HR 4141
Advanced Weather Model Computing Development Act
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Bill overview
This bill, the Advanced Weather Model Computing Development Act, directs the Department of Energy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to invest in research and development to improve weather and climate prediction in the United States. Specifically, it encourages the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, establishes centers of excellence for advanced computing, and mandates the creation of a 10-year strategic plan outlining the agency’s computing and data management needs. The bill also requires a report evaluating the value of high-resolution weather forecasts and identifying necessary advancements in computing technologies like cloud and quantum computing.
Key provisions
- Directs DOE and NOAA to collaborate on advanced weather model computing research.
- Encourages the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in weather forecasting.
- Establishes centers of excellence for advanced computing and workforce development.
- Requires the development of a 10-year strategic plan for NOAA’s computing and data management needs.
- Mandates a report evaluating the value of high-resolution probabilistic forecasts.
- Focuses on advancements in cloud, quantum, and high-performance computing.
- Requires public involvement in the development of the strategic plan.
- Calls for annual briefings to Congress on the progress of the strategic plan.
Who is affected
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Department of Energy (DOE)
- Researchers and scientists involved in weather forecasting
- Federal agencies involved in disaster preparedness
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 4141
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To direct the Department of Energy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct collaborative research in order to advance numerical weather and climate prediction in the United States, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Advanced Weather Model Computing Development Act
.
Section 108 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8518) is amended by striking subsection (a)(3)(C) and all that follows through subsection (b)(7) and inserting the following:
The Under Secretary shall leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to facilitate, optimize, and further leverage advanced computing to accomplish critical missions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Under Secretary may expand, and where applicable establish, centers of excellence to aid the adoption of next-generation artificial intelligence and machine learning enabled advanced computing capabilities. Each such center may carry out activities that include the following:
Leveraging robust public-private partnership models to provide access to training, experience, and long-term development of workforce and infrastructure.
Developing and optimizing tools, libraries, algorithms, data structures, and other supporting software necessary for specific applications on high performance computing systems.
Applying modern artificial intelligence, deep machine-learning, and advanced data analysis technologies to address current and future mission challenges.
To the maximum extent practicable, exploring quantum computing and related application partnerships with public, private, and academic entities to improve the accuracy and resolution of weather predictions.
The Under Secretary may enter into multi-year contracts in accordance with section 3903 of title 41, United States Code, and shall ensure compliance with all contract clauses provided in such section to support operations, research, and development related to high performance and cloud computing infrastructure or systems with an unfunded contingent liability in the event of cancellation.
A best estimate of the overall value of high-resolution probabilistic forecast guidance for hazardous weather or water events using a next-generation weather forecast and warning framework.
The needs for cloud computing, quantum computing, or high-performance computing, visualization, and dissemination collaboration between the Department of Energy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
A timeline and guidance for implementation of the following:
High-resolution numerical weather prediction models.
Methods for meeting the cloud computing, quantum computing, or high-performance computing, visualization, and dissemination needs identified under subparagraph (b).
In this subsection, the term hazardous weather or water events
means weather or water events that have a high risk of loss of life or property, including the following:
Severe storms, such as hurricanes and short-fused, small-scale hazardous weather or hydrologic events produced by thunderstorms, including large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes, and flash floods.
Winter storms, such as freezing or frozen precipitation (including freezing rain, sleet, and snow), or combined effects of freezing or frozen precipitation and strong winds.
Other weather hazards, such as extreme heat or cold, wildfire, drought, dense fog, high winds, and river, coastal, or lakeshore flooding.
The Under Secretary shall make publicly available not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and update every five years thereafter until 2035, a 10-year strategic plan that outlines the high-performance computing and data management requirements and needs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and actions and strategies to address such requirements and needs.
At a minimum, the strategic plan required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:
A 10-year prospective outlook of computing resources and upgrades needed to meet the mission needs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for fisheries management, oceanographic forecasting, and ecological forecasting missions.
A discussion of the following:
Computing and processing resources of the Administration and a 10-year projected need for such resources, disaggregated by line office of the Administration.
Facilities, commercial contracts, and partnerships (with other Federal agencies or other institutions or entities) of the Administration that are providing computing and data management support or capacity as of such date.
The use by the Administration of cloud computing and other emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Additional technologies that have the potential to increase effectiveness and efficiency for data storage and processing power, including challenges to access and use of such technologies.
The distribution of computing resources among the operations and research functions of the Administration.
Products and services of the Administration that have not become available to the public because of a lack of computing resources.
Current and future workforce development needs, such as information technology and software engineering, of the Administration.
The high-performance computing requirements of the Administration, with a special focus on requirements that are common across line offices of the Administration.
Timelines, and performance measures for assessing progress toward attaining goals for the following:
Computing infrastructure and architecture of the Administration (including facilities, hardware, and software).
Use by the Administration of technologies that will increase effectiveness and efficiency for data storage and processing power, including challenges to access and use of such technologies.
A 10-year life cycle analysis of the management of facilities, hardware, and engineering involved in the strategic plan that includes the following:
Program formulation for project conception, implementation, and closure.
Technical infrastructure, products, processes, data, and personnel resources required to achieve defined cost, schedule, and performance objectives.
If appropriate, a description of actions taken to implement the previous plan.
In developing the strategic plan required by paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall invite comments and other feedback from the public to inform the strategic plan.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter until 2030, the Under Secretary shall brief Congress on the progress made toward the objectives of the strategic plan required by paragraph (1).
Each briefing required by subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
An evaluation of the progress made in implementing the strategic plan.
Such updates to the strategic plan as the Under Secretary considers appropriate.