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A flurry of activity in the press, in Congress, and in informal and formal conversations was triggered by the NOAA press conference on 21 March 1997 announcing the extensive budget reductions in the National Weather Service. Budget reductions of $27.5 million for FY97 were announced at the press conference, but now are acknowledged to be at least $40 million. Information on activities to be reduced and Reductions-In-Force underway to achieve savings of $27.5 million are included in a NOAA press release (NOAA 97-16) dated 21 March 1997. (See following.) The statements from NOAA at congressional hearings and in the press indicated no reduction in the warning system, in contrast to the letter from the past presidents of AMS to Commerce Secretary Daley (see the April Newsletter). However, after numerous conversations concerning the definition of words such as "jeopardize" and the meaning of "direct" and "indirect" impact, the NOAA position at a recent meeting of AMS past presidents with Jim Baker was that budget actions potentially could "impact" the warning system.
The most recent action was a very modest reprogramming of funds restoring the budget and personnel reductions at the National Tropical Prediction Center, the National Storm Prediction Center, and the National Aviation Weather Center. This reprogramming was initiated by a letter dated 15 April 1997 from Congressmen Harold Rogers and Alan B. Mollohan, chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the House Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice, and State, to Secretary of Commerce William Daley requesting Commerce to request Congress to authorize Commerce to reprogram funds for these centers. (Normally Commerce would initiate the request.) On 17 April, Commerce Secretary Daley responded by letter to Congressmen Rogers and Mollohan confirming the reprogramming of $715,000 to the National Weather Service from the NOAA Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite program, which anticipates having carry-over funds this year amounting to tens of millions.
Several groups and senators such as Senator Sarbanes of Maryland have stated that while this is clearly a step in the right direction, it falls far short of what is needed to ensure high-quality forecasts and severe weather and flood warnings from the National Weather Service. Whether Congressman Clay Shaw and his colleagues will continue to press for enactment of HR 1251, which they introduced in the House of Representatives on 8 April 1997, calling for an increase of $10 million in the National Weather Service budget in FY97 is unclear. The FY98 Budget of the Administration includes a request of $10.8 million to restore so-called "temporary" cuts in the National Weather Service, although "informally and off the record" conversations confirm that this is less than half of what the Weather Service requested during the budget process. In addition, the request does not include funds for the anticipated mandated pay raise and other cost increases associated with operations.
Most observers are surprised that this situation could develop without recognition that the reductions in budget are simply too deep to maintain a quality warning system and an adequate observational, communications, and processing meteorological infrastructure. At the time of the March press conference, several months after the FY97 appropriation was signed into law, the NOAA press release indicated that the reductions were $27.5 million instead of the over $40 million that has now been acknowledged. Also, Chairman Rogers and Congressman Mollohan have now confirmed that their reduction of $10.9 million, which stemmed from the flawed Inspector General report, was specifically targeted at "noncritical Washington Headquarters functions," whereas the reductions underway include, in addition to cutbacks at the Tropical, Storm, and Aviation Centers, reductions at the National Center for Environmental Prediction and the part of the Office of Systems Operations providing centralized support to forecast and warning operations across the country, which by any reasonable definition cannot be classified as noncritical or headquarters functions.
Savings realized by holding positions vacant in Weather Forecast Offices or delaying maintenance and purchase of spare parts that impact the warning system are clearly critical field functions. Other reductions such as large earlier-than-planned reductions in headquarters functions and reductions in training programs impact modernization activities, including the development and implementation of AWIPS. The impact of this type of an array of reductions would be difficult to understand even for meteorologists who know the operations well, or by experienced budget analysts, let alone by individuals with little knowledge about weather services.
Additional hearings are scheduled or under consideration by both the House and Senate in May, which will no doubt shed light on this situation and will determine whether there will be any further action to provide the additional budget for a quality warning system and a sound meteorological infrastructure required for the public and private services provided to the people and industry of the United States.
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The National Weather Service announced on 21 March that it has completed a comprehensive, organization-wide review of its current structure and programs to identify and implement the actions needed to cover operating costs in FY97, and to restructure operations to meet future budget allocations. Recommended actions include accelerating planned reductions in staffing and operations at headquarters, regional offices, central operations, and field offices, and reengineering certain programs.
