[Senate Report 114-351]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 629
114th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 114-351
_______________________________________________________________________
METROPOLITAN WEATHER HAZARDS PROTECTION ACT OF 2015
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 2058
September 15, 2016.--Ordered to be printed
_________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
59-010 WASHINGTON : 2016
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred fourteenth congress
second session
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota, Chairman
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi BILL NELSON, Florida
ROY BLUNT, Missouri MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
MARCO RUBIO, Florida CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri
KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
TED CRUZ, Texas RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas ED MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska CORY BOOKER, New Jersey
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin TOM UDALL, New Mexico
DEAN HELLER, Nevada JOE MANCHIN, West Virginia
CORY GARDNER, Colorado GARY PETERS, Michigan
STEVE DAINES, Montana
Nick Rossi, Staff Director
Adrian Arnakis, Deputy Staff Director
Jason Van Beek, General Counsel
Kim Lipsky, Democratic Staff Director
Christopher Day, Democratic Deputy Staff Director
Clint Odom, Democratic General Counsel
Calendar No. 629
114th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 114-351
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METROPOLITAN WEATHER HAZARDS PROTECTION ACT OF 2015
_______
September 15, 2016.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Thune, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 2058]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the 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, having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon with an amendment (in the nature of a
substitute) and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 2058, the Metropolitan Weather Hazards
Protection Act of 2015, is to direct the Secretary of Commerce
to identify areas with gaps in radar coverage and develop a
plan for addressing these gaps.
Background and Needs
Doppler radars are used to determine the velocity of
objects, such as precipitation and airplanes. The ubiquity of
their images have made them one of the most widely recognized
tools for weather predictions. The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service's
(NWS) radar network is made up of 158 NEXt-generation RADar
(NEXRAD).\1\ In 2013, the NWS finished the software and
hardware upgrades necessary to install dual polarization
technology in all of its NEXRADs. ``Dual-pol'' radars can
detect which type of precipitation is falling and capture the
characteristic airborne debris created when a tornado touches
ground.\2\ NEXRADs are no longer manufactured; however, the NWS
is currently performing service life extensions\3\ on all of
its NEXRADs, with the goal of extending their use for another
20 years.\4\
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\1\NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, accessed December 3,
2015, at http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/tools/radar/nexrad.
\2\NOAA Weather Ready Nation, ``Dual-polarization radar: Stepping
stones to building a Weather-Ready Nation,'' accessed December 3, 2015,
at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/news/
130425_dualpol.html#.VmAqc7_S7GY.
\3\NOAA National Weather Service Radar Operations Center, accessed
December 3, 2015, at http://www.roc.noaa.gov/WSR88D/SLEP/SLEP.aspx.
\4\R. D. Cook and T. L. Allmon, G. Secrest, A. D. Free, D. L. Rose,
and J. M. Williams, ``A Service Life Extension Program for the WSR-88D
Radars,'' paper presented at the American Meteorological Society's 30th
Conference on Environmental Information Processing Technologies,
Atlanta, Georgia, February 2-4, 2014, at https://ams.confex.com/ams/
94Annual/webprogram/Paper241171.html.
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Of particular concern to the bill's sponsors, Charlotte,
North Carolina, is currently covered by a NWS Doppler radar
that is 94 miles away in Greer, South Carolina. No other city
of Charlotte's size has a radar situated more than 55 miles
away. The current location results in a majority of the
metropolitan area being without radar beam coverage below
10,000 feet. Due to the circumference of the Earth, the further
a radar is from a given point the higher the radar beam scans
the atmosphere, leading to lower resolutions and an inability
to detect the low-level dynamics of severe weather. Rowan,
Cabarrus, and Davidson Counties in North Carolina have an even
more pronounced problem with limited radar coverage because of
the location of the radar.
Local meteorologists believe that the lack of quality radar
coverage has made it difficult for the local NWS forecast
office in Spartanburg, Tennessee to detect severe weather,
specifically tornadoes. In March 2012, the NWS office failed to
warn of a tornado that affected Mecklenburg, Rowan, and
Cabarrus Counties of North Carolina. It can be very difficult
to detect rotation in thunderstorms that tend to affect North
Carolina; however, the lack of a Doppler radar for the Piedmont
may enhance the problem.
In addition, radar coverage over several other regions is
sparse or limited. For example, Washington and New Mexico face
significant gaps in radar coverage.
Summary of Provisions
If enacted, S. 2058 would require the Secretary of Commerce
to identify areas with gaps in radar coverage and develop a
plan for addressing these gaps.
Legislative History
S. 2058 was introduced by Senator Burr on September 17,
2015. It was cosponsored by Senator Tillis. On December 9,
2015, the Committee met in open Executive Session and, by a
voice vote, ordered a substitute version of S. 2058 reported
favorably. The substitute amendment was offered by Senator
Cantwell.
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
S. 2058--Metropolitan Weather Hazards Protection Act of 2015
S. 2058 would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) to complete a study that would identify
areas without Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD). The study
also would determine how NEXRAD could improve weather forecasts
in those areas and would assess the feasibility of expanding
radar capabilities in those areas. Finally, the bill would
require NOAA to develop a peer-reviewed plan to improve radar
coverage in underserved areas.
Based on information provided by NOAA, CBO estimates that
implementing S. 2058 would cost less than $500,000; such
spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated
funds. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO
estimates that enacting the legislation would not increase net
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
S. 2058 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave. The
estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Regulatory Impact
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the
legislation, as reported:
number of persons covered
S. 2058 as reported would not create any new programs or
impose any new regulatory requirements, and therefore would not
subject any individuals or businesses to new regulations.
economic impact
Enactment of this legislation is not expected to have any
inflationary or adverse impact on the Nation's economy.
privacy
The bill would not impact the personal privacy of
individuals.
paperwork
S. 2058, as amended, would require a report and a plan from
NOAA. The NOAA Administrator would provide to Congress a report
on gaps in the coverage of the NEXRAD system and a plan on how
to improve radar coverage. It would not increase paperwork for
the private sector.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title.
This section would provide the short title of the bill, the
Metropolitan Weather Hazards Protection Act of 2015.
Section 2. Study on gaps in NEXRAD coverage and requirement for plan to
address such gaps.
As introduced this section would have required the
Secretary of Commerce to maintain and operate at least one
Doppler weather radar site within 55 miles of each city in the
United Sates that has a population of more than 700,000
individuals. There are two locations that fit the criteria for
additional radars. The model of radars NOAA currently uses is
no longer manufactured and the agency was concerned that it
would be very costly, and potentially impossible to complete
the mandate. This section, as modified in Committee, would
require the Secretary of Commerce to identify areas with gaps
in radar coverage and develop a plan for addressing these gaps.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the
bill as reported would make no change to existing law.