Commerce Dep't tells Weather Service media contacts must be pre-approved

Larisa Alexandrovna

The Department of Commerce has issued a blanket media policy to employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), requiring that all requests for contact from national media be first approved by the Department, RAW STORY has learned.

According to a leaked Sept. 29 email memo sent out to all NOAA staff, including employees of the National Weather Service (NWS) -- both of which are under the Department of Commerce -- employees must collect information from reporters and forward it to the Department.

The memo was leaked to RAW STORY last week.

Employees must obtain the following:

-The name of the reporter and their affiliation
-Their deadline and contact phone number
-The name of the individual being requested to give the interview
-The purpose of the interview
-The expertise of the requested interviewee on this subject.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Commerce_Department_tells_Nationa_1004.html

this is fucked up!!!

:puke:

http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/reorganization_plan.pdf

It is in this pdf which I can't seem to copy from.

eom

How much has Accuweather (sp?) given BushCo and the GOP?

So any shared info requires bureaucratic red tape when time might be an issue? Did they learn nothing from FEMA/Katrina?:grr:

Whether it's actual news of what is going on, news of what our government is doing (as found in a democracy) or news of impending weather emergencies, this administration is out for TOTAL CONTROL.

When we are going to drag them out of our White House is the question.

Look for a lot of the Older-reliable forecasters to start retiring..

The Lip-gloss brigade fromt the weather channel will be migrating to noaa soon..

approval before granting interviews? And WTF doesn't Commerce have more important things to do with all the outsourcing, insider trading, and labor regulations (that MalWart is breaking)?

He has taken money from a private weather reporting company that has been pressuring him to get this legislation passed. WShat a crock of shit! It's our weather service payed for with our money you stupid jackass!@!!!!!!!1

to get info that could save our lives.

Bring a check or credit card and Accuweather will give you what you need, as soon as the check cleared.

and, by extension, Dept of Commerce. Just a minor correction, this memo did not go to all NOAA employees (I didn't get it). It must have gone to the Weather Service only.

In the past I've seen emails to employees after disasters asking us to refer the press, lawyers, and the public to our public affairs office and not to give out information over the phone (which is a reasonable request IMO), but I've never seen anything this specific.

Also, the Dept. of Commerce is not under DHS, although we often work closely with them.

in case any reporters want to get a weather report :)

House for Virginia. Frank has helped out on various transportation/road issues in the VA suburbs of DC over the years. I believe he is not a neocon.



To The Honorable Frank R. Wolf
I'm writing to make sure you are aware of this travesty of freedom of speech within he Department of Commerce as it relates to the Nat'l Weather Service and NOAA. This will completely alienate the public and instill suspicion in what eventually is allowed to come out from these important agencies.

My main fear is that this is retribution for them highlighting after the fact the warnings this Administration had long before Katrina hit. I believe you to be a good human being and have voted for you repeatedly. Please get your colleages in the House and friends in the Senate to work to get this changed immmediately. Thanks.


I then copied this posting. Will do same for my senators.

The terrorists could not possibly threaten the safety of so many Americans at one time as does this policy. I expect there will be particularly slow responses for any media who have not contracted with Accu-Weather! As another poster stated, expecting requests to be referred to NOAA's PR dept. is reasonable - but routing it through Commerce is absolutely, totally B O G U S. I have a weather channel in my car and it has been of critical assistance many, many times when I worked in an area prone to dangerous lightening/thunder storms and flash floodings. But most people are limited to their local radio/TV stations. And of course the more these outlets rely on NOAA, the less $$$$ to Accu-Weather.

But HEY! since when has the Bush administration or Rickie Santorum let people's health and welfare get in the way of making money? Direct cast to Accu-Weather, and secondary campaign contributions to the GOP.

Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows

http://bobdylan.com/songs/subterranean.html

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s109-517

109th Congress
S. 517: A bill to establish a Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, and for other purposes
Introduced: Mar 3, 2005
Sponsor: Sen. Kay Hutchison
Status: Introduced (By Sen. Kay Hutchison )
Last Action: Mar 3, 2005: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2025-2026)

109TH CONGRESS
S. 517
1ST SESSION


To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, and
for other purposes.




IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 3, 2005
Mrs. HUTCHISON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation




A BILL
To establish the Weather Modification Operations and
Research Board, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ``Weather Modification
5 Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of
6 2005''.
7 SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

8 It is the purpose of this Act to develop and implement
9 a comprehensive and coordinated national weather modi-
10 fication policy and a national cooperative Federal and
2
1 State program of weather modification research and devel-
2 opment.
3 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

4 In this Act:
5 (1) BOARD.--The term ``Board'' means the
6 Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.
7 (2) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.--The term ``Execu-
8 tive Director'' means the Executive Director of the
9 Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.
10 (3) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.--The term
11 ``research and development'' means theoretical anal-
12 ysis, exploration, experimentation, and the extension
13 of investigative findings and theories of scientific or
14 technical nature into practical application for experi-
15 mental and demonstration purposes, including the
16 experimental production and testing of models, de-
17 vices, equipment, materials, and processes.
18 (4) WEATHER MODIFICATION.--The term
19 ``weather modification'' means changing or control-
20 ling, or attempting to change or control, by artificial
21 methods the natural development of atmospheric
22 cloud forms or precipitation forms which occur in
23 the troposphere.




S 517 IS
3
1 SEC. 4. WEATHER MODIFICATION ADVISORY AND RE-

2 SEARCH BOARD ESTABLISHED.

3 (a) IN GENERAL.--There is established in the De-
4 partment of Commerce the Weather Modification Advisory
5 and Research Board.
6 (b) MEMBERSHIP.--
7 (1) IN GENERAL.--The Board shall consist of
8 11 members appointed by the Secretary of Com-
9 merce, of whom--
10 (A) at least 1 shall be a representative of
11 the American Meteorological Society;
12 (B) at least 1 shall be a representative of
13 the American Society of Civil Engineers;
14 (C) at least 1 shall be a representative of
15 the National Academy of Sciences;
16 (D) at least 1 shall be a representative of
17 the National Center for Atmospheric Research
18 of the National Science Foundation;
19 (E) at least 2 shall be representatives of
20 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
21 istration of the Department of Commerce;
22 (F) at least 1 shall be a representative of
23 institutions of higher education or research in-
24 stitutes; and




S 517 IS
4
1 (G) at least 1 shall be a representative of
2 a State that is currently supporting operational
3 weather modification projects.
4 (2) TENURE.--A member of the Board serves
5 at the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce.
6 (3) VACANCIES.--Any vacancy on the Board
7 shall be filled in the same manner as the original ap-
8 pointment.
9 (b) ADVISORY COMMITTEES.--The Board may estab-
10 lish advisory committees to advise the Board and to make
11 recommendations to the Board concerning legislation, poli-
12 cies, administration, research, and other matters.
13 (c) INITIAL MEETING.--Not later than 30 days after
14 the date on which all members of the Board have been
15 appointed, the Board shall hold its first meeting.
16 (d) MEETINGS.--The Board shall meet at the call of
17 the Chair.
18 (e) QUORUM.--A majority of the members of the
19 Board shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of
20 members may hold hearings.
21 (f) CHAIR VICE CHAIR.--The Board shall select
AND

22 a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members.
23 SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

24 (a) PROMOTION RESEARCH DEVELOP-
OF AND

25 MENT.--In order to assist in expanding the theoretical


S 517 IS
5
1 and practical knowledge of weather modification, the
2 Board shall promote and fund research and development,
3 studies, and investigations with respect to--
4 (1) improved forecast and decision-making tech-
5 nologies for weather modification operations, includ-
6 ing tailored computer workstations and software and
7 new observation systems with remote sensors; and
8 (2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy
9 of weather modification, both purposeful (including
10 cloud-seeding operations) and inadvertent (including
11 downwind effects and anthropogenic effects).
12 (b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.--Unless the use of the
13 money is restricted or subject to any limitations provided
14 by law, the Board shall use amounts in the Weather Modi-
15 fication Research and Development Fund--
16 (1) to pay its expenses in the administration of
17 this Act, and
18 (2) to provide for research and development
19 with respect to weather modifications by grants to,
20 or contracts or cooperative arrangements, with pub-
21 lic or private agencies.
22 (c) REPORT.--The Board shall submit to the Sec-
23 retary biennially a report on its findings and research re-
24 sults.




S 517 IS
6
1 SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE BOARD.