"After a thorough review of all of our programs and expenses, we have identified the actions we will take to live within lower funding levels," said Elbert W. Friday Jr., assistant administrator for weather services. Field operations and services will remain the focus of NWS resources.
NOAA has spent over $4 billion toward modernizing the nations weather services. To date, the weather service has successfully deployed Doppler radar, automated surface observing sensors, geostationary satellites, and supercomputers, which has resulted in increased lead time for severe weather warnings and more accurate forecasts.
"To address the NWS's overall FY97 base budget allocation, we will implement an integrated set of actions during the remainder of FY97. The NWS will reduce employment levels during FY97 through a combination of up to 200 potential Reduction-in-Force (RIF) actions and the elimination of selected vacant positions. The majority of these position reductions will take place through the acceleration of planned reductions. The NWS will make a concerted effort to reduce the total number of employees affected by the potential RIF, through such measures as directed reassignments and other mitigation."
Given the current FY97 budget allocations, the NWS will accelerate its plans to close Southern Region Headquarters (SRH), an administrative office located in Ft. Worth, TX. While Congress has not appropriated funding for this regional headquarters since FY94, the NWS has covered SRH operating costs because of its importance to weather service modernization transition activities. The NWS central and eastern regions will ensure the continuing oversight of these transition activities. Accelerating the closure of SRH will in no way degrade the services provided by field offices in this region.
Central operations and support reductions slated for the National Centers for Environmental Prediction include reducing shift coverage and discontinuing certain products during nighttime hours and extending the time for periodic updating of certain forecast products. These actions will reduce manual quality control of certain information, delay the introduction of new products, and eliminate discussions and summaries of weather events. Overnight operational monitoring of severe weather developments will continue. The person on duty at these centers will have the authority to recall off-duty personnel on an overtime basis should weather conditions warrant.
The NWS also will reduce its headquarters test and evaluation activities for meteorological and hydrologic systems, field outreach activities, coastal and marine data buoy development, nonoperational travel, and support contracts. Central computer operations will be streamlined, and centralized training activities will be reengineered to capitalize on field office distance learning methods. The NWS will also accelerate modernization transition program staffing changes. Some 1-800 telephone services will be curtailed. Toll-free telephone lines still will be available for emergency managers, volunteer storm spotters, and cooperative observers.
Some temporary savings measures are being taken to meet the FY97 funding availability. These temporary measures include reducing logistics quantities, operational supplies and stock levels, and field staff training; freezing operational equipment replacements; and deferring NWS central network maintenance. The president's FY98 budget includes funding to restore these temporary actions and accommodate mandatory cost increases, which cannot be sustained beyond FY97 without potentially serious impacts on services to the public.
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On 7 April 1997, Secretary of Commerce William M. Daley responded as follows to the letter sent 31 March by 26 past presidents of the American Meteorological Society, requesting a reconsideration of the National Weather Service budget cuts.
Dear Dr. Hallgren:
Thank you for your letter, cosigned by 25 of your colleagues, regarding the budget and personnel reductions at the National Weather Service (NWS), and particularly those at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). I recognize the expertise and experience of the cosigners, and appreciate your taking the time to let me know your concerns. I believe we have the best weather service in the world, and I am committed, as have been previous Secretaries of Commerce, to continuing to provide the same outstanding weather warning services to the entire country.
The actions we have taken are necessary because of budget reductions to both the NWS and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These reductions reflect a strong national consensus for a smaller, more efficient government. The NWS has been asked, along with all other parts of the government, to operate more efficiently with fewer resources.
I want you to know that staff reductions will not reduce the warning capabilities of the NWS nor jeopardize public safety. Current plans call for the NWS to reduce coverage of the least active shift by a single meteorologist at six of the National Centers. The senior person on duty at these centers will have the authority to recall off-duty personnel, on an overtime basis, should weather conditions warrant. In the case of extraordinary weather situations, the NWS will augment the Centers as necessary.
Under Secretary Baker and Dr. Friday, the Assistant Administrator for Weather Services, has assured me that these staff reductions will not jeopardize the warning capabilities of the NWS.
Under Secretary Baker would be happy to meet with you to discuss this further. I hope that this information is useful to you and addresses your concerns. I appreciate your continuing interest in the NWS.
