IB
One Hundred Ninth Congress of the United States of America
At the Second Session
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, the third day of January, two thousand and six
H. R. 5136
AN ACT
To establish a National Integrated Drought Information System within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve drought monitoring and forecasting capabilities.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006
.
Definitions
In this Act:
Drought
The term drought means a deficiency in precipitation—
that leads to a deficiency in surface or subsurface water supplies (including rivers, streams, wetlands, ground water, soil moisture, reservoir supplies, lake levels, and snow pack); and
that causes or may cause—
substantial economic or social impacts; or
substantial physical damage or injury to individuals, property, or the environment.
Under secretary
The term Under Secretary means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
Nidis program
In General
The Under Secretary, through the National Weather Service and other appropriate weather and climate programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a National Integrated Drought Information System.
System Functions
The National Integrated Drought Information System shall—
provide an effective drought early warning system that—
is a comprehensive system that collects and integrates information on the key indicators of drought in order to make usable, reliable, and timely drought forecasts and assessments of drought, including assessments of the severity of drought conditions and impacts;
communicates drought forecasts, drought conditions, and drought impacts on an ongoing basis to—
decisionmakers at the Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local levels of government;
the private sector; and
the public,
includes timely (where possible real-time) data, information, and products that reflect local, regional, and State differences in drought conditions;
coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal research in support of a drought early warning system; and
build upon existing forecasting and assessment programs and partnerships.
Consultation
The Under Secretary shall consult with relevant Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government agencies, research institutions, and the private sector in the development of the National Integrated Drought Information System.
Cooperation From Other Federal Agencies
Each Federal agency shall cooperate as appropriate with the Under Secretary in carrying out this Act.
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act—
$11,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
$12,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
$13,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
$14,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
$15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
$16,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.
