[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 15, Volume 3]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 15CFR946.5]



[Page 277-278]

 

                  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. 946.5  Change in operations--commissioning and decommissioning.



    (a) Before commissioning any new NEXRAD or ASOS weather observation 

system, the NWS shall prepare a Commissioning Report documenting that 

the system involved will perform to the Government's specifications; the 

system has been tested on site and performs reliably; satisfactory 

maintenance support is in place; sufficient staff with adequate training 

are available to operate the system; technical coordination with weather 

service users has been completed; and the system satisfactorily supports 

field office operations.

    (b) The Report required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be 

based on the scientific and technical criteria set forth in the NWS' 

NEXRAD and ASOS Commissioning Plans, as appropriate, which criteria 

shall be published in the Federal Register as the final commissioning 

criteria in accordance with sec. 704(b)(1) of the Act. In the case of an 

ASOS commissioning, the Report shall also document that the NWS has 

consulted with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and has 

determined that the weather services provided after commissioning will 

continue to be in full compliance with the applicable FAA flight 

aviation rules.

    (c) Before decommissioning any NWS radar, the NWS shall prepare a 

Decommissioning Report documenting that all replacement radars needed to 

provide equal coverage have been commissioned; confirmation of services 

with users has been completed; and that the radar being decommissioned 

is no



[[Page 278]]



longer needed to support field office operations. The Decommissioning 

Report shall be based on the scientific and technical criteria contained 

in the NWS' Radar Decommissioning Plan, which criteria shall be 

published in the Federal Register as the final decommissioning criteria 

in accordance with the requirements of sec. 704(b)(1) of the Act.

    (d) If the final commissioning criteria significantly modify the 

criteria upon which the previous commissioning of a NEXRAD and/or ASOS 

were based, the NWS shall confirm that the relevant system conforms with 

the final criteria adopted. The NWS shall not decommission any NWS radar 

until the final criteria have been adopted.