QUEST: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOS-
PHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

United

HEARING

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED FIFTH CONGRESS

For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office

Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402

COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE

KF27 .58935 1998i Copy! LL

F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR., Wisconsin, Chairman

SHERWOOD L. BOEHLERT, New York
HARRIS W. FAWELL, Illinois

CONSTANCE A. MORELLA, Maryland
CURT WELDON, Pennsylvania
DANA ROHRABACHER, California
JOE BARTON, Texas

KEN CALVERT, California
ROSCOE G. BARTLETT, Maryland
VERNON J. EHLERS, Michigan**
DAVE WELDON, Florida
MATT SALMON, Arizona
THOMAS M. DAVIS, Virginia
GIL GUTKNECHT, Minnesota
MARK FOLEY, Florida

THOMAS W. EWING, Illinois

CHARLES W. "CHIP" PICKERING,
Mississippi

CHRIS CANNON, Utah
KEVIN BRADY, Texas
MERRILL COOK, Utah

PHIL ENGLISH, Pennsylvania
GEORGE R. NETHERCUTT, JR.,
Washington

TOM A. COBURN, Oklahoma
PETE SESSIONS, Texas

GEORGE E. BROWN, Jr., California RMM*
RALPH M. HALL, Texas

BART GORDON, Tennessee

JAMES A. TRAFICANT, Jr., Ohio
TIM ROEMER, Indiana

JAMES A. BARCIA, Michigan

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas
ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
LYNN N. RIVERS, Michigan

ZOE LOFGREN, California

MICHAEL F. DOYLE, Pennsylvania
SHEILA JACKSON LEE, Texas
BILL LUTHER, Minnesota
DEBBIE STABENOW, Michigan

BOB ETHERIDGE, North Carolina
NICK LAMPSON, Texas
DARLENE HOOLEY, Oregon
ELLEN O. TAUSCHER, California
LOIS CAPPS, California
BARBARA LEE, California

CONTENTS

Page

March 4, 1998: Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Authorization Request: Na-

tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Opening Statement by Representative Ken Calvert (CA-43), Chairman, Sub-

committee on Energy and Environment, Committee on Science, U.S. House

of Representatives

Opening Statement by Representative Ellen Tauscher (CA-10), Ranking Mi-

nority Member, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, Committee

on Science, U.S. House of Representatives

Opening Statement by Representative Tim Roemer (IN-3), Ranking Minority

Member, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, Committee on

Science, U.S. House of Representatives

Panel:

The Honorable D. James Baker, Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere,

U.S. Department of Commerce, and Administrator, National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration, Washington, DC:

Oral Testimony

Prepared Testimony

Biography

Mr. Joel C. Willemssen, Director, Civil Agencies Information Systems, Ac-

counting and Information Management Division, U.S. General Accounting

Office, Washington, DC:

Oral Testimony

Prepared Testimony

Biography

Discussion:

Effects of El Nino on Southern California.....

General Kelly's Report on the National Weather Service

Timing of National Weather Service Reprogramming Request

Actions Taken to Avoid the Confusion that Occurred Last Year Over

Filling Crucial National Weather Service Field Vacancies

NOAA Role in Coordinating Zebra Mussel Research

Cut in Zebra Mussel Research

Definition of Great Lakes

Reasons for Lack of NOAA Research Funding in the President's Request

Booz-Allen Audit of AWIPS

Reasons for Changing National Weather Service Shortfall Numbers

Causes for National Weather Service Shortfall

Causes of AWIPS Cost Growth

Year 2000 Problem Budget Implications for AWIPS

NOAA and the Year 2000 Problem

NOAA's Budget and the Proposed Tobacco Settlement

Status of National Weather Service Efforts to Fill Critical Field Vacan-
cies......

Natural Disaster Reduction Initiative

NOAA Responsibilities and Duplication of Efforts

Request for Climate Modeling and Prediction

National Weather Service Coverage for Northwestern Pennsylvania

PM-2.5 and Ozone Research

54

54

56

57

58

60

61

62

63

63

63

64

65

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Page

Appendix 1: Additional Statements for the Record

Captain Fred R. Becker, Jr., Director, Navy Affairs, Reserve Officers Associa-

tion for the United States

Financial Disclosure Information

Christian Andreasen, Rear Admiral, NOAA Retired, and Past Presdent

(1992-1997) for the International Hydrographic Organization

Financial Disclosure Information

Appendix 2: Additional Materials for the Record

National Weather Service: Events Surrounding Fiscal Year 1997 Budget

(GAO/AIMD-98-69, March 4, 1998)

NOAA FY 1999 Budget Request, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-

tration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC, February 2, 1998.

NOAA-Relevant Excerpts from "Department of Commerce Strategic Plan for

1997-2002," September 1997

NOAA-Relevant Excerpts from "The Department of Commerce Annual Per-
formance Plan for Fiscal Year 1999," March 1998

Letter to the Honorable Jim Sensenbrenner, Chairman, Committee on

Science, U.S. House of Representatives, from William M. Daley, Secretary

of Commerce, dated March 30, 1998, Certifying that the Advanced Weather

Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) Can Be Completed Within the

Funding Cap of $550 Million

Letter to the Honorable F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chairman, Committee

on Science, U.S. House of Representatives, from William M. Daley, Sec-

retary of Commerce, dated April 9, 1998, Certifying that the Geostationary

Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) I-M Procurement Can Be

Completed Without Requiring Further Authorizations of Appropriations Be-

yond Amounts Authorized by Public Law 102-567 and Foreseeing No Gap

in Two-Satellite Service Operations Resulting from Non-Performance of

the Satellite Contract

Appendix 3: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions Submitted by Members

of the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment

The Honorable D. James Baker, Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere,

U.S. Department of Commerce, and Administrator, National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration:

Post-Hearing Questions submitted by Chairman Calvert:

U.S. Global Change Research Program

739

United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

NOAA Fleet

741

742

National Ocean Service (NOS): Navigation Services

746

National Ocean Service (NOS): Ocean Resources Conservation and As-

sessment

747

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