[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 980-981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-223]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


National Weather Service Modernization and Associated 
Restructuring

AGENCY: National Weather Service (NWS), NOAA, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The NWS is publishing proposed certifications for the closure 
of the following Weather Service offices:
    (1) Grand Island Weather Service Office (WSO), with services being 
provided by the future Hastings Weather Forecast Office (WFO);
    (2) Residual St. Louis WSO, with services being provided by the 
future St. Louis WFO;
    (3) Cape Hatteras WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Morehead City and Wakefield WFOs;
    (4) Harrisburg WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Central Pennsylvania WFO;
    (5) Residual New York City WSO, with services being provided by the 
future New York City WFO;
    (6) Reading WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Philadelphia WFO;
    (7) Apalachicola WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Tallahassee WFO;
    (8) Athens WSO, with services being provided by the future Atlanta 
and Greenville/Spartanburg WFOs;
    (9) Austin WSO, with services being provided by the future Austin/
San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/Galveston and San Angelo WFOs;
    (10) Bristol WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Knoxville/Tri-Cities, Roanoke, and Charleston WFOs;
    (11) Columbus, Georgia WSO, with services being provided by the 
future Birmingham, Tallahassee, and Atlanta WFOs;
    (12) Del Rio WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Austin/San Antonio WFO;
    (13) Fort Myers WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Tampa Bay Area WFO;
    (14) Galveston WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Houston/Galveston WFO;
    (15) Macon WSO, with services being provided by the future Atlanta 
and Tallahassee WFOs;
    (16) Residual New Orleans WSO, with services being provided by the 
future New Orleans/Baton Rouge WFO;
    (17) Orlando WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Melbourne WFO;
    (18) Pensacola WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Mobile and Tallahassee WFOs;
    (19) Port Arthur WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Lake Charles and Shreveport WFOs;
    (20) Roswell WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Albuquerque and Midland/Odessa WFOs;
    (21) Waco WSO, with services being provided by the future Dallas/
Ft. Worth and Houston/Galveston WFOs;
    (22) Bakersfield WSO, with services being provided by the future 
San Joaquin Valley WFO;
    (23) Residual Billings WSO, with services being provided by the 
future Billings WFO;
    (24) Eugene WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Portland and Medford WFOs;
    (25) Helena WSO, with services being provided by the future Great 
Falls and Missoula WFOs;
    (26) Klamath Falls WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Medford WFO;
    (27) Residual Los Angeles WSO, with services being provided by the 
future Los Angeles WFO;
    (28) Olympia WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Seattle/Tacoma and Portland WFOs;
    (29) Residual Phoenix WSO, with services being provided by the 
future Phoenix WFO;
    (30) Residual Reno WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Reno WFO;
    (31) Salem WSO, with services being provided by the future Portland 
WFO;
    (32) Winslow WSO, with services being provided by the future 
Flagstaff WFO;
    In accordance with Public Law 102-567, the public will have 60 days 
in which to comment on these proposed closure certifications.

DATES: Comments are requested by March 10, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the proposed closure packages should 
be sent to Tom Beaver, Room 09356, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910, telephone 301-713-0300. All comments should be sent 
to Tom Beaver at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Scanlon at 301-713-1698 ext 151.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with section 706 of Public Law 
102-567, the Secretary of Commerce must certify that these closures 
will not result in any degradation of service to the affected areas of 
responsibility and must publish the proposed closure certifications in 
the Federal Register. The documentation supporting each proposed 
certification includes the following:
    (1) A draft memorandum by the meteorologist(s)-in-charge 
recommending the certification, the final of which will be endorsed by 
the Regional Director and the Assistant Administrator of the NWS if 
appropriate, after consideration of public comments and completion of 
consultation with the Modernization Transition Committee (the 
Committee);
    (2) A description of local weather characteristics and weather-
related concerns which affect the weather services provided within the 
service area;
    (3) A comparison of the services provided within the service area 
and the services to be provided after such action:
    (4) A description of any recent or expected modernization of NWS 
operation which will enhance services in the service area;
    (5) An identification of any area within the affected service area 
which would not receive coverage (at an elevation of 10,000 feet) by 
the next generation weather radar network;
    (6) Warning and forecast verification statistics for pre-modernized 
and modernized services which were utilized in determining that 
services have not been degraded;
    (7) An Air Safety Appraisal, if applicable, for offices which are 
located on an airport; and
    (8) A letter appointing the liaison officer.
    These proposed certifications do not include any report of the 
Committee which could be submitted in accordance with sections 
706(b)(6) and 707(c) of Public Law 102-567. In December 1995 the 
Committee decided that, in general, they would forego the optional 
consultation on proposed certifications. Instead, the Committee would 
just

[[Page 981]]

review certifications after the public comment period had closed so 
their consultation would be with the benefit of public comments that 
had been submitted.
    This notice does not include the complete certification packages 
because they are too voluminous to publish. Copies of the certification 
packages and supporting documentation can be obtained through the 
contact listed above.
    Once all public comments have been received and considered, the NWS 
will complete consultation with the Committee and determine whether to 
proceed with the final certification. If a decision to certify is made, 
the Secretary of Commerce must publish the final certification in the 
Federal Register and transmit the certification to the appropriate 
Congressional committees prior to closing these offices.

    Dated: December 31, 1996.
Elbert W. Friday, Jr.,
Assistant Administrator for Weather Services.
[FR Doc. 97-223 Filed 1-6-97; 8:45 am]
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