[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR946.6]

[Page 279]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
CHAPTER IX--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                               OF COMMERCE
 
PART 946_MODERNIZATION OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 946.6  Change in operations--transferring responsibility and moving field 
offices.

    (a) After providing any notification required by Sec. 946.3(b), NWS 
may change operations at a field office to implement the Strategic Plan, 
including:
    (1) Transferring official responsibility for taking radar 
observations to a NEXRAD Weather Service Forecast Office (NWSFO) or a 
NEXRAD Weather Service Office (NWSO) that is being established as a 
future Weather Forecast Office following commissioning of the NEXRAD at 
the new office;
    (2) Transferring official responsibility for taking observations 
from a Category 1 radar to a backup radar or radars prior to 
constructing and/or operating a replacement NEXRAD. Before transferring 
responsibility, the Responsible Meteorologist shall document that 
technical coordination with users has been completed and that the 
transition to the replacement NEXRAD can be completed expeditiously;
    (3) Transferring its service responsibility for issuing watches, 
warnings, forecasts and other products to a NWSFO or NWSO;
    (4) Significantly reducing its staffing level by transferring or 
reassigning personnel to support the service responsibilities 
transferred under paragraph (a)(3) of this section provided that the 
field office continues to assign the appropriate number of positions 
established by the NWS Operations Manual to carry out its observation 
responsibilities; and
    (5) Moving an entire field office to a location within the local 
commuting and service area of that office.
    (b) A field office may not significantly reduce its staffing level 
assigned to support any observation responsibility, including those 
responsibilities transferred under paragraph (a)(2) of this section and 
those retained under paragraph (a)(4) of this section, until the 
Secretary has certified that the automation and/or consolidation will 
not degrade service in accordance with Sec. 946.7.