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Washington, DC -- U.S. Rep. Ron Klein (FL-22) Wednesday testified to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which held a hearing on Weather and Environmental Satellites. During the hearing, Klein testified on the need to provide the most advanced tools that will allow meteorologists to accurately forecast and detect hurricanes, which includes funding to launch a new QuikSCAT satellite.
The following is Klein’s testimony:
Opening Statement by Congressman Ron Klein (FL-22) Before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation United States Senate
July 11, 2007
I would like to thank Senator Nelson, Chairman Inouye, and Vice Chairman Stevens for holding this hearing today on an issue that is timely, unfortunately so, to be frank. It’s timely because our nation’s weather satellites are critical tools that forecasters use during hurricane season to help locate and track hurricanes and other deadly storms, and the timing is unfortunate because one such satellite, the Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT), has been at the center of a controversy involving the National Hurricane Center and its former Director, Bill Proenza. Mr. Proenza who was dismissed from his duties at the National Hurricane Center just two days ago.
NASA originally designed QuikSCAT to provide detailed snapshots of the winds swirling above the world's oceans. Launched in 1999, it was expected to last three to five years. Now in its eighth year of service, the satellite’s demise is not a matter of if, but when. Compounding the problem is that there are no plans to launch a replacement satellite, and launching this satellite would take a minimum of five years.
In March, Mr. Proenza alerted Members of Congress and the public about the need to replace QuikSCAT in an Associated Press article, claiming that both two-day and three-day forecasts would be affected. According to a study cited by Mr. Proenza, the two-day forecasts would be up to 10 percent less accurate, and three-day forecasts would be up to 16 percent less accurate. If valid, such seemingly small fluctuations in accuracy have great impact on hurricane forecasts.
I recently visited the National Hurricane Center, where several forecasters independently verified to me the value of QuikSCAT’s data when it comes to detecting a hurricane. They showed me how the cone used to predict the path of a storm is altered when QuikSCAT’s data is incorporated, making the cone more narrow and making the timing more precise.
The loss of this data -- whether minute or significant - could cause dire consequences to residents living in South Florida, and the over 50% of Americans who live within 50 miles of a coastline. Longer stretches of coastline and more coastal residents under evacuation warnings place considerable strain on the limited resources of coastal communities. After the devastating hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, I would think our goal should be to alleviate their burden, not increase it.
This is not to say that QuikSCAT is the only tool used by the National Hurricane Center to locate and track hurricanes, or that the Center will be unable to perform their job. It has always been my understanding that QuikSCAT is one vital tool among many used at the National Hurricane Center to keep Americans safe. There are other weather satellites, such as one that measures water temperature, which is important when gauging storm intensity, along with weather buoys and hurricane hunter aircraft.
This last resource has interested me as well. In May, I met with Col.
Michael Logrande and Lt. Col. Lou Ortiz of the Air Force Reserve to discuss the mission and capability of the Hurricane Hunter aircraft. They informed me that the Air Force Reserve is installing a new system to their aircraft called a Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR). This system will accurately measure sea surface wind speed and rainfall rates, thereby providing a more precise forecast of the severity and direction of a storm.
This report was encouraging and the bravery of the Reserve pilots flying into the heart of deadly storms impressive. But the fact remains that SFMR cannot measure wind direction like QUIKSCAT, and only two of the ten Hurricane Hunter aircraft operated by the Air Force Reserve are equipped with the new equipment.
After carefully examining QuikSCAT”s background and the Hurricane Center’s other resources, I became concerned that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), which oversees the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, lacked a coherent and decisive alternative plan when QuikSCAT inevitably fails. On May 17, I sent a letter to Vice Admiral (Ret.) Conrad Lautenbacher, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, asking him to provide me with both long and short-term alternative to address the inevitable loss of QuikSCAT.
To me, this is a very simple issue. Hurricane forecasters should have all the tools to help them keep Americans safe. Any steps backward is simply not acceptable. If QuikSCAT provides important data for our weather forecasters, then Congress and NOAA should ensure that they not lose their ability to collect the data.
I also feel the need to dispel a concern voiced by some reports that a replacement satellite for QuikSCAT would come at the expense of hurricane hunter aircraft. Although I cannot speak for my fellow Members of Congress, I can say that I would oppose any efforts to cut funding for the aircraft.
Having toured the aircraft in May and having met with NOAA and Air Force Reserve officials in the past, I learned firsthand their critical role in tracking storms nearing landfall. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, or in this case robbing hurricane hunter aircraft to pay for a new or improved QuikSCAT satellite, is unacceptable and should not be an option.
What should be the focus is finding more ways to keep the public safe.
Although many of us have differing opinions on the role of the federal government, I think we all can agree that the public’s safety in the face of natural disasters like hurricanes is a fundamental duty. Unfortunately, I think it’s also safe to say that the public’s confidence has been shaken since Hurricane Katrina.
It should be our goal to win back the public’s trust by doing more, not less, in the way of storm tracking and prediction. That means providing the experts at the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service will all the tools and resources available and not sacrificing one for another. We have made great strides in hurricane research over the past twenty years, and it is important that we not take any steps backward. This hearing taking place today is an important first step in evaluating the status and usefulness of our nation’s weather and environmental satellites.
I applaud Senator Nelson, Chairman Inouye and Vice Chair Stevens and this committee for their leadership, and I look forward to working with them to ensure that Americans have the best and most up-to-date information to keep them safe. Thank you.
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