42 U.S.C. § 15702 — Definitions

Page 8704 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 15604 § 15604. Transferred Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section 15604 was editorially reclassified as section 30304 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law Enforcement. § 15605. Transferred Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section 15605 was editorially reclassified as section 30305 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law Enforcement. § 15606. Transferred Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section 15606 was editorially reclassified as section 30306 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law Enforcement. § 15607. Transferred Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section 15607 was editorially reclassified as section 30307 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law Enforcement. § 15608. Transferred Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section 15608 was editorially reclassified as section 30308 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law Enforcement. § 15609. Transferred Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section 15609 was editorially reclassified as section 30309 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law Enforcement. CHAPTER 148—WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION Sec. 15701. Findings. 15702. Definitions. 15703. National Windstorm Impact Reduction Pro- gram. 15704. National Advisory Committee on Windstorm Impact Reduction. 15705. Savings clause. 15706. Authorization of appropriations. 15707. Coordination. § 15701. Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) Hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, and thunderstorms can cause significant loss of life, injury, destruction of property, and economic and social disruption. All States and regions are vulnerable to these hazards. (2) The United States currently sustains sev- eral billion dollars in economic damages each year due to these windstorms. In recent dec- ades, rapid development and population growth in high-risk areas has greatly in- creased overall vulnerability to windstorms. (3) Improved windstorm impact reduction measures have the potential to reduce these losses through— (A) cost-effective and affordable design and construction methods and practices; (B) effective mitigation programs at the local, State, and national level; (C) improved data collection and analysis and impact prediction methodologies; (D) engineering research on improving new structures and retrofitting existing ones to better withstand windstorms, atmospheric- related research to better understand the be- havior and impact of windstorms on the built environment, and subsequent applica- tion of those research results; and (E) public education and outreach. (4) There is an appropriate role for the Fed- eral Government in supporting windstorm im- pact reduction. An effective Federal program in windstorm impact reduction will require interagency coordination, and input from indi- viduals, academia, the private sector, and other interested non-Federal entities. (Pub. L. 108–360, title II, § 202, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1675.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SHORT TITLE OF 2015 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 114–52, § 1, Sept. 30, 2015, 129 Stat. 496, provided that: ‘‘This Act [amending sections 15702 to 15704 and 15706 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Wind- storm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2015’.’’ SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 108–360, title II, § 201, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1675, provided that: ‘‘This Act [probably should be ‘this title’, enacting this chapter and amending section 1885d of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004’.’’ § 15702. Definitions In this chapter: (1) Director The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Tech- nology. (2) Lifelines The term ‘‘lifelines’’ means public works and utilities, including transportation facilities and infrastructure, oil and gas pipelines, elec- trical power and communication facilities and infrastructure, and water supply and sewage treatment facilities. (3) Program The term ‘‘Program’’ means the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program estab- lished by section 15703(a) of this title. (4) State The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States. (5) Windstorm The term ‘‘windstorm’’ means any storm with a damaging or destructive wind compo- Page 8705 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 15703 nent, such as a hurricane, tropical storm, northeaster, tornado, or thunderstorm. (Pub. L. 108–360, title II, § 203, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1676; Pub. L. 114–52, § 2, Sept. 30, 2015, 129 Stat. 496.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original ‘‘this title’’, meaning title II of Pub. L. 108–360, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1675, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title II to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 15701 of this title and Tables. AMENDMENTS 2015—Par. (1). Pub. L. 114–52, § 2(a), substituted ‘‘Di- rector of the National Institute of Standards and Tech- nology’’ for ‘‘Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy’’. Par. (2). Pub. L. 114–52, § 2(b)(2), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (3). Pars. (3), (4). Pub. L. 114–52, § 2(b)(1), redesignated pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively. Former par. (4) redesignated (5). Par. (5). Pub. L. 114–52, § 2(b)(1), (c), redesignated par. (4) as (5) and inserted ‘‘northeaster,’’ after ‘‘tropical storm,’’. § 15703. National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (a) Establishment There is established the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, the purpose of which is to achieve major measurable reductions in the losses of life and property from wind- storms through a coordinated Federal effort, in cooperation with other levels of government, academia, and the private sector, aimed at im- proving the understanding of windstorms and their impacts and developing and encouraging the implementation of cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce those impacts. (b) Responsibilities of Program agencies (1) Lead agency The National Institute of Standards and Technology shall have the primary responsi- bility for planning and coordinating the Pro- gram. In carrying out this paragraph, the Di- rector shall— (A) ensure that the Program includes the necessary components to promote the imple- mentation of windstorm risk reduction measures by Federal, State, and local gov- ernments, national standards and model building code organizations, architects and engineers, and others with a role in planning and constructing buildings and lifelines; (B) support the development of perform- ance-based engineering tools, and work with appropriate groups to promote the commer- cial application of such tools, including through wind-related model building codes, voluntary standards, and construction best practices; (C) request the assistance of Federal agen- cies other than the Program agencies, as necessary to assist in carrying out this chap- ter; (D) coordinate all Federal post-windstorm investigations to the extent practicable; and (E) when warranted by research or inves- tigative findings, issue recommendations to assist in informing the development of model codes, and provide information to Congress on the use of such recommenda- tions. (2) National Institute of Standards and Tech- nology In addition to the lead agency responsibil- ities described under paragraph (1), the Na- tional Institute of Standards and Technology shall be responsible for carrying out research and development to improve model building codes, voluntary standards, and best practices for the design, construction, and retrofit of buildings, structures, and lifelines. (3) National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation shall sup- port research in— (A) engineering and the atmospheric sciences to improve the understanding of the behavior of windstorms and their impact on buildings, structures, and lifelines; and (B) economic and social factors influencing windstorm risk reduction measures. (4) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- istration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- ministration shall support atmospheric sciences research to improve the under- standing of the behavior of windstorms and their impact on buildings, structures, and life- lines. (5) Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agen- cy shall— (A) support— (i) the development of risk assessment tools and effective mitigation techniques; (ii) windstorm-related data collection and analysis; (iii) public outreach and information dis- semination; and (iv) promotion of the adoption of wind- storm preparedness and mitigation meas- ures, including for households, businesses, and communities, consistent with the Agency’s all-hazards approach; and (B) work closely with national standards and model building code organizations, in conjunction with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to promote the implementation of research results and pro- mote better building practices within the building design and construction industry, including architects, engineers, contractors, builders, and inspectors. (c) Program components (1) In general The Program shall consist of three primary mitigation components: improved under- standing of windstorms, windstorm impact as- sessment, and windstorm impact reduction. The components shall be implemented through activities such as data collection and analysis, risk assessment, outreach, technology trans- fer, and research and development. To the ex-