[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3771 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3771
To increase observations, understanding, and forecasting of coastal
flooding and storm surge events, to address weather observation gaps in
highly vulnerable areas, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 5, 2025
Mr. Kean introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To increase observations, understanding, and forecasting of coastal
flooding and storm surge events, to address weather observation gaps in
highly vulnerable areas, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Coasts and Cities from
Severe Weather Act''.
SEC. 2. COASTAL FLOODING AND STORM SURGE FORECAST IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and
Atmosphere (in this Act referred to as the ``Under Secretary''), in
collaboration with the United States weather industry (as such term is
defined in section 2 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation
Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501)) and academic partners, shall establish a
coastal flooding and storm surge forecast improvement program (in this
section refer to as the ``program'').
(b) Goal.--The goal of the program shall be to reduce the loss of
life or property from coastal flooding, including high tide flooding,
and storm surge events through the development and extension of
accurate, effective, actionable, and probable forecasts and warnings.
(c) Priority.--In implementing the program, the Under Secretary
shall prioritize activities that carry out the following:
(1) Improve understanding and capacity for real-time
operational prediction of the ocean's role in coastal flooding,
including high tide flooding, and storm surge events.
(2) Improve the capacity to mitigate, adapt to, or prevent
the impacts of coastal flooding, including high tide flooding,
and storm surge events, including by improving the
understanding and capacity of coastal communities to perceive,
comprehend, and respond to forecast information.
(3) Incorporating data from in situ distributed sensors
into predictive models and re-analyses.
(4) Developing probabilistic coastal flooding, including
high tide flooding, and storm surge estimates to complement
worst-case scenario estimates, including for use in long-term
planning and risk management by States, Tribal governments,
localities, and emergency managers in coordination with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, as appropriate.
(5) Establishing skill metrics for coastal inundation
forecasting that quantify the benefits of dynamical modeling,
data assimilation, and machine learning improvements in the
probabilistic forecast of coastal flooding, including high tide
flooding, and storm surge risk and impacts.
(6) Improving operational regional storm surge models and,
in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey, wave
prediction models to enhance probabilistic guidance and
messaging.
(d) Innovative Observations and Modeling.--The Under Secretary
shall ensure the program periodically examines, tests, and evaluates
the value of incorporating enhanced model physics, hybrid dynamical or
machine learning based prediction systems, and innovative observations,
such as novel sensor technologies, observation networks, crewed or
uncrewed systems, and hosted instruments on commercial aircrafts,
vessels, and satellites, with respect to the improvement of coastal
flooding, including high tide flooding, and storm surge forecasts,
predictions, and warnings.
(e) Program Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall develop a plan that
details the specific research, development, data acquisition, and
technology transfer activities, as well as corresponding resources and
timelines, necessary to achieve the goal of the program under
subsection (b).
(f) Annual Budget for Plan Submission.--After the development of
the plan pursuant to subsection (e), the Under Secretary shall, not
less frequently than annually, submit to Congress a proposed budget
corresponding with the activities identified in such plan.
SEC. 3. DATA VOIDS IN HIGHLY VULNERABLE AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES.
(a) In General.--The Under Secretary, in coordination with the
Director of the National Weather Service and the Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, in consultation with the United
States weather industry, academic partners, and in accordance with
activities implemented through existing regional atmospheric, coastal,
ocean, and Great Lakes observing systems, shall carry out activities to
ensure equitable and comprehensive weather observation coverage,
impact-based decision support services, and emergency information
sharing in the United States, including the following:
(1) Identifying regions in the United States and the
territories of the United States that are under-observed or
highly vulnerable to weather impacts that threaten human life,
health, and the economy.
(2) Identifying any challenges that contribute to the lack
of operations under paragraph (1).
(3) Increasing weather observations and developing new
weather observational capabilities, such as urban heat island
mapping campaigns, with respect to the regions identified under
paragraph (1).
(4) Establishing or supporting testbeds and deployments of
decision-support services to Federal, State, and local
emergency operations centers to develop and integrate new
weather, water, and climate observation or emergency
information sharing tools, with respect to the regions
identified under paragraph (1).
(5) To the maximum extent practicable, advancing weather
and water forecasting and climate modeling capabilities for the
regions identified under paragraph (1).
(6) Undertaking workforce development efforts for emergency
management officials and meteorologists in the regions
identified under paragraph (1).
(7) Using data-void-filling observations to better resolve
extreme rainfall in complex topography.
(8) Contributing to a national integrated heat health
information system.
(b) Interagency Partnership To Support Pilot Projects.--In carrying
out this section, the Under Secretary, acting through the Director of
the National Weather Service and the Administrator of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, shall establish an interagency partnership
to support pilot projects that accelerate coordination and use of
localized weather data in infrastructure and emergency management
decisions by Federal, State, and local officials.
(c) Priority.--At least one pilot project under subsection (b)
shall address key science challenges to using mesonet data in local
decision making and development of new tools and training for owners
and operators of critical infrastructure (as such term is defined in
section 1016(e) of Public Law 107-56 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e))), such as
dams, energy generation and distribution facilities, nuclear power
plants, and transportation networks.
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