H.R. 7813 — NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act

This section adds a new Title VII to the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.) to codify and expand NOAA Weather Radio—a nationwide VHF radio network that broadcasts continuous weather forecasts, warnings, watches, and hazard information. Specifically, the section directs the NOAA Under Secretary to (1) establish or maintain the network to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with resilience to power or cellular outages; (2) ensure reliability by prioritizing support for existing systems in areas lacking cellular coverage and providing consistent maintenance and repairs; and (3) modernize and expand coverage to the maximum extent practicable, including by improving risk communication and warning urgency; amplifying Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) messages; acquiring transmitters for high-risk rapid-onset disaster areas, unserved communities without broadband or local warnings, and federal lands; adding satellite, cloud-based, or other emerging dissemination capabilities; and conducting research and development on geographically specific warnings and infrastructure upgrades such as internet protocol transitions, software for partial-county alerts, stakeholder-enhanced data feeds, outage continuity options, remote transmission alternatives, and expedited infrastructure siting with the General Services Administration. The section further requires NOAA, not later than one year after enactment, to complete an assessment of access to NOAA Weather Radio—including stakeholder input, management systems for efficient feeds, redundancy aggregation, interagency coordination, and electro—(text cuts off) and to prioritize modernization based on its recommendations.

This section authorizes the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, to support development of standards for flash flood emergency alert systems in the 100-year floodplain (i.e., area subject to inundation from a flood having a 1-percent annual chance of being equaled or exceeded). If supported, such standards must (1) meet needs of communities lacking broadband internet access service (as defined in 47 CFR 8.1(b)), state or local emergency warning systems, or satellite coverage and (2) ensure reliable alerts during hazardous events; the Under Secretary must report on the standards to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation within two years of enactment.

This section establishes new section 407 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 to (1) direct the NOAA Under Secretary, in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget Director, to classify specified National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) occupational series—including Meteorology (1340), Hydrology (1315), General Physical Science (1301), Electronics Technical (0856), and Information Technology Management (GS-2210)—as protective service occupations under the Standard Occupational Classification System not later than 30 days after enactment; (2) prohibit staffing changes to those positions unless the Under Secretary submits a report to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation describing the proposed change and either 30 days elapse without committee objection or a committee transmits written notice of no objection; and (3) require the Under Secretary to submit to Congress, not later than 180 days after enactment, a five-year staffing plan for the National Weather Service and NOAA positions supporting forecasts and warnings to protect human life and property (i.e., data collection for watches and warnings, equipment and information technology maintenance, modeling, and related research).

This section requires the Director of the National Weather Service (NWS), not later than 120 days after enactment, to submit to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and specified congressional committees an assessment of NWS's critical staffing needs for every Weather Forecast Office and Center Weather Service Unit, including (1) the number and occupational series of employees needed to fully staff each office or unit—maximizing efficiency while considering safety, morale, seasonal needs, and geographical forecasting complexity—and (2) historical staffing needs versus vacancies. The section authorizes the NWS Director to use direct hire authority, without regard to competitive hiring requirements under 5 U.S.C. §§3308-3319, 3327, and 3330, to appoint qualified candidates to public safety positions identified in the assessment—including meteorologists (series 1340), hydrologists (1315), general physical scientists (1301), computer specialists (2210), and electronic technicians (0856), as well as roles involving equipment operations, maintenance, analysis, information technology, or engineering—with such authority sunsetting once all critical needs and vacancies are filled.