
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 15USC1537]

 
                      TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE
 
                   CHAPTER 40--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
Sec. 1537. Needs assessment for data management, archival, and 
        distribution
        
    (1) Not later than 12 months after October 29, 1992, and at least 
biennially thereafter, the Secretary of Commerce shall complete an 
assessment of the adequacy of the environmental data and information 
systems of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 
conducting such an assessment, the Secretary shall take into 
consideration the need to--
        (A) provide adequate capacity to manage, archive, and 
    disseminate environmental data and information collected and 
    processed, or expected to be collected and processed, by the 
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other 
    appropriate departments and agencies;
        (B) establish, develop, and maintain information bases, 
    including necessary management systems, which will promote 
    consistent, efficient, and compatible transfer and use of data;
        (C) develop effective interfaces among the environmental data 
    and information systems of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
    Administration and other appropriate departments and agencies;
        (D) develop and use nationally accepted formats and standards 
    for data collected by various national and international sources; 
    and
        (E) integrate and interpret data from different sources to 
    produce information that can be used by decisionmakers in developing 
    policies that effectively respond to national and global 
    environmental concerns.

    (2) Not later than 12 months after October 29, 1992, and biennially 
thereafter, the Secretary of Commerce shall develop and submit to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives a comprehensive plan, based on the assessment under 
paragraph (1), to modernize and improve the environmental data and 
information systems of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration. The report shall--
        (A) set forth modernization and improvement objectives for the 
    10-year period beginning with the year in which the plan is 
    submitted, including facility requirements and critical new 
    technological components that would be necessary to meet the 
    objectives set forth;
        (B) propose specific agency programs and activities for 
    implementing the plan;
        (C) identify the data and information management, archival, and 
    distribution responsibilities of the National Oceanic and 
    Atmospheric Administration with respect to other Federal departments 
    and agencies and international organizations, including the role of 
    the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with respect to 
    large data systems like the Earth Observing System Data and 
    Information System; and
        (D) provide an implementation schedule and estimate funding 
    levels necessary to achieve modernization and improvement 
    objectives.

(Pub. L. 102-567, title I, Sec. 106(c), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4274.)

                         Change of Name

    Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of House of 
Representatives treated as referring to Committee on Science of House of 
Representatives by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104-14, set out as a note 
preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress.
