S. 346 — what changed

National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act

From Reported in Senate to Engrossed in Senate. 1 section amended, 2 added, and 3 removed between Reported in Senate and Engrossed in Senate.

Sec. 2 Definitions

changed Congress finds that—In this Act:

(1)

changed Secretary— The term Secretary means the United States and Secretary of the territories Interior, acting through the Director of the United States contain 169 hazardous volcanoes;Geological Survey.

(2)

changed System— since 1980, eruptions have claimed many lives and cost billions of dollars in property damage in The term System means the United States;National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System established under section 3(a)(1).

(3)

removed ash eruptions pose a hazard to high-flying jet aircraft, including the more than 50,000 passengers who travel on jets over Alaska and the North Pacific every day;

(4)

removed in 1989, an eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska, caused in-flight failure of all 4 engines of a passenger Boeing 747 aircraft;

(5)

removed international flights over the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the intense domestic air traffic of the Pacific Northwest also face potential engine failure in the event of an eruption;

(6)

removed mudflows from ice-clad Cascade volcanoes of the States of Washington, Oregon, and California pose a serious hazard to cities and transportation arteries in the Pacific Northwest;

(7)

removed lava flows, toxic gas emissions, and explosions impact residents and visitors to the State of Hawaii and have the potential to cause catastrophic property damage;

(8)

removed frequent seismic unrest requires careful monitoring in the Mammoth Lakes area of the State of California and Yellowstone National Park in the States of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho;

(9)

removed modern technology, in the form of geophysical monitoring networks on the ground and the use of near real-time satellite data, makes possible early warnings typically weeks or months before eruptions, giving emergency response agencies and the public time to prepare, which minimizes potential damage to property and loss of life;

(10)

removed the efficacy of monitoring is being demonstrated by—

(A)

removed the successful forecasts and warnings of Augustine Volcano in 1986 and 2006, Redoubt Volcano in 1989 through 1990 and 2009, and Mt. Spurr in 1992; and

(B)

removed warnings and forecasts of lava flow advancement in Hawaii during the ongoing eruption of Kilauea;

(11)

removed the United States Geological Survey and university and State partners of the United States Geological Survey operate—

(A)

removed the Alaska Volcano Observatory located in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska;

(B)

removed the Cascades Volcano Observatory located in Vancouver, Washington;

(C)

removed the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory located in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii;

(D)

removed the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory located in Yellowstone National Park in the States of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho; and

(E)

removed the California Volcano Observatory, located in Menlo Park, California; and

(12)

removed a detailed survey of the volcanoes in the United States and the monitoring status of those volcanoes has revealed numerous serious monitoring gaps, leaving the United States exposed to preventable damage from large volcanic eruptions.

Sec. 32 Definitions

removed

removed In this Act:

(1)

removed Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey.

(2)

removed System— The term System means the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System established under section 43(a)(1).

Sec. 43 National volcano early warning and monitoring system

removed

(a)

removed Establishment—

(1)

removed In general— The Secretary shall establish within the United States Geological Survey a system, to be known as the “National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System”, to monitor, warn, and protect citizens of the United States from undue and avoidable harm from volcanic activity.

(2)

removed Purposes— The purposes of the System are—

(A)

removed to organize, modernize, standardize, and stabilize the monitoring systems of the volcano observatories in the United States, which includes the Alaska Volcano Observatory, California Volcano Observatory, Cascades Volcano Observatory, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and Yellowstone Volcano Observatory; and

(B)

removed to unify the monitoring systems of volcano observatories in the United States into a single interoperative system.

(3)

removed Objective— The objective of the System is to monitor all the volcanoes in the United States at a level commensurate with the threat posed by the volcanoes by—

(A)

removed upgrading existing networks on monitored volcanoes;

(B)

removed installing new networks on unmonitored volcanoes; and

(C)

removed employing geodetic and other components when applicable.

(b)

removed System components—

(1)

removed In general— The System shall include—

(A)

removed a national volcano watch office that is operational 24 hours a day and 7 days a week;

(B)

removed a national volcano data center; and

(C)

removed an external grants program to support research in volcano monitoring science and technology.

