Weather Radar Coverage Improvement Act

Weather Radar Coverage Improvement Act

This bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a plan to replace the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) system of the National Weather Service by September 30, 2040. The plan must incorporate certain elements, including estimates of improvements to coverage and accuracy and the potential use of commercial radars. 

The bill also authorizes the National Weather Service to contract with third parties to fill gaps in radar coverage so as to better detect significant weather events over a larger area. 

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4575 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4575

To develop the next generation of weather radar, authorize supplemental 
              gap radar coverage, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 12, 2023

Mr. Crawford (for himself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To develop the next generation of weather radar, authorize supplemental 
              gap radar coverage, 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 ``Weather Radar Coverage Improvement 
Act''

SEC. 2. NEXT GENERATION PHASED ARRAY RADAR.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary, in consultation with the 
Director of the National Weather Service, shall develop a plan to 
replace the Next Generation Weather Radar of the National Weather 
Service (``NEXRAD'') system in existence as of the date of the 
enactment of this section.
    (b) Procurement Deadline.--The Under Secretary shall take such 
actions as may be necessary to ensure the replacement described in 
subsection (a) is completed by not later than September 30, 2040.
    (c) Elements.--The plan developed pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
include the following:
            (1) Estimates of quantifiable improvements in coverage and 
        accuracy to be made from replacement of the NEXRAD system 
        referred to in such subsection.
            (2) Development of a prototype digital phased array radar 
        to test and determine the specifications and requirements for 
        such replacement.
            (3) Establishment of a weather surveillance phased array 
        radar testbed for the following:
                    (A) Evaluation of commercial radars with the 
                potential to replace or supplement the NEXRAD system.
                    (B) Providing technical assistance for the use of 
                small, gap filling radars in regions where geographical 
                topography prevents full utilization of larger systems.
            (4) Consultation and input solicited from meteorologists, 
        emergency managers, and public safety officials regarding the 
        specifications and requirements for replacement of the NEXRAD 
        system referred in such subsection.
    (d) Radar-as-a-Service.--
            (1) In general.--In order to supplement gaps in radar 
        coverage in existence as of the date of the enactment of this 
        section and ensure the continued performance of weather radar 
        capabilities, the Director of the National Weather Service may 
        utilize and contract with third party entities to fill such 
        radar gaps using diverse weather radars and data assimilation 
        technologies to better detect significant precipitation and 
        severe weather over a greater area across the population.
            (2) Priority.--In carrying out the activities under 
        paragraph (1), the Director of the National Weather Service 
        shall prioritize utilizing and contracting with third party 
        entities that have participated in the testbed established in 
        accordance with subsection (c)(3).
            (3) Weather camera systems.--In carrying out the activities 
        under paragraph (1), the Director of the National Weather 
        Service may consider weather camera systems and services as 
        viable technologies to supplement gaps in radar coverage.
    (e) Updates to Congress.--The Under Secretary shall provide to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate periodic updates on the implementation of 
this section.
    (f) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Under Secretary'' has 
the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501).
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