On a related topic, the NOAA Authorization Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-567) mandates that the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Defense develop the management plan that addresses providing continued tropical cyclone surveillance and reconnaissance to adequately protect citizens of coastal areas of the U.S. Under the guidance of the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM), interagency working groups produced two Federal plans that embody the Nation's hurricane reconnaissance and research programs. These documents, the National Hurricane Operations Plan and the National Plan for Tropical Cyclone Research, detail current hurricane reconnaissance and research efforts. To address future requirements of the hurricane research and reconnaissance programs, the Secretary of Commerce has begun the process to establish the Tropical Cyclone Research Advisory Committee, as directed by P.L. 102-567. INSTALLATION OF THE NEXRAD Mr. LEWIS. There was one other-on the NEXRAD doppler radar, is there any way—and the chairman touched on this just slightlyis there any way that we could look to moving a little faster on some of the installations, particularly in the Southeast in the hurricane belt? And I know what the schedule is down there, but we're still-we're going to have one system installed, but probably it will take six months to calibrate it. It won't be up until well after this hurricane season, but there will be another station going on the line. And I would like for you to take a look to see if it's possibleand I certainly don't want to cheat anybody; I don't want to cheat Mr. Gershwin on the Texas coast or Mr. Long either, but I think that where they're coming in from the Southeast we can, if we have a better handle on this, such as we did on Andrew, I think that anything you could do to accelerate that installation schedule, at least two of those stations that are supposed to go in Mr. HALL. If you'll keep the hurricanes out on your area, we'll give you all of the facilities Mr. LEWIS. I understand. I understand, but we need this stuff for a few of those other swelling kinds of cyclones— Mr. HALL. Surely, you surely do. Mr. LEWIS. I also want to compliment NOAA and Dr. Baker on the tremendous job that you did on the public awareness and the tracking and forecasting of the no name storm this year. I thought that was outstanding, and anybody that said they were caught by surprise on that is either deaf, blind, or certainly don't understand it or watch television at all or read the newspapers, because you all did a fine job. Mr. BAKER. Thank you very much. Mr. LEWIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Dr. Baker. Mr. Geren, the gentleman from Texas. Mr. GEREN. No questions. Mr. HALL. Mr. Calvert from California. Before you-before Mr. Calvert says Dr. Baker, you know, you have the advantage of this being your first hearing and your not having been here when a lot of things happened. I used that for the first six or eight years I was up here on not voting for any bad extensions, and now I've been here and I'm part of the problem. So enjoy your honeymoon while you have it. [Laughter.] Mr. Calvert? Mr. CALVERT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. SPARE PARTS ACCOUNT IN NOAA BUDGET Mr. CALVERT. NEXRAD was just brought up. The spare parts account amounts to a considerable part of the NEXRAD budget. Are you satisfied with the prices you're getting for the spare parts? Mr. BAKER. Yes, sir, Congressman Calvert, this is an issue that we have looked into in detail, and I believe that we are satisfied that we are on top of that problem. But let me have Lou Boezi address that specifically. Will you do that, Lou, where we stand, what we have done on addressing it, the cost of spare parts? Mr. HALL. Turn on your microphone and state your name, and we'll recognize you, sir. Mr. BOEZI. I'm Lou Boezi, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the National Weather Service for Modernization. Sir, the logistics for this system, as you said, are large and massive, as thousands of items are constantly being examined and acquired to support us operationally. We have looked at the inventory and at the pricing. We find very few number of items that we're questioning pricing. We're pursuing that quite vigorously at this point, but, by and large, we're getting fair prices on these logistic items. Mr. CALVERT. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. HALL. Yes, thank you. CONVERGE WITH CIVILIAN AND DEFENSE WEATHER SATELLITE PROGRAMS Mr. HALL. Dr. Baker, I know you've had some probably conversations with George Brown, the chairman of the big committee, and you're aware of his feelings on a lot of things. He's expressed an interest in reconsidering the issue of convergence, converging the civilian and defense polar-orbiting weather satellite programs and maybe some other things, particularly since the Cold War is over now. Have you had any recent discussions with the Defense Department on this matter or do you plan to? Mr. BAKER. Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman, we are working very hard on this issue of convergence. There are really two different areas there. One is the area of convergence of satellites, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and the NOAA operational program, which have had close ties in the past, but we haven't had a truly converged system. This is a time—we believe the time has come for true convergence. We have an interagency committee that has been set up. We are working hard to see how we can put this together, and we believe that there would be substantial cost savings in having a converged system. We're also looking in terms of defense conversion at the possible use of military assets, current military assets, to do environmental problems. A good example there is the use of the underwater sound system that the navy operates to track fishing operations and to track whales and other marine mammals. This is now being done on an experimental basis. It may well be something that could augment our activities; in fact, do things that we simply can't do today. Mr. HALL. And you've talked to NASA and you all are coordinated on this? Mr. BAKER. Yes, we're working very closely with NASA because, of course, they have a large Earth Observation System Program, and I think it's absolutely critical that we have a close interaction between NOAA and NASA as we look forward to spending the Nation's resource on an environmental observation system from satellites. Mr. HALL. What about the Defense Department? What's their attitude toward command and control of the polar- orbiting weather satellites? Have you all touched on that? Or do you see any give there? Mr. BAKER. This is, of course, the central issue in discussing convergence between the military and civilian system. And in the past, this has been one of the stumbling blocks in trying to have a dual system. It's our belief that this is the set of issues that will be on the table, the major issues that have to be addressed, and from our initial discussions we believe that the Defense Department is willing to come to the table and discuss these seriously. SCHEDULE FOR LANDSAT-6 AND POLAR-ORBITER NOAA-I Mr. HALL. Let me shift a little bit. You know, because of budgetary problems, we've cancelled some things; we've put off some things; we've slipped some programs. I understand that some launches have slipped, and I guess what I want to ask you about, the current launch schedule for LANDSAT-6. Do you have a current schedule for that? Mr. BAKER. Yes, we do. Do we have the sheet on that LANDSAT [speaking to his staff]? There was a slight slip in the LANDSAT schedule. I'm just trying to find it here. Mr. HALL. Maybe Diana can give you some help. Ms. JOSEPHSON. I was going to suggest John. Mr. BAKER. Let me just read the point we have here. "The launch of LANDSAT-6 was delayed from January to August by a problem with the solar ray drive motor. A test has been concluded; the new motor design installed, and the spacecraft has been shipped to the western test range at Vandenberg for final launch. "The launch slip has had no effect on NOAA budget since the LANDSAT-6 procurement is a fixed price, and EOS has been paying for the cost of operating LANDSAT-4 and -5." But there was a slip from January to August there. John, any other-does that cover it? Mr. HALL. And what's the current launch schedule? Mr. BAKER. August 11, 1993 is the current launch date. Mr. HALL. Okay. What's the current launch schedule for PolarOrbiter NOAA-I? Mr. BAKER. That launch date is July 14, 1993, currently a fixed and agreed-to date from the western test range. MARDI Mr. HALL. All right. Let's talk a little about MARDI. Your budget has an increase of $52 million for MARDI. Just kind of briefly describe the process for the record and for me. Mr. BAKER. I think, Mr. Chairman, since I'm relatively new to this process, it would be better if I had Lou Boezi give you just a quick description of the MARDI process. Mr. HALL. Dr. Boezi, we recognize you. Mr. BOEZI. Thank you, sir. The process is fairly complicated as you get into the detail. However, from an overview standpoint, the process of installing equipment, constructing new facilities, training staff, and still maintaining current operations with current systems-we're operating under the auspices of Public Law 102-567, which requires a specific type of phasing as we introduce the new technology and remove the old technology that have been in existence for many decades. So, by and large, it's something like this: We construct facilities with sufficient time to receive the new technologies as the contractors deliver them. The new technologies are introduced. The staff is trained. The systems go through an elaborate commissioning process before being put into operational use. And once that occurs, we have an outreach program where we confer with the principal users in the community of these data. Assuming that they are satisfied with the quality of services that are offered, we will then proceed with dis-establishing the older technology. The MARDI initiative supports the training of staff, supports the commissioning process and the de-commissioning process of the old technology as well. Mr. HALL. Okay. And if there's any further explanation of that, why, please put it in the record. We-I think we have a vote on and have only about five minutes to get there, and I don't see any sense in keeping this type of talent sitting here waiting for us to come back. If any other members have any additional questions, they can ask them. I think we might close today in honor of Curt Stanford here who's planned this program. This is his 40th birthday and I want to be sure to congratulate him. [Applause.] With that and with our thanks to you for your time and your dedication and your testimony, we are adjourned. [Whereupon, at 10:12 a.m., the subcommittee adjourned subject to the call of the Chair.] SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP-FISCAL YEAR 1994 NOAA BUDGET REQUEST WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1993 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE, The committee met, pursuant to call, at 1:55 p.m., in Room 2318, Hon. Ralph M. Hall [chairman of the committee] presiding. [The information follows:] |