[Senate Report 112-266]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
112th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 112-266
_______________________________________________________________________
Calendar No. 545
NATIONAL HURRICANE RESEARCH INITIATIVE ACT OF 2011
__________
R E P O R T
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 692
January 2, 2013.--Ordered to be printed
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred twelfth congress
second session
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia, Chairman
DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii\1\ KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas
JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
BARBARA BOXER, California JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
BILL NELSON, Florida JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
MARK PRYOR, Arkansas ROY BLUNT, Missouri
CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota PATRICK J. TOOMEY, Pennsylvania
TOM UDALL, New Mexico MARCO RUBIO, Florida
MARK WARNER, Virginia KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire
MARK BEGICH, Alaska DEAN HELLER, Nevada
Ellen Doneski, Staff Director
James Reid, Deputy Staff Director
John Williams, General Counsel
Richard Russell, Republican Staff Director
David Quinalty, Republican Deputy Staff Director
Rebecca Seidel, Republican General Counsel
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\1\The late Senator Inouye served on the Committee until his death on
December 17, 2012.
112th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 112-266
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NATIONAL HURRICANE RESEARCH INITIATIVE ACT OF 2011
_______
January 2, 2013.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Rockefeller, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 692]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 692) to improve hurricane
preparedness by establishing the National Hurricane Research
Initiative, and for other purposes, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon with an amendment (in the nature of a
substitute) and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 692, the National Hurricane Research
Initiative Act of 2011, is to protect the public by
establishing a coordinated research effort on hurricane
prediction, resilient infrastructure, impact mitigation, public
communication, and for other purposes.
Background and Needs
Hurricanes and the resulting storm surges, flooding, and high
winds often lead to loss of life and property. Increases in
population have made the Nation more vulnerable to hurricane
damage. As of 2008, 29 percent of the U.S. population lived in
coastline counties, an 84 percent increase from 1960.\1\
Coastal areas are traditionally at high risk; however, damage
from winds, flooding, storm surges, severe thunderstorms,
tornadoes, and pressure fluctuations affect the entire Nation.
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\1\United States Department of Commerce & Economics and Statistics
Administration, U.S. Census Bureau, Coastline Population Trends in the
U.S.: 1960-2008 (www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p25-1139.pdf)
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According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the average U.S. annual economic loss
from 1900-2005 from hurricanes is about $10 billion,\2\ and the
cumulative cost of hurricanes in the country totals hundreds of
billions of dollars. The current trend suggests that as coastal
populations continue to grow, bringing with them additional
personal wealth, economic losses due to hurricanes will
continue to double each decade.\3\ Between fiscal year 1989 and
fiscal year 2008, Congress appropriated nearly $271 billion
through emergency supplementals and other spending bills in
response to hurricane destruction.\4\
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\2\Roger A. Pilke, Jr. et al. ``Normalized Hurricane Damage in the
United States: 1900-2005'', Natural Hazards Review (2008).
\3\Ibid.
\4\Congressional Research Service Report RL33226, Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Legislation for Disaster Assistance:
Summary Data (2008).
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Recent hurricanes have been particularly costly. In 2003,
Hurricane Isabel caused over $3 billion in damages along the
Atlantic Coast and resulted, directly or indirectly, in 34
deaths.\5\ In 2005, Hurricane Katrina resulted in $125 billion
in damages and over 1,833 reported deaths, making it the most
expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.\6\ Hurricane Ike
caused $25 billion in damages and 20 deaths in the southeastern
United States in 2008.\7\ While economic analyses of the most
recent hurricane are still ongoing, Hurricane Sandy has been
reported as responsible for at least 125 deaths and over $62
billion in damages.\8\
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\5\National Hurricane Center, ``Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane
Isabel'' (Revised: January 16, 2004).
\6\NOAA, ``Hurricane Katrina: A Climatological Perspective''
(Updated August 2006) (National Climatic Data Center Technical Report
#2005-01).
\7\National Hurricane Center, ``Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane
Ike'' (January 23, 2009) (AL092008).
\8\Associated Press, ``Superstorm Sandy Deaths, Damage and
Magnitude: What We Know One Month Later'' (November 29, 2012).
