[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38891-38892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18455]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 990709188-9188-01]


National Weather Service (NWS) Modernization and Associated 
Restructuring; Final Certification of No Degradation of Service for the 
Combined Consolidation and/or Automation and Closure of Seven Weather 
Service Offices (WSO)

AGENCY: NWS, NOAA, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On July 7, 1999, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans 
and Atmosphere transmitted to Congress notice of approval for five WSO 
consolidation, seven WSO automation, and seven WSO closure 
certifications. Pub. L. 102-567 requires the final certifications be 
published in the FR. This notice is intended to satisfy that 
requirement.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 20, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the final certification packages 
should be sent to Tom Beaver, Room 11426, 1325 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Beaver at 301-713-0300 ext. 136.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The WSO Fresno, CA, automation and closure 
certification was proposed in the July 14, 1997, Federal Register. The 
60-day public comment period closed on September 12, 1997. No public 
comments were received. At its September 24, 1997, meeting, the 
Modernization Transition Committee (MTC) endorsed the WSO Fresno 
certifications as not resulting in a degradation of service.
    The automation and closure certifications for WSO Huntington, WV; 
and consolidation, automation, and closure certifications for WSO 
Chattanooga, TN, and WSO Syracuse, NY, were proposed in the April 9, 
1998, Federal Register. The 60-day public comment period closed on June 
8, 1998.
    Fourteen public comments were received pertaining to WSO Syracuse. 
No comments were received pertaining to WSOs Huntington and 
Chattanooga. A synopsis of the public comments on WSO Syracuse and NWS 
response are set forth here for reference.
    Comments on WSO Syracuse, New York: Fourteen public comments were 
received raising two concerns: loss of the snowfall measurements at the 
Syracuse airport, and a degradation of radar coverage and forecasting 
accuracy for lake effect snow events. One comment came from 
Representative James T. Walsh who stated, ``I write to you today to 
express my concerns regarding the removal of an accurate snow measuring 
system and on-site observation for Syracuse.'' One of the fourteen 
comments was in favor of closing the Syracuse office.
    NWS Response: The NWS provided the following information to the 
Modernization Transition Committee (MTC) on June 18, 1998, in response 
to the concerns raised in the public comments. The NWS stated there 
will not be a loss of snowfall measurement because:
     Syracuse is a Service Level A airport, and there is a 
Federal Aviation Administration contractor in place to provide snow 
depth on the ground and snow increasing rapidly remarks in the 
observations.
     The Binghamton forecast office has an agreement with the 
contractor at the Syracuse airport to provide hourly snowfall updates 
as needed.
     2 Cooperative observers are located within 20 miles and 4 
cooperative observers are within 30 miles of the Syracuse airport to 
provide additional snowfall measurements.
     17 volunteer snow spotters are located in Onondaga County 
including 2 within the Syracuse city limits.
    The NWS stated there has not been a degradation of radar coverage 
or forecast accuracy for lake effect snow events because:
     The center of the Binghamton WSR-88D beam is 6500 feet 
over Syracuse and the center of the Montague WSR-88D beam is 6,000 feet 
over Syracuse providing non-degraded radar coverage of lake effect snow 
events. WSO Syracuse did not have a local radar.
     The 1995--1997 NWS Lake Effect Snow Study demonstrated 
forecast accuracy for lake effect snow events in the Syracuse area has 
improved.
    At its June 18, 1998, meeting, the MTC endorsed the WSO Huntington, 
Chattanooga, and Syracuse certifications as not resulting in a 
degradation of service.
    The consolidation, automation, and closure certifications for WSOs 
Charlotte, NC, Fort Wayne, IN, and South Bend, IN, were proposed in the 
July 17, 1998, FR. The 60-day comment period closed on September 15, 
1998.
    One public comment was received pertaining to WSO Fort Wayne. No 
public comments were received pertaining to WSOs Charlotte and South 
Bend. The public comment on WSO Fort Wayne and the NWS response are set 
forth here for reference. Comment on WSO Fort Wayne, Indiana: On July 
23, 1998, Mr. Ned A. Speiser, CEM, Director, Defiance County Emergency 
management wrote, ``The service received has been poor to fair at best. 
Services I was use to receiving from the Cleveland Ohio NWS office are 
not offered by the North Webster Indian office. Services such as a 
paging system that warned of watches and warnings at no cost, a simple 
phone call from NWS to relay emergency information or to get 
information from me during bad weather. We do not receive the NOAA 
Radio transmission either.
    There have been several bad storm cells that have moved through the 
area that warranted at least a watch, but none were received. Warnings 
have also not been received when NWS says there was one issued. They 
said it was due to

[[Page 38892]]

computer and technical communication problems. This is not acceptable.
    The North Webster Indiana NWS informed me that they had put a cut 
off date on providing severe weather classes when I called to schedule 
a class. There was never a cut off date before. The Cleveland Office 
was always willing to work around my schedule as well as the people 
taking the class.
    Last, but most important, is the attitude of the employees at the 
North Webster Office. We, other NW OHIO EMA Directors, and myself have 
had to call not one, but two emergency meetings in the past four months 
to discuss the above mentioned problems. Our complaints have fallen on 
deaf ears. It seems that they do not want to assist us in receiving the 
quality of service that we deserve and need to protect the citizens in 
our counties.
    I would be happy to discuss this in further detail if you wish by 
contacting me at 419-782-1130. Thank you and I appreciate any help you 
may be able to offer.'' NWS Response: Mr. Michael Sabones, 
Meteorologist in Charge, Northern Indiana office worked with Mr. 
Speiser to satisfy his concerns. First, NWS has agreed to continue the 
pager service for Mr. Speiser. Second, there are areas of the country 
not covered by NOAA Weather Radio (NWR). The NWS is working with state 
and local governments and private entities in a public/private 
partnership to increase the NWR coverage. Third, outdated 
communications software has been updated with more reliable software 
which alleviated the technical and communications problems referred to 
by Mr. Speiser. Fourth, due to the upcoming severe weather season, the 
North Webster Indiana forecast office set a goal to complete spotter 
training by April 15. This did not fit with Mr. Speiser's schedule, and 
after clearing up the misunderstanding, a second training session was 
scheduled after April 15 for Defiance county spotters. On April 21, 
1998, Mr. Speiser wrote, ``Thank you for providing the great 
informational Severe Weather Spotter classes in the month of April.'' 
Finally, the perceived attitude of the employees at the North Webster 
Indiana forecast office, related to the pager problem, was resolved to 
Mr. Speiser's satisfaction. Mr. Sabones met with Mr. Speiser on 
September 15, 1998, at the Ohio Emergency Management Association 
meeting and again on September 29, 1998, during a meeting to review 
flooding concerns in Defiance county. Mr. Speiser is satisfied with the 
efforts of the North Webster Indian forecast office to resolve his 
concerns.
    At its September 20, 1998, meeting, the MTC endorsed the WSO 
Charlotte, WSO Fort Wayne, and WSO South Bend certifications as not 
resulting in a degradation of service.
    After consideration of public comments received and the MTC 
endorsements, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere 
approved these seven combined consolidation and/or automation and 
closure certifications and transmitted notice of approval to Congress 
on July 7, 1999. Certification approval authority was delegated from 
the Secretary of Commerce to the Under Secretary in June 1996. The NWS 
is now completing the certification requirements of Pub. L. 102-567 by 
publishing the final consolidation and/or automation and closure 
certification notice in the Federal Register.

    Dated: July 14, 1999.
John E. Jones, Jr.
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Weather Services.
[FR Doc. 99-18455 Filed 7-19-99; 8:45 am]
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