[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 213 (Friday, November 4, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-27364]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 4, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 

National Weather Service Modernization and Restructuring

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce is well underway toward completing 
the largest modernization and restructuring of the National Weather 
Service in history. This will result in substantial improvements to 
weather services provided nationwide. The Department of Commerce 
requests comments on service areas where it is believed that current 
weather services may be degraded as existing radars are decommissioned 
or as field offices are closed, consolidated, automated or relocated 
during the modernization of the Weather Service.

DATES: Comments are due by January 3, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Julie Scanlon, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West 
Highway #9372, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Julie Scanlon at 301-713-1413 or Nick Scheller at 301-713-0454.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In this notice, including the Study 
Guidelines in Appendix 1, the following terms and acronyms have the 
meaning indicated:
    Field office means any National Weather Service Office or National 
Weather Service Forecast Office.
    MTC means the Modernization Transition Committee established by 
Section 707 of the Act.
    NEXRAD means the Next Generation Radar also referred to as the WSR-
88D radar.
    NIP means the National Implementation Plan for the modernization of 
the Weather Service required by Section 703 of the Act.
    NRC means the National Research Council of the National Academy of 
Sciences.
    NWS means the National Weather Service.
    Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce and, with respect to a 
function under the Act, an officer or employee of the Department of 
Commerce authorized to perform the function.
    Service Area means the geographical area for which an existing 
field office provides weather services or conducts observations.
    Weather service means a service or product provided to a service 
area by a field office.
    WSMA or Act means the Weather Service Modernization Act (Pub. L. 
102-567, 15 U.S.C. 313n.)
    Pursuant to the WSMA, the Secretary has established procedures to 
ensure that the modernization of the Weather Service will not result in 
degradation of weather services currently provided. See 15 C.F.R. part 
946 (58 FR 18317; 59 FR 9921).
    To strengthen public confidence in these procedures, without 
unnecessarily delaying the modernization process, the Department of 
Commerce has adopted and will apply the Study Guidelines of Appendix 1. 
These guidelines expand the opportunity for public participation in the 
modernization process as provided in these guidelines. The Secretary 
has also contracted with the NRC to develop additional independent 
scientific criteria to identify where weather services could be 
degraded as existing radars are decommissioned. The Secretary will 
apply these additional criteria as well as other criteria previously 
recommended by the NRC to ensure that services will not be degraded as 
radars are decommissioned or as field offices are closed, consolidated, 
relocated or automated.
    The Department of Commerce requests comments where commentors 
believe that current weather services may be degraded as existing 
radars are decommissioned or as field offices are closed, consolidated, 
automated or relocated.
    Commentors are requested to state the basis for their belief as 
fully as possible, and include a description of local weather 
characteristics (including unique weather phenomena) and weather 
related concerns which involve a substantial threat to public safety 
which they believe affect the weather services provided.
    Comments received prior to the deadline will be forwarded promptly 
to the NRC. The full procedures the Secretary will follow regarding 
reviewing the adequacy of the nation's overall NEXRAD coverage, to 
ensure a solid scientific and technical basis for the decision making 
process, and to assure meaningful participation by the public are set 
forth in the Study Guidelines in Appendix 1.

    Dated: October 31, 1994.
D. James Baker,
Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere.

Appendix 1--Study Guidelines

Section 1:

    (a) Modernization of the NWS is essential to public safety and 
should proceed without unnecessary delay.
    (b) The WSMA establishes procedures that assure that the 
modernization of the NWS will not result in the degradation of 
weather services currently provided to the public but these 
procedures do not provide for the independent review of decisions 
until shortly after the actual event; and
    (c) It is appropriate to review the adequacy of the nation's 
overall NEXRAD coverage, to ensure a solid scientific and technical 
basis for the decision making process, and to assure meaningful 
participation by the public.

Section 2:

    The purposes of this document are to provide the fullest 
opportunity for public participation in the modernization process 
without unduly delaying this process; and to ensure, through the 
application of independent scientific criteria that weather services 
provided in each service area will not be degraded as obsolete 
radars are decommissioned or as field offices are closed, 
consolidated, relocated or automated.

Section 3:

    The definitions contained in section 702 of the WSMA shall apply 
to the terms in this document. In addition, the term ``area of 
concern'' means a service area identified in a timely public comment 
in response to the Federal Register notice required by section 4 of 
this document.

Section 4:

    Within 30 days the Secretary shall publish a notice in the 
Federal Register requesting comments on service areas where it is 
believed that current weather services may be degraded as existing 
radars are decommissioned or as field offices are closed, 
consolidated, automated or relocated. The notice shall allow 60 days 
for the submission of comments. Persons submitting comments shall 
state the basis for their belief as fully as possible, and shall 
include a description of local weather characteristics (including 
unique weather phenomena) and weather related concerns which involve 
a substantial threat to public safety which they believe affect the 
weather services provided in areas of concern. All comments received 
by the Secretary shall be provided promptly to the NRC.

Section 5:

    (a) Within 30 days the Secretary shall contract with the NRC, or 
amend an existing contract as necessary, to conduct an independent 
scientific assessment of proposed NEXRAD radar coverage and 
consolidation of Field Offices in terms of ``no degradation of 
services'' and to establish criteria for identifying service areas 
where the decommissioning of existing radars could degrade service 
to affected users.
    (b) Within 180 days, but not earlier than 60 days after the 
close of the comment period provided in the Federal Register notice 
of section 4, the NRC shall furnish to the Secretary the assessment 
and criteria required by subsection (a) together with 
recommendations regarding the need and timing for any future 
independent studies by the NRC.

Section 6:

    (a) After receipt of the NRC report, the Secretary shall apply 
the NRC criteria and other applicable criteria previously approved 
by the NRC pursuant to the WSMA to areas of concerns and, taking 
into account the comments received in response to the Federal 
Register notice of section 4, identify those where he/she believes 
that actions to decommission a radar or to close, consolidate, 
relocate, automate a field office noted in the current version of 
the NIP are not likely to satisfy the requirements of the WSMA. The 
Secretary shall report the results of his/her review to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Science, Space and Technology of the House of 
Representatives. If the Secretary believes that additional radars 
are needed to satisfy the requirements of the WSMA, he/she shall 
also identify the number and location of the radars needed.
    (b) Submission of a report under this section shall not relieve 
the Secretary from the requirement of section 706(b) of the WSMA to 
certify no degradation of service when she/he restructures a field 
office. If the field office is located in an area of concern, the 
Secretary shall provide all comments relating to that area of 
concern received pursuant to section 4 of the MTC during the 
certification process.

Section 7:

    (a) The Secretary shall not close, consolidate, relocate, or 
automate any field office or decommission any NWS radar until the 
public has had an opportunity to identify areas of concern.
    (b) Regardless of the contents of the most recent NIP, the 
Secretary shall not decommission a radar or close, consolidate, 
automate or relocate a field office in an area of concern unless--
    (1) The Secretary has reported to the Congress as provided in 
section 6 that he/she believes that the action contemplated would 
not result in a degradation of service; and
    (2) 30 days have expired from the date the report was submitted 
to Congress.
[FR Doc. 94-27364 Filed 11-3-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-M