To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to conduct a project to improve forecasts of coastal marine fog.
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 directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve forecasts of coastal marine fog. The goal is to enhance vessel safety and reduce the economic disruption caused by fog events in coastal areas by expanding monitoring capabilities, advancing prediction models, and improving how fog advisories are communicated to the public.
Who Benefits and How
Maritime industry operators (commercial shipping companies, ferry services, fishing vessels) benefit from more accurate fog forecasts that allow better route planning and reduced delays. Port authorities and coastal businesses gain from fewer fog-related shipping disruptions and associated economic losses. The general public and recreational boaters benefit from improved safety warnings that help prevent accidents in low-visibility conditions.
Who Bears the Burden and How
NOAA bears the primary burden as it must develop and execute the fog forecasting improvement project, including acquiring new observational equipment, advancing modeling capabilities, and improving advisory communication systems. The agency must also meet with stakeholders and develop a detailed implementation plan within one year of enactment. The bill does not specify funding levels, so implementation depends on appropriated resources.
Key Provisions
- Requires expanded marine observation systems including buoys, meteorological stations, vessels, unmanned systems, and satellite remote sensing
- Mandates improvements to fog modeling geographic coverage, resolution, and accuracy
- Directs NOAA to improve communication of marine fog advisories to maximize informed decision-making
- Requires stakeholder engagement with public and private entities during project planning and implementation
- Sets a one-year deadline for NOAA to develop a detailed project plan with activities, resources, and timelines
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
This bill requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to conduct a project aimed at improving forecasts of coastal marine fog to enhance vessel safety and reduce economic impacts.
Key Policy Areas
Environment, Transportation
Primary Purpose
This bill requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to conduct a project aimed at improving forecasts of coastal marine fog to enhance vessel safety and reduce economic impacts.
Policy Domains
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Cruz introduced the following bill; which was read twice …
Impact analysis is available but no clear stakeholder effects identified. View clause-level analysis →
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_under_secretary"
- → Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
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