---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 15702"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "15702"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/15702"
units:
  - "Chapter 148 — Windstorm Impact Reduction"
---

# §15702. Definitions


In this chapter:

- (1) **Director—** The term “Director” means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
- (2) **Lifelines—** The term “lifelines” means public works and utilities, including transportation facilities and infrastructure, oil and gas pipelines, electrical power and communication facilities and infrastructure, and water supply and sewage [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) facilities.
- (3) **Program—** The term “Program” means the National [Windstorm](#5) Impact Reduction Program established by [section 15703(a) of this title](/usc/42/15703.md?p=a).
- (4) **State—** The term “State” means each of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.
- (5) **Windstorm—** The term “windstorm” means any storm with a damaging or destructive wind component, such as a hurricane, tropical storm, northeaster, tornado, or thunderstorm.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–360, title II, § 203, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1676; Pub. L. 114–52, § 2, Sept. 30, 2015, 129 Stat. 496.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this title”, meaning title II of Pub. L. 108–360, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1675, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title II to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 15701 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

2015—Par. (1). Pub. L. 114–52, § 2(a), substituted “Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology” for “Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy”.

Par. (2). Pub. L. 114–52, § 2(b)(2), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (3).

Pars. (3), (4). Pub. L. 114–52, § 2(b)(1), redesignated pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively. Former par. (4) redesignated (5).

Par. (5). Pub. L. 114–52, § 2(b)(1), (c), redesignated par. (4) as (5) and inserted “northeaster,” after “tropical storm,”.