S3888-118

Introduced

To mandate the use of artificial intelligence by Federal agencies to adapt to extreme weather, and for other purposes.

118th Congress Introduced Mar 6, 2024

Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.

Summary

What This Bill Does

This bill requires federal agencies to develop artificial intelligence systems for predicting extreme weather, detecting wildfires early, monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing electrical grids, and speeding up environmental review processes. It mandates NOAA, the Department of Energy, and USDA to create AI-powered programs with public datasets and open-source code.

Who Benefits and How

Technology companies and AI developers benefit from access to free government datasets and open-source code for weather forecasting applications. Energy utilities and grid operators gain AI tools to optimize transmission and reduce outages. Emergency managers and firefighters receive better wildfire detection and weather forecasting support. Academic researchers gain access to Earth system reanalysis datasets and training data.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Federal agencies (NOAA, DOE, USDA) must allocate resources to develop new AI programs within 1-2 year deadlines. Taxpayers fund these new programs through appropriations. Foreign governments face potential pressure to share atmospheric and forestry data with US agencies.

Key Provisions

  • NOAA must develop an Earth system reanalysis dataset and AI weather models within 2 years
  • NOAA must create AI programs for wildfire combustion modeling and emissions monitoring within 1 year
  • DOE must establish an AI program for grid and transmission optimization
  • DOE must create AI tools to assist with NEPA environmental review documents
  • USDA must develop AI to detect illegal wood products and deforestation

Evidence Chain:

This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.

At a Glance

What This Bill Does

Mandates federal agencies to develop and deploy artificial intelligence technologies for weather forecasting, wildfire detection, emissions monitoring, grid optimization, and environmental review document preparation to improve resilience against extreme weather

Key Policy Areas

Weather and Climate, Energy, Technology, Environment, Agriculture, National Security

Primary Purpose

Mandates federal agencies to develop and deploy artificial intelligence technologies for weather forecasting, wildfire detection, emissions monitoring, grid optimization, and environmental review document preparation to improve resilience against extreme weather

Policy Domains

Weather and Climate Energy Technology Environment Agriculture National Security

Title I - Weather Forecasting

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • AI/Technology companies
  • Weather forecasting services
  • Emergency management agencies
  • Energy utilities
  • Academic researchers
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • NOAA
  • Federal budget/taxpayers
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Title II - Deforestation and Illegal Wood Products

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Domestic timber industry
  • Conservation groups
  • Law enforcement agencies
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • USDA/APHIS
  • Illegal timber operators
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Title IV - Authorization of Appropriations

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Federal agencies implementing the Act
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Federal budget/taxpayers
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Title III - Energy

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Energy utilities
  • Grid operators
  • Renewable energy developers
  • Project developers seeking permits
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Department of Energy
  • Federal budget/taxpayers
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Legislative Progress

Introduced
Introduced Committee Passed
Mar 6, 2024

Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mr. Luján, Ms. Butler, and Mr. …

Stakeholder Effects

cui bono?

How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.

Government
12 mentions across 11 clauses
+4 positive -8 negative

Defense and intelligence agencies, Department of Energy, Environmental enforcement agencies

Positive-direction: Defense and intelligence agencies, Environmental enforcement agencies, Federal agencies implementing AI programs, Federal agencies implementing AI weather and energy programs (NOAA, DOE, USDA)

Negative-direction: Department of Energy, Federal agencies (NOAA, DOE, USDA), NOAA, NOAA weather forecast offices, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Technology
7 mentions across 6 clauses
+7 positive

AI and weather technology companies, AI and weather technology startups, AI energy management software companies

Utilities
4 mentions across 3 clauses
+4 positive

Electric utilities and grid operators, Energy project developers seeking permits, Renewable energy generators

Education
2 mentions across 2 clauses
+2 positive

Academic research institutions, Academic weather researchers

General Public
2 mentions across 2 clauses
+1 positive -1 negative

Communities in wildfire-prone areas, Taxpayers

Positive-direction: Communities in wildfire-prone areas

Negative-direction: Taxpayers

Fishing & Forestry
2 mentions across 1 clause
+1 positive -1 negative

Domestic legal timber industry, Illegal timber traffickers

Positive-direction: Domestic legal timber industry

Negative-direction: Illegal timber traffickers

Weather Forecasting Services
1 mention across 1 clause
+1 positive

Private weather forecasting services

State & Local Government
1 mention across 1 clause
+1 positive

Emergency management agencies

14/17
sections analyzed
Full impact breakdown

Bill Structure & Actor Mappings

Who is "The Secretary" in each section?

Domains
Technology
Domains
Weather and Climate Technology National Security
Actor Mappings
"the_administrator"
→ Administrator of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Domains
Agriculture Environment Law Enforcement
Actor Mappings
"the_secretary"
→ Secretary of Agriculture
Domains
Energy Environment Technology
Actor Mappings
"the_secretary"
→ Secretary of Energy
Domains
Appropriations

Note: The Secretary refers to Secretary of Agriculture in Title II but Secretary of Energy in Title III

Key Definitions

Terms defined in this bill

6 terms
"artificial intelligence" §2

A machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments, including machine learning, neural networks, and natural language processing

"curate" §2_curate

To collect and maintain a dataset to ensure its quality, provide metadata on its provenance, and update the dataset periodically

"open license" §2_open_license

Has the meaning given that term in section 3502(21) of title 44, United States Code

"training dataset" §2_training_dataset

A dataset used to train an artificial intelligence

"artificial intelligence weather model" §101_ai_weather_model

A weather model based primarily on artificial intelligence technology to project future Earth system conditions based on machine learning from an Earth system reanalysis dataset

"Earth system reanalysis dataset" §101_earth_system_reanalysis

A dataset that contains continuous global observational data and synthetic data for Earth system variables relevant to weather forecasting

We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.

Learn more about our methodology