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Experts suggest that investment in a broad research portfolio
including building codes, infrastructure, fundamental research,
modeling, and monitoring could effectively mitigate losses due
to extreme hurricane events. In a 2005 report, the National
Science and Technology Council (NSTC) cites six grand
challenges to improve the Nation's disaster resilience: (1)
provide hazard and disaster information where and when it is
needed; (2) understand the natural processes that produce
hazards; (3) develop hazard mitigation strategies and
technologies; (4) recognize and reduce vulnerability of
interdependent critical infrastructure; (5) assess disaster
resilience using standard methods; and (6) promote risk-wise
behavior.\9\
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\9\National Science and Technology Council, Committee on
Environment and Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction,
Grand Challenges for Disaster Reduction (June 2005).
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The NSTC offers a combination of both research
recommendations and technical goals to address these
challenges. The report stresses the continued need for basic
research into the causes and behaviors of storms and other
severe weather events. The report also highlights the need to
develop enhanced modeling techniques to enable improved
assessments and analysis of infrastructure, urban planning,
structural engineering, flood zones, and other vulnerable
systems.
Population and economic growth in the 20th century has put
unprecedented stress on existing critical infrastructure,
reducing its resilience to withstand emergency use in a natural
disaster. Even after the lessons learned in recent severe
hurricanes, America's levees, bridges, wastewater, roads, and
electrical grid all remain vulnerable to hurricane damage. The
American Society of Civil Engineers' 2009 Report Card for
America's Infrastructure gave the United States a ``D'' grade
and called for a $2.2 trillion investment over five years to
overcome the deficiencies.\10\ Hurricane-prone areas in
particular require communication and transportation
infrastructure in advance of extreme weather to alert the
public to danger and carry out successful evacuations.
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\10\American Society of Civil Engineers, 2009 Report Card for
America's Infrastructure (March 25, 2009).
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The National Academy of Sciences also identified disaster
resiliency as an imperative to meet 21st century infrastructure
needs.\11\ Its 2009 report creates a framework for the nation
to develop critical infrastructure with the ability to
withstand and quickly recover from natural disasters. The
components of the plan include: creating a broad and compelling
vision; a focus on providing essential services involving water
and wastewater, power, mobility, and connectivity; recognition
of the interdependencies among critical infrastructure; a
collaborative systems-based approach; and performance measures.
The National Academy's findings reinforce the findings and
recommendations of the NSTC report on the challenges for
disaster resilience and necessary resources to address them.
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\11\National Academy of Sciences (National Research Council),
Sustainable Critical Infrastructure Systems: A Framework for Meeting
21st Century Imperatives (2009).
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This bill would establish a research program addressing the
critical needs identified in both the NSTC and National
Academy's reports to increase the understanding of hurricanes
and their effects on infrastructure and the population, and
improve the Nation's overall hurricane preparedness.
Summary of Provisions
S. 692 would increase the understanding of and preparation
for hurricanes by creating the National Hurricane Research
Initiative. This Initiative would conduct research on hurricane
prediction, infrastructure development, mitigation techniques,
and communication as well as provide for training for the next
generation of hurricane researchers and forecasters.
NOAA, working with the National Science Foundation (NSF),
would establish a five-year implementation plan and subsequent
research goals for the Initiative. NSF and NOAA would help to
fulfill these objectives through merit-based research grant
awards and training opportunities for future generations of
hurricane researchers.
Every two years the Initiative would be required to submit to
Congress, along with the President's budget request, a cross-
cut budget and biennial report. NOAA and NSF would ensure
public access to the work of the Initiative with workshops,
conferences, and a public domain web site.
Legislative History
Senator Bill Nelson introduced S. 692, the National Hurricane
Research Initiative Act of 2011, on March 30, 2011. The bill
was referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Committee. A companion bill, H.R. 2258, was
introduced by Representative Alcee L. Hastings and eight
cosponsors in the House on June 21, 2011.
The Committee held a hearing on May 3, 2011 entitled
``America's Natural Disaster Preparedness: Are Federal
Investments Paying Off?'' to examine the Nation's state of
preparedness for natural disasters and how investments in
programs such as the National Hurricane Research Initiative
proposed by S. 692 would save lives and reduce reconstruction
costs after future disasters. The witnesses were Dr. William
Hooke, Senior Policy Fellow and Director, American
Meteorological Society; Mr. Bob Ryan, Senior Meteorologist,
ABC7/WJLA-TV; Dr. Anne Kiremidjian, Professor, Department of
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, on
behalf of the American Society of Civil Engineers; and Dr.
