The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Proposal and GAO’s Report on the Aviation Weather Service
Opening Statement By Chairman Nick Lampson
Good Afternoon. I want to welcome everyone to today’s Subcommittee hearing on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) FY 2009 Budget Request and GAO’s Report on Aviation Weather Services.
NOAA is an important agency that provides our citizens with warnings of severe weather; guides the management of our ocean and coastal resources; and conducts research to improve our understanding of the environment. NOAA is a diverse agency with many important missions and responsibilities. However, issuing watches and warnings of severe storms may be the role for which NOAA is the most famous.
I know in Texas we appreciate their services because we experience severe storms every year in the form of tornadoes and hurricanes. The watches, warnings and forecasts issued by the National Hurricane Center and the local forecasting offices of the National Weather Service contain vital public safety information. The partnership between the National Weather Service, the media and the local emergency management community is essential to protect lives and property damage associated with these storms.
Accurate prediction of hurricanes and other severe storms and sound management of our ocean and coastal resources can only be achieved through sound investments in the personnel, equipment, and research at NOAA.
There are some encouraging features of the FY 2009 budget request for NOAA. For the first time in years, the President has requested an increase for this agency over the current year’s funding level. This is certainly a step in the right direction.
We are pleased to see additional funds requested to restore some climate sensors and to upgrade a variety of models, technology and software systems. However, I believe the Administration’s budget proposal still lacks the level of funding needed for this agency to truly fulfill all of its diverse missions.
If NOAA is to continue to provide the array of services we need, if it is to advance its capabilities to forecast the weather and our understanding of the oceans and the atmosphere, if we are to restore our fisheries and coastal ecosystems to a productive and healthy state, we must invest additional funds in this agency.
The Committee will continue to follow closely the procurements for the new polar and geostationary weather satellite systems. It is essential that we have these new systems completed and delivered in time to avoid any gaps in coverage of weather data.
With respect to the new geostationary satellite program – GOES-R -- I believe the Agency has acted upon the recommendations of the GAO and the experience of the NPOESS program in a manner that is moving this procurement in the right direction.
I remain concerned about the status of the NPOESS program. A key instrument – VIIRS (VEERS) – is still not completed and the schedule for launching the preparatory mission is once again delayed.
Costs for new satellite systems have grown well beyond any recognized figure for inflation. We are going to have to address this for the long term. We have become more dependent upon satellite information for forecasting, observing and understanding climate and weather phenomena.
The needs are growing, but the budgets are not expanding to provide the additional funds necessary to accommodate these needs.
For example, we still do not have plans or budgets in place to accommodate the need for a follow-on operational instrument to replace NASA’s QUIKscat satellite or for the full suite of climate instruments that were eliminated from the NPOESS program.
During the second part of today’s hearing, GAO will report its findings on the current effort by FAA and NWS to restructure aviation weather forecasting services.
One year ago, five other Members of the Committee joined me in a request to GAO to review this effort.
As we all know and have personally experienced when traveling by plane, flight delays and cancellations due to inclement weather are an all-too-common occurrence. But there is more than convenience at stake here. There is also a question of safety.
Severe storms or rapidly changing conditions can create serious risks for aircraft. It was a tragic, fatal crash in 1977 that led to the formation of the Center Weather Forecast Units we still have today.
FAA and NWS should be working together cooperatively to ensure the smooth, safe flow of air traffic in our nation. We want to ensure that as these agencies evaluate the aviation weather forecasting program, they keep these essential goals in mind.
Any restructuring of aviation weather forecasting services must be done in a manner that will ensure at a minimum there is no degradation in these services going forward. There are no cost savings or efficiencies to be found by reducing the safety of air travel for the public.
I look forward to hearing all of the testimony this afternoon, as we discuss the Administration’s budget proposal and the Aviation Weather Services provided by NOAA and FAA.
Witnesses
Panel 1
1 - Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher
Administrator National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Download the Witness Testimony
Panel 2
1 - Mr. David Powner
Director, Information Technology Management Issues Government Accountability Office Government Accountability Office
Download the Witness Testimony
2 - Dr. John L. "Jack" Hayes
Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and Director of the National Weather Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Oceanic and A
Download the Witness Testimony
3 - Mr. Eugene Juba
Senior Vice President for Finance Air Traffic Organization Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Organization Federal Aviation Administration
Download the Witness Testimony