S. 346 — what changed

National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act

From Introduced in Senate to Reported in Senate. 3 added and 3 removed between Introduced in Senate and Reported in Senate.

Sec. 3 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 4(a)(1).

Sec. 4 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. 5 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. 32 Definitions

added

added In this Act:

(1)

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

(2)

added 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

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. 54 Funding

added

(a)

added 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)

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.