2 (a) STUDIES, INVESTIGATIONS, HEARINGS.--
AND

3 The Board may make any studies or investigations, obtain
4 any information, and hold any hearings necessary or prop-
5 er to administer or enforce this Act or any rules or orders
6 issued under this Act.
7 (b) PERSONNEL.--The Board may employ, as pro-
8 vided for in appropriations Acts, an Executive Director
9 and other support staff necessary to perform duties and
10 functions under this Act.
11 (c) COOPERATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.--The
12 Board may cooperate with public or private agencies to
13 promote the purposes of this Act.
14 (d) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.--The Board may
15 enter into cooperative agreements with the head of any
16 department or agency of the United States, an appropriate
17 official of any State or political subdivision of a State, or
18 an appropriate official of any private or public agency or
19 organization for conducting weather modification activities
20 or cloud-seeding operations.
21 (e) CONDUCT CONTRACTS RESEARCH
AND FOR AND

22 DEVELOPMENT.--The Executive Director, with the ap-
23 proval of the Board, may conduct and may contract for
24 research and development activities relating to the pur-
25 poses of this section.


S 517 IS
7
1 SEC. 7. COOPERATION WITH THE WEATHER MODIFICATION

2 OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH BOARD.

3 The heads of the departments and agencies of the
4 United States and the heads of any other public or private
5 agencies and institutions that receive research funds from
6 the United States shall, to the extent possible, give full
7 support and cooperation to the Board and to initiate inde-
8 pendent research and development programs that address
9 weather modifications.
10 SEC. 8. FUNDING.

11 (a) IN GENERAL.--There is established within the
12 Treasury of the United States the Weather Modification
13 Research and Development Fund, which shall consist of
14 amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) or re-
15 ceived by the Board under subsection (c).
16 (b) AUTHORIZATION APPROPRIATIONS.--There is
OF

17 authorized to be appropriated to the Board for the pur-
18 poses of carrying out the provisions of this Act
19 $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2014.
20 Any sums appropriated under this subsection shall remain
21 available, without fiscal year limitation, until expended.
22 (c) GIFTS.--The Board may accept, use, and dispose
23 of gifts or donations of services or property.
24 SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.

25 This Act shall take effect on October 1, 2005.

S 517 IS

and I did not receive this memo...looking at the copy in the Raw Story article, it was sent to Meteorologists-in-Charge and Warning Coordination Meteorologists, the 2 highest ranking managers of each forecast office. This particular memo was sent to Western Region offices only, they may have sent it to all regions, but that would normally be a blanket "to all MICs and WCMs". So I don't know if that has any significance.

NWS is part of NOAA which is within the Dept. of Commerce. NWS has always been in DOC, because our mission is to protect lives and PROPERTY. The Weather Service is a highly visible agency, within a newer less well-known one(NOAA), and that seems to have stirred some feelings of jealousy amongst the current NOAA leadership. I suspect this is part of an ongoing battle dating back to last winter when NOAA tried to eliminate the NWS logo on all of our products, letterheads, signs, etc. which would have cost a lot of taxpayer dollars. They quickly backed down, or so I thought until I read this...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/26/AR2005092601519.html

"The National Weather Service is one of the government's top brand names. When storms and hurricanes threaten, the public and the news media turn to the NWS.

But when Hurricane Katrina roared across Gulf Coast states, the headquarters brass sent out word to make sure only the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration logo appeared on hurricane tracking maps, which draw hundreds of thousands of Internet hits.
...
"Weather Service officials replied that they had more important matters to deal with, such as trying to help colleagues in New Orleans who had lost their homes and coping with equipment loss and communication outages in the Gulf region.

"Removing a logo from a Web site falls to the bottom of the priority list given the large professional challenges and personal tragedies of NOAA employees in the area of impact," a Weather Service employee wrote back. "I hope NOAA HQ will keep things in perspective for future requests."

The memo indicated they were only trying to control access from the national media.

Just more bureaucratic BS


from a long-time lurker, sorry for the long first post

to DU! :toast: And thanks for your informative post. I was hoping the admin couldn't legitimately do this, as I'd think NWA and NOAA would have something to say about it. I'm still hoping...

Thank you for the inside information, pleae post more often, quit lurking!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: