To require the Secretary of Commerce to study the coverage gaps of the Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service and to develop a plan for improving radar coverage and hazardous weather detection and forecasting.

This bill directs the Department of Commerce to complete a study on gaps in the coverage of the Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service (NEXRAD).

Commerce shall identify areas in the United States with limited or no NEXRAD coverage below 6,000 feet above ground level of the surrounding terrain.

For those areas identified, Commerce shall also:

• identify the key weather effects for which prediction would improve with improved radar detection;
• identify additional sources of observations for high impact weather available and operational for such areas, including Terminal Doppler Weather Radar, air surveillance radars of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and cooperative network observers; and
• assess the feasibility and advisability of efforts to integrate and upgrade federal radar capabilities in such areas that are not owned or controlled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including radar capabilities of the FAA and the Department of Defense.

In addition, under such study Commerce shall:

• assess the feasibility and advisability of incorporating state-operated and other nonfederal radars into the operations of the National Weather Service (NWS); and
• identify options to improve radar coverage in all of the areas identified as having limited or no NEXRAD coverage.

After completing the study, Commerce shall submit a plan for improving radar coverage in the identified areas by integrating and upgrading additional observation solutions to improve hazardous weather detection and forecasting.

Commerce shall seek third-party reviews on scientific methodology related to, and the feasibility and advisability of, implementing the plan to improve radar coverage, including the extent to which warning and forecast services of the NWS would be improved by additional NEXRAD coverage.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1427 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1427

To require the Secretary of Commerce to study the coverage gaps of the 
 Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service and to 
   develop a plan for improving radar coverage and hazardous weather 
                       detection and forecasting.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2017

Mr. Pittenger introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Commerce to study the coverage gaps of the 
 Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather Service and to 
   develop a plan for improving radar coverage and hazardous weather 
                       detection and forecasting.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. STUDY ON GAPS IN NEXRAD COVERAGE AND REQUIREMENT FOR PLAN TO 
              ADDRESS SUCH GAPS.

    (a) Study on Gaps in NEXRAD Coverage.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall 
        complete a study on gaps in the coverage of the Next Generation 
        Weather Radar of the National Weather Service (referred to in 
        this section as ``NEXRAD'').
            (2) Elements.--In conducting the study required under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                    (A) identify areas in the United States with 
                limited or no NEXRAD coverage below 6,000 feet above 
                ground level of the surrounding terrain;
                    (B) for the areas identified under subparagraph 
                (A)--
                            (i) identify the key weather effects for 
                        which prediction would improve with improved 
                        radar detection;
                            (ii) identify additional sources of 
                        observations for high impact weather that were 
                        available and operational for such areas on the 
                        day before the date of the enactment of this 
                        Act, including Terminal Doppler Weather Radar 
                        (commonly known as ``TDWR''), air surveillance 
                        radars of the Federal Aviation Administration, 
                        and cooperative network observers; and
                            (iii) assess the feasibility and 
                        advisability of efforts to integrate and 
                        upgrade Federal radar capabilities that are not 
                        owned or controlled by the National Oceanic and 
                        Atmospheric Administration, including radar 
                        capabilities of the Federal Aviation 
                        Administration and the Department of Defense;
                    (C) assess the feasibility and advisability of 
                incorporating State-operated and other non-Federal 
                radars into the operations of the National Weather 
                Service;
                    (D) identify options to improve radar coverage in 
                the areas identified under subparagraph (A); and
                    (E) estimate the cost of, and develop a timeline 
                for, carrying out each of the options identified under 
                subparagraph (D).
            (3) Report.--Upon the completion of the study required 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a report to the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the 
        Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
        House of Representatives that includes the findings of the 
        Secretary with respect to the study.
    (b) Plan To Improve Radar Coverage.--Not later than 30 days after 
the completion of the study under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of 
Commerce shall submit a plan to the congressional committees referred 
to in subsection (a)(3) for improving radar coverage in the areas 
identified under subsection (a)(2)(A) by integrating and upgrading, to 
the extent practicable, additional observation solutions to improve 
hazardous weather detection and forecasting.
    (c) Requirement for Third-Party Reviews Regarding Plan To Improve 
Radar Coverage.--The Secretary of Commerce shall seek third-party 
reviews on scientific methodology relating to, and the feasibility and 
advisability of, implementing the plan submitted under subsection (b), 
including the extent to which warning and forecast services of the 
National Weather Service would be improved by additional NEXRAD 
coverage.
                                 <all>