Sincerely,
William M. Daley
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In response to announced cuts in staff at the National Weather Service, Florida Congressman E. Clay Shaw introduced a bill, H.R. 1251, to appropriate $10 million in emergency supplemental relief for salaries and expenses for the National Weather Service for FY97. The bill was cosponsored by several other members of the Florida delegation, including Allen Boyd, Corinne Brown, Charles Canady, Peter Deutsch, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mark Foley, Porter Goss, Bill McCollum, Carrie Meek, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Joe Scarborough, Cliff Stearns, Karen Thurman, Robert Wexler, and Bill Young, as well as Congressman J. C. Watts of Oklahoma.
The funds are intended to provide for salaries and expenses at the National Weather Service, including the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, for the fiscal year ending 30 September 1997. It calls for "an additional amount for Operations, Research, and Facilities for salaries and expenses of the National Weather Service of $10,000,000 to remain available until expended, of which $2,000,000 shall be used for salaries and expenses of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, provided that the entire amount is designated by Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to Section 251(b)(2)(D)(I) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985."
Passage of the bill is uncertain, given the later announcement by Commerce Secretary William Daley that $715,000 would be provided to prevent cuts in personnel at the Weather Service National Tropical Prediction Center, National Storm Prediction Center, and National Aviation Weather Center.
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Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) introduced three authorization bills on 10 April that contain significant increases for the environmental and science community, including the National Weather Service.
"These are commendable authorizations that the science community, environmental community, and fiscal conservatives can be proud of," he said. "My budget reflects my efforts to increase funding for environment and science programs while eliminating waste. Specifically, I am eliminating the China Clean Coal initiative which the administration wanted in order to save $50 million of American taxpayers' money to China."
The chairman added that he is adding $25 million research funding for renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. "Additionally," he explained, "I am increasing funding for the National Weather Service over what the president has requested to help with their severe budget shortfall. I am especially pleased to double the president's request for research for particulate matter air pollutants which are a significant problem in my district. And, finally, my Department of Energy authorization provides strong support for basic research at our national laboratories."
For EPA, the bill would authorize $559.8 million for FY98 and $617.1 million for FY99, with the Department of Energy, his bill would authorize $4.61 billion for FY98 and $4.62 billion for FY99, and for NOAA, his bill would authorize $1.45 billion in FY98 and $1.57 billion in FY99.
A breakdown of NOAA proposed authorizations are as follows.
| Account | FY98 | FY99 |
| National Ocean Service | $130,904,000 | $130,874,000 |
| Oceanic and Atmospheric Research | $183,568,000 | $186,501,000 |
| National Weather Service | $664,754,000 | $607,556,000 |
| NESDIS | $390,179,000 | $566,090,000 |
| Program Support | $74,913,000 | $58,362,000 |
| Facilities | $2,950,000 | $2,950,000 |
| Construction | $16,423,000 | $18,076,000 |
| Fleet Maintenance and Planning | $11,823,000 | $11,823,000 |
| Recoveries from Previous Years | $-25,500,000 | $-14,000,000 |
The FY98 authorization for NOAA programs under the jurisdiction of the Science Committee of $1.45 billion is 0.1% less than the president's request for FY98 and 5.8% above the FY97 appropriation, Calvert said. The FY99 authorization of $1.57 billion is 8.0% above the president's request for FY98 and 14.4% above the FY97 appropriation. The bill authorizes increases of $26.8 million for NWS—authorizing NWS $664.8 million in FY98—an increase of 4.2% over the FY97 appropriation and $607.6 million for FY99.
NESDIS is authorized an increase of $63.1 million—$390.2 million for FY98, an increase of 19.3% over the FY97 appropriation, and $566.1 million for FY99. The bill disestablishes the NOAA Commissioned Corps while permitting commissioned officers to transfer to one of the military services or the Coast Guard.
Calvert said the bill eliminates funding for redundant and obsolete programs, eliminating funding for the Undersea Research Program, saving $12 million from the FY97 appropriation; the GLOBE program, saving $6 million from the FY97 appropriation; and construction of the Goddard Science Center, saving $12.6 million. The bill also cuts administration by 5% in FY98 and another 5% in FY99, saving $8.4 million over the 2 fiscal years, according to the chairman.
