National Weather Service Modernization and Associated Restructuring

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Weather Service Modernization and Associated

Restructuring

AGENCY: National Weather Service (NWS), NOAA, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The NWS is publishing proposed certifications for the closure

of the following Weather Service offices:

(1) Grand Island Weather Service Office (WSO), with services being

provided by the future Hastings Weather Forecast Office (WFO);

(2) Residual St. Louis WSO, with services being provided by the

future St. Louis WFO;

(3) Cape Hatteras WSO, with services being provided by the future

Morehead City and Wakefield WFOs;

(4) Harrisburg WSO, with services being provided by the future

Central Pennsylvania WFO;

(5) Residual New York City WSO, with services being provided by the

future New York City WFO;

(6) Reading WSO, with services being provided by the future

Philadelphia WFO;

(7) Apalachicola WSO, with services being provided by the future

Tallahassee WFO;

(8) Athens WSO, with services being provided by the future Atlanta

and Greenville/Spartanburg WFOs;

(9) Austin WSO, with services being provided by the future Austin/

San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/Galveston and San Angelo WFOs;

(10) Bristol WSO, with services being provided by the future

Knoxville/Tri-Cities, Roanoke, and Charleston WFOs;

(11) Columbus, Georgia WSO, with services being provided by the

future Birmingham, Tallahassee, and Atlanta WFOs;

(12) Del Rio WSO, with services being provided by the future

Austin/San Antonio WFO;

(13) Fort Myers WSO, with services being provided by the future

Tampa Bay Area WFO;

(14) Galveston WSO, with services being provided by the future

Houston/Galveston WFO;

(15) Macon WSO, with services being provided by the future Atlanta

and Tallahassee WFOs;

(16) Residual New Orleans WSO, with services being provided by the

future New Orleans/Baton Rouge WFO;

(17) Orlando WSO, with services being provided by the future

Melbourne WFO;

(18) Pensacola WSO, with services being provided by the future

Mobile and Tallahassee WFOs;

(19) Port Arthur WSO, with services being provided by the future

Lake Charles and Shreveport WFOs;

(20) Roswell WSO, with services being provided by the future

Albuquerque and Midland/Odessa WFOs;

(21) Waco WSO, with services being provided by the future Dallas/

Ft. Worth and Houston/Galveston WFOs;

(22) Bakersfield WSO, with services being provided by the future

San Joaquin Valley WFO;

(23) Residual Billings WSO, with services being provided by the

future Billings WFO;

(24) Eugene WSO, with services being provided by the future

Portland and Medford WFOs;

(25) Helena WSO, with services being provided by the future Great

Falls and Missoula WFOs;

(26) Klamath Falls WSO, with services being provided by the future

Medford WFO;

(27) Residual Los Angeles WSO, with services being provided by the

future Los Angeles WFO;

(28) Olympia WSO, with services being provided by the future

Seattle/Tacoma and Portland WFOs;

(29) Residual Phoenix WSO, with services being provided by the

future Phoenix WFO;

(30) Residual Reno WSO, with services being provided by the future

Reno WFO;

(31) Salem WSO, with services being provided by the future Portland

WFO;

(32) Winslow WSO, with services being provided by the future

Flagstaff WFO;

In accordance with Public Law 102-567, the public will have 60 days

in which to comment on these proposed closure certifications.

DATES: Comments are requested by March 10, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the proposed closure packages should

be sent to Tom Beaver, Room 09356, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, MD 20910, telephone 301-713-0300. All comments should be sent

to Tom Beaver at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Scanlon at 301-713-1698 ext 151.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with section 706 of Public Law

102-567, the Secretary of Commerce must certify that these closures

will not result in any degradation of service to the affected areas of

responsibility and must publish the proposed closure certifications in

the Federal Register. The documentation supporting each proposed

certification includes the following:

(1) A draft memorandum by the meteorologist(s)-in-charge

recommending the certification, the final of which will be endorsed by

the Regional Director and the Assistant Administrator of the NWS if

appropriate, after consideration of public comments and completion of

consultation with the Modernization Transition Committee (the

Committee);

(2) A description of local weather characteristics and weather-

related concerns which affect the weather services provided within the

service area;

(3) A comparison of the services provided within the service area

and the services to be provided after such action:

(4) A description of any recent or expected modernization of NWS

operation which will enhance services in the service area;

(5) An identification of any area within the affected service area

which would not receive coverage (at an elevation of 10,000 feet) by

the next generation weather radar network;

(6) Warning and forecast verification statistics for pre-modernized

and modernized services which were utilized in determining that

services have not been degraded;

(7) An Air Safety Appraisal, if applicable, for offices which are

located on an airport; and

(8) A letter appointing the liaison officer.

These proposed certifications do not include any report of the

Committee which could be submitted in accordance with sections

706(b)(6) and 707(c) of Public Law 102-567. In December 1995 the

Committee decided that, in general, they would forego the optional

consultation on proposed certifications. Instead, the Committee would

just

[[Page 981]]

review certifications after the public comment period had closed so

their consultation would be with the benefit of public comments that

had been submitted.

This notice does not include the complete certification packages

because they are too voluminous to publish. Copies of the certification

packages and supporting documentation can be obtained through the

contact listed above.

Once all public comments have been received and considered, the NWS

will complete consultation with the Committee and determine whether to

proceed with the final certification. If a decision to certify is made,

the Secretary of Commerce must publish the final certification in the

Federal Register and transmit the certification to the appropriate

Congressional committees prior to closing these offices.

Dated: December 31, 1996.

Elbert W. Friday, Jr.,

Assistant Administrator for Weather Services.

[FR Doc. 97-223 Filed 1-6-97; 8:45 am]

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