Statements On Introduced Bills And Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - May 24, 2007)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

By Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. KERRY, Mr. NELSON of Florida, and Mr. MARTINEZ):

S. 1509. A bill to improve United States hurricane forecasting, monitoring, and warning capabilities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak about a very important, and timely issue, for constituents all along the Gulf Coast, as well as coastal residents along the Atlantic seaboard, the need for accurate hurricane forecasting and tracking. This issue is particularly timely with the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane season beginning next week. According to the National Hurricane Center, 2007 is estimated to have between 13 to 17 named storms, 7 to 10 hurricanes, and 3 to 5 major hurricanes. When I hear ``three to five major hurricanes'' I have to admit it makes me and my constituents a little nervous because, in 2005, as the world is well aware, we had another active hurricane season with three major storms, Katrina, Rita and Wilma impacting the Gulf Coast States. Two of these powerful storms, Katrina and Rita, slammed into my State of Louisiana. We lost hundreds of lives and thousands of businesses as a result. To this day, the region is still slowly recovering, but by all accounts, the loss of life and property could have been much worse had we not had top notch forecasting and tracking of these storms. Accurate monitoring of these storms, from their development in the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean, until they slammed into the Gulf Coast, literally saved lives as thousands of residents were able to evacuate from the impacted areas. This accurate forecast, showing residents if they are in the possible ``danger zone,'' is provided by the experts in the National Hurricane Center but they cannot do their job without the necessary data. Such data is provided via buoys in the water, Hurricane Hunter Aircraft, radar stations on the ground, as well as satellites.

With recent advances in technology, I believe sometimes we take for granted these satellites, which are so far removed from our daily existence as to be ``out of sight, out of mind.'' However, they are a major part of our daily lives as satellites now provide us with our radio stations, give us driving directions, bring us our favorite television shows. These same satellites also give us views of distant galaxies/stars and allow us to see weather patterns days before they come through our towns. It is this use of weather tracking satellites of which I would like to highlight with the upcoming hurricane season. As Hurricane Katrina showed us, Federal and State response plans are not worth the paper they are printed on if you do not know where or when the disaster might strike. No amount of satellite phones or stockpiles of supplies are helpful if they are on the other side of the country when a disaster hits. Pre-positioning personnel and supplies ahead of a disaster, as well as efficient evacuations of residents from a possible disaster area depends just as much on accurate weather forecasting as it does on efficient planning. That is why these weather satellites are so key, they allow experts to say with some certainty that one area will be out of harm's way while another area is in potential danger.

One of these weather satellites is the Quick Scatterometer, or QuikSCAT satellite. QuikSCAT is an ocean-observing satellite launched in June 1999 to replace the capability of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Scatterometer, NSCAT, satellite. The NSCAT lost power in 1997, 9 months after launch in September 1996. QuikSCAT has the objective of improving weather forecasts near coastlines by using wind data in numerical weather-and-wave prediction. It also was launched with the purpose of improving hurricane warning/monitoring as well as serving as the next ``El Niño watcher'' for NASA. This particular satellite was instrumental in accurate tracking of Tropical Storm, later Hurricane Katrina, as it provided NOAA experts with accurate data on the wind speed and direction for Katrina. It gives experts an estimate of the size of the tropical storm winds and the hurricane winds.

Given how important this satellite is for hurricane forecasting, many in Congress including myself are concerned as this essential satellite is currently 5 years over its intended 3 year lifespan and could fail at any moment. I am aware that there are ongoing discussions in terms of getting a replacement satellite for QuikSCAT but it is just that, discussions. As it stands today, there are currently no contingency plans in place should this satellite fail and no program in place to fast track a next-generation QuikSCAT. What would the impact be you ask if this satellite fails? Well, according to Bill Proenza, Director of the National Hurricane Center, without QuikSCAT, hurricane forecasting would be 16 percent less accurate 72 hours before hurricane landfall and 10 percent less accurate 48 hours before hurricane landfall. This loss of accuracy means a great deal for those impacted by future storms as experts would have to expand the area possibly impacted to fully ensure those impacted were properly warned. For example, a 16 percent loss of accuracy at 72 hours before landfall would increase the area expected to be under hurricane danger from 197 miles to 228 miles on average. With a 10 percent loss of accuracy at 48 hours before landfall, the area expected to be under hurricane danger would rise from 136 miles to 150 miles on average. Greater inaccuracy of this type would lead to more ``false alarm'' evacuations along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast and, as a result, decrease the possibility of impacted populations sufficiently heeding mandatory evacuations. As someone who has spent my whole life in Louisiana and who has been through many hurricanes, I can tell you that if someone evacuates and then the storm turns or does not impact their area, they are less likely to evacuate for the next storm. It is human nature and although Katrina has left many in my part of the country more attentive to evacuation orders, as time passes certainly people will not heed orders if inaccurate hurricane forecasts cause them to pack their belongings and rush away from their homes, only to have the storm hit another State. So it is essential to provide the National Hurricane Center and NOAA with the tools they need to get the forecast right and better prepare coastal residents for future hurricanes and storms.

With this in mind, I am introducing today the Improved Hurricane Tracking and Forecasting Act of 2007. I am proud to be joined on this legislation by Senators Kerry, Bill Nelson, and MARTINEZ. My colleagues from Florida spend much time working on hurricane preparedness and I am honored to have their support on this bill, as well as the support from my friend from Massachusetts. This broad array of support from senators from both the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast shows how essential this particular satellite program is for our coastal residents. Furthermore, my colleague from Louisiana, Representative CHARLIE MELANCON, introduced the House version of this bill along with Representative RON KLEIN from Florida.

This is very straightforward bill as it authorizes $375 million for a new satellite. QuikSCAT is 5 years past its projected lifespan and a new replacement is needed so this bill fills the need. The funds would go to NOAA for the design and launch of an improved QuikSCAT satellite. This new satellite would take advantage of recent advances in technology and maintain continuity of operations for the current QuikSCAT weather forecasting and warning capabilities. To ensure that we are not left in another position like this, with an ailing satellite in space and no contingency plans for a replacement, this bill also institutes some reporting requirements for the new QuikSCAT satellite. When this satellite is launched, NOAA would be required to update Congress on the operational status of the satellite and its data capabilities. I believe this is a commonsense requirement which would put the Congress in a position in the future to fast track authorization or funding should it be necessary, rather than having to play catch up.

I strongly believe this bill is necessary to protect our coastal residents from future hurricanes. This is because, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, close to 53 percent of the U.S. population resides within the first 50 miles of the coast. You also have to take into account that although hurricanes usually hit the Gulf Coast or southern Atlantic Coast, hurricanes have and possibly will strike the more populous northeast Atlantic Coast. Hurricane Katrina devastated Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi but consider the same magnitude of storm striking heavily populated New York, Massachusetts, or Pennsylvania it would not only devastate the region but leave the Nation's financial and commerce centers in ruins. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation since it will help improve hurricane forecasting and will maintain continuity of operations for current hurricane forecasting and warning capabilities.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and articles relating to QuikSCAT be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the RECORD

BREAK IN TRANSRIPT

Source