15 U.S.C. § 313c — Authorized activities of the National Oce-

Page 719 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 313c 1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma. vided: ‘‘That the Chief of the Weather Bureau is au- thorized and directed to study fully and thoroughly the internal structure of thunderstorms, hurricanes, cy- clones, and other severe atmospheric disturbances, par- ticularly the degree of turbulence within such storms and the development, maintenance, and magnitude of updrafts and downdrafts with a view to establishing methods by which the characteristics of particular thunderstorms may be forecast and methods by which the characteristics of such storms may be determined on visual observation from outside of the immediate thunderstorm area. Such study shall be concluded at the earliest practicable date and a final report sub- mitted to Congress. ‘‘SEC. 2. The Chief of the Weather Bureau is empow- ered to make such expenditures at the seat of govern- ment and elsewhere as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act and as from time to time may be appropriated for by Congress, including expenditures for the development and purchase of special meteoro- logical instruments and other equipment (including motor vehicles and aircraft), without regard to the pro- visions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes [now 41 U.S.C. 6101]. There is hereby authorized to be appro- priated such sums as are necessary for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act. ‘‘SEC. 3. Any executive department or independent es- tablishment is hereby authorized to cooperate with the Chief of the Weather Bureau in carrying out the pur- poses of this Act, and for such purposes may lend or transfer to the Chief of the Weather Bureau any officer or employee of such department or establishment and any property, equipment, lands, or buildings under its control.’’ Executive Documents TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Office of Chief of Weather Bureau abolished and func- tions transferred to Secretary of Commerce by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318. Reorg. Plan No. IV of 1940 transferred Weather Bu- reau from Department of Agriculture to Department of Commerce. For further details, see notes set out under section 311 of this title. § 313a. Establishment of meteorological observa- tion stations in the Arctic region In order to improve the weather forecasting service of the United States and to promote safety and efficiency in civil air navigation to the highest possible degree, the Secretary of Commerce shall, in addition to his other func- tions and duties, take such action as may be necessary in the development of an inter- national basic meteorological reporting network in the Arctic region of the Western Hemisphere, including the establishment, operation, and maintenance of such reporting stations in co- operation with the State Department and other United States governmental departments and agencies, with the meteorological services of foreign countries and with persons engaged in air commerce. (Feb. 12, 1946, ch. 4, § 1, 60 Stat. 4; 1965 Reorg. Plan No. 2, §§ 1, 2, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries APPROPRIATIONS Section 2 of act Feb. 12, 1946, authorized appropria- tion of necessary funds to carry out provisions of this section. Executive Documents TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Office of Chief of Weather Bureau abolished and func- tions transferred to Secretary of Commerce by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318. For further details, see notes set out under section 311 of this title. § 313b. Institute for Aviation Weather Prediction The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall establish an Institute for Aviation Weather Prediction. The Institute shall provide forecasts, weather warnings, and other weather services to the United States aviation community. The Insti- tute shall expand upon the activities of the avia- tion unit currently at the National Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City, Mis- souri, and shall be established in the Kansas City 1 Missouri 1 area. The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion shall provide a full and fair opportunity for employees at the National Severe Storms Center to assume comparable duties and responsibil- ities within the Institute. (Pub. L. 102–588, title II, § 222, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5119.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SIMILAR PROVISIONS Similar provisions were contained in Pub. L. 102–567, title I, § 112, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4278. § 313c. Authorized activities of the National Oce- anic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- ministration, through the United States Weath- er 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, clear- er, and more accurate information about the risks and dangers posed by expected floods; (3) train emergency management officials, National Weather Service personnel, mete- orologists, and others as appropriate regarding improved forecasting techniques for inland flooding, risk management techniques, and use of the inland flood warning index devel- oped under paragraph (2); (4) conduct outreach and education activi- ties for local meteorologists and the public re- garding 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 re- gions vulnerable to more continual or esca- lating flood damage in the future. Page 720 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 313d (Pub. L. 107–253, § 2, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1731.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS Pub. L. 107–253, § 3, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1731, pro- vided that: ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for carrying out this Act [see Short Title of 2002 Amendment note set out under section 311 of this title] $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 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) [15 U.S.C. 313c(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 com- petitive merit-reviewed grants to institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Edu- cation 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 inter- action of such factors as storm surges, soil saturation, and other relevant phenomena.’’ REPORT Pub. L. 107–253, § 4, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1732, re- quired the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- tration to provide Congress with annual reports through fiscal year 2007 on its activities under Pub. L. 107–253 (see Short Title note set out under section 311 of this title) and the success and acceptance of the in- land flood warning index developed under par. (2) of this section and also to report by Jan. 1, 2006, on the likely long-term trends in inland flooding for use in outreach activities conducted under par. (4) of this sec- tion. § 313d. NIDIS program (a) In general The Under Secretary, through the National Weather Service and other appropriate weather and climate programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a National Integrated Drought Information Sys- tem to better inform and provide for more time- ly decisionmaking to reduce drought related im- pacts and costs. (b) System functions The National Integrated Drought Information System shall— (1) provide an effective drought early warn- ing system that— (A) collects and integrates information on the key indicators of drought and drought impacts, including precipitation, soil mois- ture, and evaporative demand, in order to make usable, reliable, and timely forecasts of drought and assessments of the severity of drought conditions and impacts; and (B) provides such information, forecasts, and assessments on both national and re- gional levels; (2) communicate drought forecasts, drought conditions, and drought impacts on an ongoing basis to public and private entities engaged in drought planning and preparedness, includ- ing— (A) decisionmakers at the Federal, re- gional, State, tribal, and local levels of gov- ernment; (B) the private sector; and (C) the public; (3) provide timely data, information, and products that reflect local, regional, water- shed, and State differences in drought condi- tions; (4) coordinate, and integrate, through inter- agency agreements as practicable, Federal re- search and monitoring in support of a drought early warning information system; (5) utilize existing forecasting and assess- ment programs and partnerships, including forecast communication coordinators and co- operative institutes, and improvements in sea- sonal precipitation and temperature, subsea- sonal precipitation and temperature, and low flow water prediction; and (6) continue ongoing research and moni- toring activities related to drought, including research activities relating to the prediction, length, severity, and impacts of drought and the role of extreme weather events and cli- mate variability in drought. (c) Partnerships The National Integrated Drought Information System may— (1) engage with the private sector to improve drought monitoring, forecast, and communica- tion if the Under Secretary determines the partnership is appropriate, cost-effective, and beneficial to the public and decisionmakers described in subsection (b)(2)(A); (2) facilitate the development of 1 or more academic cooperative partnerships to assist with National Integrated Drought Information System functions; and (3) utilize and support, as appropriate, moni- toring by citizen scientists, including by de- veloping best practices to facilitate maximum data integration. (d) Consultation The Under Secretary shall consult with rel- evant Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government agencies, research institutions, and the private sector in the development and sustainment of the National Integrated Drought Information System. (e) Cooperation from other Federal agencies Each Federal agency shall cooperate as appro- priate with the Under Secretary in carrying out this section. (f) Soil moisture Not later than 1 year after January 7, 2019, the Under Secretary, acting through the National Integrated Drought Information System, shall develop a strategy for a national coordinated soil moisture monitoring network. (Pub. L. 109–430, § 3, Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 2918; Pub. L. 113–86, § 2, Mar. 6, 2014, 128 Stat. 1015; Pub. L. 115–423, § 2(a), Jan. 7, 2019, 132 Stat. 5454.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This section, referred to in subsec. (e), was in the original ‘‘this Act’’, meaning Pub. L. 109–430, Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 2918, which enacted this section and pro- visions set out as notes under this section and section