With the Department of Energy, the bill would authorize $4,605,143,000 for FY98, up $175,198,000 or 6.5% over the FY97 appropriation, and would authorize $4,621,723,000 for FY99, up $123,166,000 or 2.7% over the FY97 appropriation. With other initiatives in the bill, Calvert said, taxpayer savings over 2 years would amount to $449.8 million.
With EPA research and development, the FY98 authorization is $599.8 million, 3% less than the president's request and 7.8% above the FY97 appropriation. For FY99, the authorization of $617.1 million is 0.2% below the president's request and 11% above the FY97 appropriation. The bill authorizes increases in particulate matter research of $23.4 million, providing $50 million in FY98—an increase of 88.1% over EPA's request—and $51.5 million in FY99.
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The third in a series of five advanced U.S. weather satellites was successfully launched at 1:49 A.M., Friday morning, 25 April, from Cape Canaveral Air Station, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced.
The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, now called NOAA GOES-K, will be renamed NOAA GOES-10 once geostationary orbit is achieved. These satellites orbit the equatorial plane of the earth at a speed matching the earth's rotation. This allows them to hover continuously over one position on the surface. The geostationary orbit is usually reached at about 35,800 km (22,300 miles) above the earth, high enough to allow the satellites a full-disc view of the earth.
"GOES satellites are vital to weather forecasting in the United States," said Gerry Dittberner, NOAA's GOES program manager. "The GOES satellites are a critical component of the ongoing National Weather Service modernization program, aiding forecasters in providing more precise and timely forecasts. With GOES-K, we are ensuring the continuity of GOES data."
The real-time weather data gathered by GOES satellites, combined with data from Doppler radars and automated surface observing systems, greatly aids weather forecasters in providing better warnings of thunderstorms, winter storms, flash floods, hurricanes, and other severe weather. These warnings help to save lives, preserve property, and benefit commercial interests.
The United States operates two meteorological satellites in geostationary orbit, one over the East Coast and one over the West Coast. NOAA GOES-9, launched on 23 May 1995, is currently overlooking the West Coast out into the Pacific including Hawaii. It is over the equator at 135°W longitude at an altitude of 22,236 statute miles. NOAA GOES-8, launched in April 1994, overlooks the East Coast out into the Atlantic Ocean and is positioned at 75°W. NOAA GOES-K will be stored on orbit at 105°W longitude and placed into operation when needed as a replacement for GOES-8 or -9.
NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service operates the GOES series of satellites. After the satellites complete on-orbit checkout, NOAA assumes responsibility for command and control, data receipt, and product generation and distribution.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center manages the GOES contract for NASA's Office of Mission to Planet Earth, Washington, D.C. Goddard manages the design, development, and launch of the spacecraft for NOAA. NASA's Lewis Research Center is responsible for the launch services contract with Lockheed Martin. NASA's Kennedy Space Center is responsible for government oversight of launch operations and countdown activities. NOAA GOES-K, built by Space Systems/Loral, a subsidiary of Loral Space and Communications Ltd., was launched on an Atlas I rocket, built by Lockheed Martin.
The next two satellites in the GOES series will be launched as required to support NOAA's dual-satellite geostationary observing system.
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Resolution of UCAR's request for supercomputer equipment for NCAR's Climate Simulation Laboratory (CSL) might take another year or more, according to officials monitoring the progress of the action.
That's the outlook, they say, following Department of Commerce findings released 28 March that determined the two Japanese firms, NEC and Fujitsu, were "dumping" their computers on the U.S. market. The Commerce Department found that NEC and Fujitsu had offered supercomputers for sale to U.S. customers at less than fair value in violation of U.S. and international trade rules.
The Japanese firms are in competition with Cray Research, the supercomputing subsidiary of Silicon Graphics, Inc. The three competed last year to provide supercomputers to NCAR for global and climate research. NCAR is funded primarily by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and managed and operated by UCAR, a consortium of more than 60 North American universities.
The difficulty with the procurement began in May 1996 when NCAR agreed to purchase four vector supercomputers from the Japanese NEC Corporation. In its request for proposal NCAR specified that it would spend up to $35 million to add to its existing bank of five Cray Research supercomputers. Cray subsequently filed an antidumping petition with the Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission, charging NEC with violating U.S. trade laws by illegally selling the computers at a price below the cost of production.
