[107th Congress Public Law 253]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


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[DOCID: f:publ253.107]


[[Page 116 STAT. 1731]]

Public Law 107-253
107th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
through the United States Weather Research Program, to conduct research 
 and development, training, and outreach activities relating to inland 
flood forecasting improvement, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 29, 
                         2002 -  [H.R. 2486]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of <<NOTE: Inland Flood 
Forecasting and Warning System Act of 2002.>> Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 15 USC 311 note.>> SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Inland Flood Forecasting and Warning 
System Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 15 USC 313c.>> AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the 
United States Weather Research Program, shall--
            (1) improve the capability to accurately forecast inland 
        flooding (including inland flooding influenced by coastal and 
        ocean storms) through research and modeling;
            (2) develop, test, and deploy a new flood warning index that 
        will give the public and emergency management officials fuller, 
        clearer, and more accurate information about the risks and 
        dangers posed by expected floods;
            (3) train emergency management officials, National Weather 
        Service personnel, meteorologists, and others as appropriate 
        regarding improved forecasting techniques for inland flooding, 
        risk management techniques, and use of the inland flood warning 
        index developed under paragraph (2);
            (4) conduct outreach and education activities for local 
        meteorologists and the public regarding the dangers and risks 
        associated with inland flooding and the use and understanding of 
        the inland flood warning index developed under paragraph (2); 
        and
            (5) assess, through research and analysis of previous 
        trends, among other activities--
                    (A) the long-term trends in frequency and severity 
                of inland flooding; and
                    (B) how shifts in climate, development, and erosion 
                patterns might make certain regions vulnerable to more 
                continual or escalating flood damage in the future.

SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 15 USC 313c note.>> AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration for carrying out this Act $1,250,000 for each 
of the fiscal years 2003 through 2005, of which $100,000 for each fiscal 
year shall be available for competitive

[[Page 116 STAT. 1732]]

merit-reviewed grants to institutions of higher education (as defined in 
section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) to 
carry out the activities described in section 2(5), and $1,150,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007. Of the amounts authorized under 
this section, $250,000 for each fiscal year shall be available for 
competitive merit-reviewed grants to institutions of higher education 
(as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001)) to develop models that can improve the ability to forecast 
the coastal and estuary-inland flooding that is influenced by tropical 
cyclones. The models should incorporate the interaction of such factors 
as storm surges, soil saturation, and other relevant phenomena.

SEC. 4. <<NOTE: Deadlines. 15 USC 313c note.>> REPORT.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2007, the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration shall transmit to the Committee on 
Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on its activities 
under this Act and the success and acceptance of the inland flood 
warning index developed under section 2(2) by the public and emergency 
management professionals. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration shall also, not later than January 1, 2006, transmit to 
the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a 
report on the likely long-term trends in inland flooding, the results of 
which shall be used in outreach activities conducted under section 2(4), 
especially to alert the public and builders to flood hazards.

    Approved October 29, 2002.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2486:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 107-495 (Comm. on Science).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 107-310 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 148 (2002):
            July 11, considered and passed House.
            Oct. 16, considered and passed Senate.

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