(2)

removed Modernization activities— Modernization activities under the System shall include the comprehensive application of emerging technologies, including digital broadband seismometers, real-time continuous Global Positioning System receivers, satellite and airborne radar interferometry, acoustic pressure sensors, and spectrometry to measure gas emissions.

(c)

removed Management—

(1)

removed Management plan—

(A)

removed In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 5-year management plan for establishing and operating the System.

(B)

removed Inclusions— The management plan submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include—

(i)

removed annual cost estimates for modernization activities and operation of the System;

(ii)

removed annual milestones, standards, and performance goals; and

(iii)

removed recommendations for, and progress towards, establishing new, or enhancing existing, partnerships to leverage resources.

(2)

removed Advisory committee— The Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to assist the Secretary in implementing the System, to be comprised of representatives of relevant agencies and members of the scientific community, to be appointed by the Secretary.

(3)

removed Partnerships— The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with institutions of higher education and State agencies designating the institutions of higher education and State agencies as volcano observatory partners for the System.

(4)

removed Coordination— The Secretary shall coordinate the activities under this Act with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, including—

(A)

removed the Secretary of Transportation;

(B)

removed the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration;

(C)

removed the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and

(D)

removed the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

(d)

removed Annual report— Annually, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes the activities carried out under this Act.

Sec. 54 Funding

removed

(a)

removed Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2027.

(b)

removed Effect on other sources of Federal funding— Amounts made available under this section shall supplement, and not supplant, Federal funds made available for other United States Geological Survey hazards activities and programs.

Sec. 3 National volcano early warning and monitoring system

added

(a)

added Establishment—

(1)

added In general— The Secretary shall establish within the United States Geological Survey a system, to be known as the “National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System”, to monitor, warn, and protect citizens of the United States from undue and avoidable harm from volcanic activity.

(2)

added Purposes— The purposes of the System are—

(A)

added to organize, modernize, standardize, and stabilize the monitoring systems of the volcano observatories in the United States, which includes the Alaska Volcano Observatory, California Volcano Observatory, Cascades Volcano Observatory, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and Yellowstone Volcano Observatory; and

(B)

added to unify the monitoring systems of volcano observatories in the United States into a single interoperative system.

(3)

added Objective— The objective of the System is to monitor all the volcanoes in the United States at a level commensurate with the threat posed by the volcanoes by—

(A)

added upgrading existing networks on monitored volcanoes;

(B)

added installing new networks on unmonitored volcanoes; and

(C)

added employing geodetic and other components when applicable.

(b)

added System components—

(1)

added In general— The System shall include—

(A)

added a national volcano watch office that is operational 24 hours a day and 7 days a week;

(B)

added a national volcano data center; and

(C)

added an external grants program to support research in volcano monitoring science and technology.

(2)

added Modernization activities— Modernization activities under the System shall include the comprehensive application of emerging technologies, including digital broadband seismometers, real-time continuous Global Positioning System receivers, satellite and airborne radar interferometry, acoustic pressure sensors, and spectrometry to measure gas emissions.

(c)

added Management—

(1)

added Management plan—

(A)

added In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 5-year management plan for establishing and operating the System.

(B)

added Inclusions— The management plan submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include—

(i)

added annual cost estimates for modernization activities and operation of the System;

(ii)

added annual milestones, standards, and performance goals; and

(iii)

added recommendations for, and progress towards, establishing new, or enhancing existing, partnerships to leverage resources.

(2)

added Advisory committee— The Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to assist the Secretary in implementing the System, to be comprised of representatives of relevant agencies and members of the scientific community, to be appointed by the Secretary.

(3)

added Partnerships— The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with institutions of higher education and State agencies designating the institutions of higher education and State agencies as volcano observatory partners for the System.

(4)

added Coordination— The Secretary shall coordinate the activities under this Act with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, including—

(A)

added the Secretary of Transportation;

(B)

added the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration;

(C)

added the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and

(D)

added the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

(d)

added Annual report— Annually, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes the activities carried out under this Act.

Sec. 4 Funding

added

(a)

added Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $55,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(b)

added Effect on other sources of Federal funding— Amounts made available under this section shall supplement, and not supplant, Federal funds made available for other United States Geological Survey hazards activities and programs.