Clint Dawson P.E., Professor, Institute for Computational
Engineering and Sciences, University of Texas at Austin. On May
5, 2011, the Commerce Committee met in open Executive Session
and in a voice vote ordered that S. 692 be reported favorably
with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
S. 692--National Hurricane Research Initiative Act of 2011
Summary: S. 692 would direct the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science
Foundation (NSF) to establish a program to conduct research
related to hurricanes. The bill also would require NOAA to
create a Web site to make information about hurricane research
available to the public. Finally, the bill would direct NOAA
and NSF to carry out a series of national workshops and
conferences to facilitate hurricane research.
Based on information from the affected agencies and
assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates
that implementing the legislation would cost $375 million over
the 2013-2017 period. Enacting S. 692 would not affect direct
spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do
not apply.
S. 692 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of S. 692 is shown in the following table. The
costs of this legislation fall within budget functions 250
(general science, space, and technology) and 300 (natural
resources and environment).
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By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
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2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2013-2017
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CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Estimated Authorization Level........................... 100 100 100 100 100 500
Estimated Outlays....................................... 29 67 87 94 98 375
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Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that S.
692 will be enacted early in fiscal year 2013 and that the
necessary amounts will be appropriated for each fiscal year.
Estimated outlays are based on historical spending patterns for
similar NOAA and NSF programs.
S. 692 would require NOAA and NSF to develop a national
hurricane initiative that would fund research projects to
improve hurricane forecasting and tracking, enhance storm surge
models, and assess the impacts of hurricanes on physical
infrastructure and people. Those agencies spent less than $50
million annually on activities related to hurricane research in
recent years. The bill also would require those agencies to
develop a website to make hurricane research conducted under
the program available to the public. Finally, the legislation
would direct NOAA and NSF to conduct a series of national
workshops to facilitate hurricane research. Based on
information provided by the affected agencies and the National
Science Board, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation
would cost $375 million over the 2013-2017 period, assuming
appropriation of the necessary amounts. Most of those funds
would be used to develop better hurricane observation
equipment, improved modeling of hurricane behavior, and
research on making buildings more resilient to hurricane
damage.
Pay-As-You-Go considerations: None.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 692
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments.
Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Jeff LaFave; Impact on
state, local, and tribal governments: Melissa Merrell; Impact
on the private sector: Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the
legislation, as reported:
NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED
The reported bill would not subject any individuals or
businesses affected by the bill to any additional regulations.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
S. 692 is not expected to have an adverse impact on the
Nation's economy. Should the research authorized by this bill
yield advances in hurricane prediction, mitigation, and/or
infrastructure protection that are then deployed by Federal,
State, or local governments, it is anticipated that these
advances will result in cost savings to the public in the event
of future hurricanes.
PRIVACY
The bill would have little, if any, impact on the personal
privacy of individuals.
PAPERWORK
The reported bill would not increase paperwork requirements
for private individuals or businesses. For the Federal
Government, the bill would require an implementation plan along
with biennial reports.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short Title.
This section would provide the title for the Act as the
``National Hurricane Research Initiative Act of 2011.''
Section 2. Definitions.
This section would define the terms Eligible Entities, Indian
Tribe, Initiative, State, Tribal Government, and Under
Secretary.
Section 3. National Hurricane Research Initiative.
This section would direct the Under Secretary for Oceans and
Atmosphere (the Under Secretary) to establish the National
Hurricane Research Initiative (the Initiative). The purpose of
the Initiative would be to conduct research to improve: (1) the
understanding and prediction of hurricanes and other tropical
storms; (2) the development of storm resilient infrastructure;
(3) mitigation of the impacts on coastal populations,
structures, and natural resources; and (4) communication with
the public concerning hurricane forecasts and risks. The
Initiative would also provide training for future hurricane
researchers and forecasters.
Section 4. National Hurricane Research.
This section would direct NSF, in coordination with NOAA, to
establish a competitive grant program through its merit review
process to carry out the research described in section 3. NOAA
would also carry out a research program to address the research
objectives in section 3, which may include intramural research,
grant awards, contracting with research entities, or
cooperative agreements for research. It would also require
interagency research collaboration and information sharing to
the maximum extent practicable.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the bill as
reported would make no change to existing law.