPS.
(a) Study on Gaps in NEXRAD Coverage.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall
complete a study on gaps in the coverage of the Next
Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service
(referred to in this section as ``NEXRAD'').
(2) Elements.--In conducting the study required under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
(A) identify areas in the United States with limited or no
NEXRAD coverage below 6,000 feet above ground level of the
surrounding terrain;
(B) for the areas identified under subparagraph (A)--
(i) identify the key weather effects for which prediction
would improve with improved radar detection;
(ii) identify additional sources of observations for high
impact weather that were available and operational for such
areas on the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act, including Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (commonly known
as ``TDWR''), air surveillance radars of the Federal Aviation
Administration, and cooperative network observers; and
(iii) assess the feasibility and advisability of efforts to
integrate and upgrade Federal radar capabilities that are not
owned or controlled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, including radar capabilities of the Federal
Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense;
(C) assess the feasibility and advisability of
incorporating State-operated and other non-Federal radars
into the operations of the National Weather Service;
(D) identify options to improve radar coverage in the areas
identified under subparagraph (A); and
(E) estimate the cost of, and develop a timeline for,
carrying out each of the options identified under
subparagraph (D).
(3) Report.--Upon the completion of the study required
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a report to
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives that includes the findings of the
Secretary with respect to the study.
(b) Plan to Improve Radar Coverage.--Not later than 30 days
after the completion of the study under subsection (a)(1),
the Secretary of Commerce shall submit a plan to the
congressional committees referred to in subsection (a)(3) for
improving radar coverage in the areas identified under
subsection (a)(2)(A) by integrating and upgrading, to the
extent practicable, additional observation solutions to
improve hazardous weather detection and forecasting.
(c) Requirement for Third-party Reviews Regarding Plan to
Improve Radar Coverage.--The Secretary of Commerce shall seek
third-party reviews on scientific methodology relating to,
and the feasibility and advisability of, implementing the
plan submitted under subsection (b), including the extent to
which warning and forecast services of the National Weather
Service would be improved by additional NEXRAD coverage.
The bill (S. 2058), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
The amendment (No. 5124) was agreed to, as follows:
(Purpose: To amend the title)
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to require the
Secretary of Commerce to study the coverage gaps of the Next
Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service and
to develop a plan for improving radar coverage and hazardous
weather detection and forecasting.''.
____________________