U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 313d. NIDIS program

(a) 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.

(b) System functions

The National Integrated Drought Information System shall—

(1) provide an effective drought early warning system that—

(A) 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;

(B) communicates drought forecasts, drought conditions, and drought impacts on an ongoing basis to—

(i) decisionmakers at the Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local levels of government;

(ii) the private sector; and

(iii) the public,

in order to engender better informed and more timely decisions thereby leading to reduced impacts and costs; and

(C) includes timely (where possible real-time) data, information, and products that reflect local, regional, and State differences in drought conditions;

(2) coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal research in support of a drought early warning system; and

(3) build upon existing forecasting and assessment programs and partnerships.

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.

(d) Cooperation from other Federal agencies

Each Federal agency shall cooperate as appropriate with the Under Secretary in carrying out this section.

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