Following the UCAR/NCAR announcement that NEC had won the procurement with a $35 million bid, offering four 32-processor SX-4 vector supercomputers, Cray filed an antidumping petition with the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission. In August, Commerce determined that Cray's petition was strong enough to merit full investigation of NEC 's bid and other NEC and Fujitsu sales. A day later (20 August), NSF directed UCAR/NCAR to delay awarding the procurement until the dumping complaint could be resolved.
In September 1996, the International Trade Commission, in a 3 to 1 vote, determined there was sufficient evidence to continue an investigation into charges that NEC supercomputers offered to UCAR/NCAR were being "dumped" in violation of U.S. and international trade laws.
In the meantime in action completely separate from the dumping petition, NEC filed a lawsuit in the Court of International Trade (a federal court that deals with issues under the trade laws of the United States) which sought to enjoin the Department of Commerce from investigating Cray's dumping complaint.
The parties to the action in the Court of International Trade—NEC, Commerce, and Cray—entered into a consent agreement in February 1997 under which Commerce agreed to delay the announcement of its preliminary findings until 28 March. On 21 March, the Court of International Trade found that, based on the merits at trial, NEC was not likely to succeed in justifying a suspension of the Commerce determination and denied NEC's motion for a preliminary injunction.
A trial—expected to be held sometime in April—will determine whether to grant NEC's request on enjoining Commerce.
Observers contend that there is a possibility the case could be resolved by August 1997. However, either Cray or NEC can appeal an adverse decision by Commerce or the International Trade Commission and from there to the U.S. Court of Appeals. In that case, observers believe, resolution of the appeal could take a year or more.
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A $12 million contract for satellite antenna systems has been awarded to Allied Signal Technical Services Corporation of Columbia, MD, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced.
The contract, for delivery of three end-to-end antenna systems to support polar spacecraft, has a potential value of $22 million, including all options.
The antenna systems will be installed at NOAA's Command and Data Acquisition Station in Fairbanks, AK. The systems will provide multiple polar spacecraft mission data transit/receive capability. Acquisition of this data, and command of polar spacecraft through these antenna systems, will enable the Fairbanks site to support the converged operations of NOAA's Polar Operational Environmental Satellites with those of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program.
The new antenna systems will also be upgradeable to support the next series of polar satellites, the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS).
Two additional optional antenna systems may also be ordered through this contract, at the government's sole option, through FY2000. The fourth system is tentatively slated for delivery to Fairbanks in May 1999; the fifth system is available for NOAA's Command and Data Acquisition Station at Wallops, VA, for delivery in May 2000.
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Paul J. Frommelt of Fairfax has been named manager of a major satellite program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Frommelt is manager of NOAA's polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite program. These satellites provide information about the earth's oceans and atmosphere, including location and size of severe storms, temperatures of the atmosphere, sea and land, the size of the ozone hole, and the location and amount of dust from volcanoes, which can cause hazards to airplanes. The satellites are operated by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service in Suitland, MD.
Frommelt spent 19 years in the Air Force working on a variety of military and national spacecraft programs. He most recently served with NOAA's Integrated Program Office, which is responsible for merging the nation's civilian and military polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite programs. In his new position, Frommelt replaces Gregory Mandt, who is now working at the National Weather Service.
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Arati Prabhakar has announced she will be stepping down from directorship of Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to accept a position as senior vice president and chief technology officer for the Raychem Corporation of California. Directorship of NIST requires appointment by the president. Physicist Robert Hebner will continue to serve as acting NIST director, a position he has filled for the past few months while Prabhakar took maternity leave.
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Nationally syndicated comic strip character Mark Trail will serve as the campaign symbol for educating the public about the National Weather Service's NOAA Weather Radio program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and King Features Syndicate announced today.
In the past 2 years, several Mark Trail full-color Sunday strips have focused attention on weather-safety issues, including flash floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes, and the value of having NOAA Weather Radio receivers to get severe weather warnings quickly.
"I hope that Mark Trail will encourage people across the country to get early warnings of severe weather by having an NOAA Weather Radio," said Mark Trail illustrator/writer Jack Elrod of Atlanta.
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