NWR Modernization Act of 2023

NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act of 2023 or the NWR Modernization Act of 2023

This bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to expand and enhance the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR), which is a nationwide network of radio stations that broadcast continuous weather information from the National Weather Service.

NOAA must expand coverage of the NWR and ensure its reliability by

• maintaining support for systems that serve areas that lack or have poor quality cellular service;
• ensuring consistent maintenance of broadcast equipment;
• strengthening the ability of the NWR to amplify non-weather emergency messages; and
• acquiring additional transmitters to expand coverage to rural and underserved communities, national parks, and recreation areas.

NOAA must also assess methods for enhancing the NWR, such as broadcasting continuously and in real time and making the NWR compatible with third-party platforms (e.g., websites and mobile applications). Prioritizing recommendations from the assessment, NOAA must further enhance the NWR, including by (1) upgrading telecommunications infrastructure to expedite the transition to internet-based broadcasts, and (2) researching means to transmit NWR signals to remote transmitters or those that do not have internet capabilities.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1482 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1482

To provide guidance for and investment in the upgrade and modernization 
 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio 
              All Hazards network, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 2023

Mrs. Bice (for herself, Ms. Sherrill, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Ms. Bonamici, 
 and Mr. Kilmer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide guidance for and investment in the upgrade and modernization 
 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio 
              All Hazards network, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act 
of 2023'' or the ``NWR Modernization Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            (2) NOAA weather radio.--The term ``NOAA Weather Radio'' 
        means the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
        Weather Radio All Hazards network.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The NOAA Weather Radio is a nationwide network of 
        transmitters that are critical to protecting life and property 
        by broadcasting weather and other hazard alerts.
            (2) NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts currently reach 95 
        percent of the United States population.
            (3) NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts originate from all 
        National Weather Service Offices, but are only available via a 
        receiver located in sufficient proximity to a radio 
        transmitting tower.
            (4) There are limited options to obtain NOAA Weather Radio 
        broadcasts via the Internet or mobile device application, which 
        are provided by volunteer mechanisms obtaining the audio feed 
        in an ad hoc manner.
            (5) NOAA Weather Radio should provide equal access and 
        availability to unimpeded broadcasts of weather and non-weather 
        hazards to every person located within the United States, its 
        territories, and Tribal lands.

SEC. 4. UPGRADING EXISTING SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable, expand coverage of the NOAA Weather Radio and ensure its 
reliability. In carrying out this subsection, the Administrator shall--
            (1) maintain support for existing systems serving areas not 
        covered by or having poor quality cellular service;
            (2) ensure consistent maintenance and operations 
        monitoring, with timely repairs to broadcast transmitter site 
        equipment and antennas; and
            (3) enhance the ability to amplify Non-Weather Emergency 
        Messages via NOAA Weather Radio as necessary.
    (b) Expanding Access.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall acquire additional transmitters as required to 
expand coverage to rural and underserved communities, national parks, 
and recreation areas.

SEC. 5. MODERNIZATION INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--In parallel to the activities under section 4, the 
Administrator shall, to the maximum extent practicable, enhance NOAA 
Weather Radio to ensure its capabilities and coverage remain valuable 
to the public. In carrying out this section, the Administrator shall--
            (1) upgrade telecommunications infrastructure to accelerate 
        the transition of broadcasts to internet protocol-based 
        communications over noncopper media;
            (2) accelerate software upgrades to the Advanced Weather 
        Interactive Processing System, or the relevant system 
        successors, to implement partial county notifications and 
        alerts;
            (3) consult with relevant stakeholders, including the 
        private sector, to enhance accessibility and usability of NOAA 
        Weather Radio data and feeds;
            (4) develop options, including satellite backup capability 
        and commercial provider partnerships, for NOAA Weather Radio 
        continuity in the event of Weather Forecast Office outages;
            (5) research and develop alternative options, including 
        microwave capabilities, to transmit NOAA Weather Radio signals 
        to transmitters that are remote or do not have internet 
        protocol capability; and
            (6) transition critical applications to the Integrated 
        Dissemination Program, or the relevant program successors.
    (b) Priority.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator 
shall prioritize practices, capabilities, and technologies recommended 
in accordance with the assessment under subsection (c) to maximize 
accessibility, particularly in remote and underserved areas of the 
country.
    (c) Assessment for Management and Distribution.--Not later than 12 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall complete an assessment of access to NOAA Weather Radio. In 
conducting such assessment, the Administrator shall take into 
consideration and provide recommendations on the following:
            (1) The need for continuous, adequate, and operational 
        real-time broadcasts of the NOAA Weather Radio in both urban 
        and rural areas.
            (2) Solicited inputs from relevant stakeholders on the 
        compatibility of NOAA Weather Radio data for third party 
        platforms that provide online services, such as websites and 
        mobile device applications, or deliver NOAA Weather Radio 
        access.
            (3) Existing or new management systems that promote 
        consistent, efficient, and compatible access to NOAA Weather 
        Radio.
            (4) The ability of NOAA to aggregate real time broadcast 
        feeds at one or more central locations.
            (5) Effective interagency coordination.
            (6) The potential effects of an electromagnetic pulse or 
        geomagnetic disturbance on NOAA Weather Radio.
            (7) Any other function the Administrator determines 
        necessary.
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