Title 15 — Commerce and Trade
Chapter 111 — Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation
§ 8550. Improvements to Cooperative Observer Program of National Weather Service
Statutory text
In general
The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, acting through the National Weather Service, shall improve the Cooperative Observer Program by—
providing support to—
State-coordinated programs relating to the Program; and
States and regions where observations provided through the Program are scarce;
working with State weather service headquarters to increase participation in the Program and to add stations in States and regions described in paragraph (1)(B);
where feasible, ensuring that data streams from stations that have been contributing data to the Program for more than 50 years are maintained and continually staffed by volunteers;
prioritizing the recruitment of new volunteers for the Program;
ensuring that opportunities exist for automated reporting to lessen the burden on volunteers to collect and report data by hand; and
ensuring that integrated reporting is available for qualitative observations that cannot be automated, such as drought conditions, snow observations, and hazardous weather events, to ensure that volunteers in the Program can report and upload observations quickly and easily.
Coordination with States and regions
Not less frequently than every 180 days, the National Weather Service shall coordinate with State and regional offices with respect to the status of Cooperative Observer Program stations.
Coordination with Federal agencies
The National Weather Service shall coordinate with other Federal agencies, including the Forest Service, the Department of Agriculture, and the United States Geological Survey, to leverage opportunities to grow the Cooperative Observer Program network and to more effectively use existing infrastructure, weather stations, and staff of the Program.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018
Pub. L. 115–423 § 8 · 132 Stat. 5454
Enacted · 15 U.S.C. § 8550
(Pub. L. 115–423, § 8, Jan. 7, 2019, 132 Stat. 5461.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(Pub. L. 115–423, § 8, Jan. 7, 2019, 132 Stat. 5461.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
SEC. 8. IMPROVEMENTS TO COOPERATIVE OBSERVER PROGRAM OF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. (a) In General.— The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, acting through the National Weather Service, shall improve the Cooperative Observer Program by— (1) providing support to— (A) State-coordinated programs relating to the Program; and (B) States and regions where observations provided through the Program are scarce; (2) working with State weather service headquarters to increase participation in the Program and to add stations in States and regions described in paragraph (1)(B); (3) where feasible, ensuring that data streams from stations that have been contributing data to the Program for more than 50 years are maintained and continually staffed by volunteers; (4) prioritizing the recruitment of new volunteers for the Program; (5) ensuring that opportunities exist for automated reporting to lessen the burden on volunteers to collect and report data by hand; and (6) ensuring that integrated reporting is available for qualitative observations that cannot be automated, such as drought conditions, snow observations, and hazardous weather events, to ensure that volunteers in the Program can report and upload observations quickly and easily. (b) Coordination With States and Regions.— Not less frequently than every 180 days, the National Weather Service shall coordinate with State and regional offices with respect to the status of Cooperative Observer Program stations. (c) Coordination With Federal Agencies.— The National Weather Service shall coordinate with other Federal agencies, including the Forest Service, the Department of Agriculture, and the United States Geological Survey, to leverage opportunities to grow the Cooperative Observer Program network and to more effectively use existing infrastructure, weather stations, and staff of the Program.
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Editorial Notes
Codification
This section was enacted as part of the National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018, and not as part of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 which comprises this chapter.