You left out a few things like:
2d1) Prohibits NWS personnel from disseminating, disclosing or commenting on
any data gathered by the NWS unless a commercial service is unable to
provide it. It also prohibits ANY Federal agency from disclosing to the
public any weather related data that may come into their possession. That
includes the Department of agriculture, FAA and the Navy weather broadcasts.
That means no more web site, no more VHF weather broadcasts, no more Perfect
Paul on SSB, no more NAVTEX, no more SSB we no more free GRIBB files. It
also puts a number of small but specialized services like CaribWX out of
business because they can't afford the T1 line.
If you want any weather information while off shore you buy a $1,000
receiver and pay $600 a year (or more) for a subscription. Your NAVTEX and
wefax receivers will be junk.
2(d2) says that even after the information has been published NWS analysts
cannot make comments or even be interviewed on news broadcasts to discuss
any weather event EVER.
That means that NOAA people can't address cruising clubs or work with boat
show seminars. They can't even defend themselves after the commercial
services get it totally wrong like they did last hear after the NWS gave
them the correct information. If the NWS had not been able to give the
correct forecast for the hurricanes last year and the only forecast
available was from the commercial services the loss of lives and property
would have been much greater.
No matter how you sugar coat it, it still stinks because it is a bull****
bill.
--
Glenn Ashmore
I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at:
http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division:
http://www.spade-anchor-us.com
"mickey" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've decided to post only because this matter is important to me,
owning a boat and relying heavily on NOAA for my weather information.
I urge everyone to read the bill. it can be located on
http://thomas.loc.gov/
using bill number S.786
Weather Underground also has it available he
http://www.wunderground.com/education/santorum_s786.asp
Also, BoatUS has an article about it:
http://www.boatus.com/gov/sb786.htm
Here are some excerpts:
-Secretary of Commerce shall not provide, or assist other entities in
providing, a product or service (other
than [emergency warnings] ) that is or could be provided by the private
sector unless ...
-Data, information, guidance, forecasts, and warnings [available from
NOAA] shall be issued ... through a set of data portals designed for
volume access by commercial providers of products or services
So, basically, Data as well as forecasts (aka analysis) will be
available from NOAA to commercial providers, but not to the public.
Currently, commercial providers are available, and used by many
including me, which take data from NOAA and other sources and provide
their own forecasts (analysis). I do not have a problem with any of
this, but I _do_ have a problem with making the NOAA information
available _only_ to commercial providers, who then may charge for them.
just my 2 cents.