Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced
Summary
Statutory establishment of a National Mesonet Program at NOAA to expand and integrate local weather and soil observation networks and improve forecasting for floods, droughts, fire, and water events. The program prioritizes non-Federal data, sets quality and cost-effectiveness standards, and requires an expert advisory committee to guide data needs and procurement.
Show full summary
- Families, farmers, and emergency managers get denser, local forecasts and soil moisture data to support flood warnings, drought planning, and agricultural decisions. This aims to improve short-term warnings and seasonal outlooks.
- State, Tribal, private, and academic entities can receive financial and technical support to build or upgrade mesonet equipment, with at least 15% of annual program funds reserved for them. Recipients must commit to providing quality data and sustaining it for at least five years.
- Transportation and surface-transport sectors gain expanded roadway and surface condition observations to better inform real-time travel safety and maintenance decisions.
*Authorizes up to $50.0 million in FY2025, rising to $70.0 million in FY2029 to carry out the program, establishing annual funding ceilings for those years.*
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More funding for local weather networks
If enacted, this bill would create a National Mesonet Program at NOAA to collect more local weather, soil, and road-condition data. It would make available up to $50 million in FY2025, $55 million in FY2026, $61 million in FY2027, $68 million in FY2028, and $70 million in FY2029. At least 15% of each year’s program money would have to be given as grants to States, Tribes, private groups, and colleges to build or upgrade local stations. Grant recipients would need to share verifiable data, add non-Federal funding, and keep systems and data quality for at least five years. The Under Secretary could give technical help and would prioritize remote or underserved areas. The program would expand soil moisture and roadway sensors, use satellite and non‑Federal data, aim to improve subseasonal forecasts and 30-minute severe weather warnings, and require yearly briefings to Congress through 2035.
Free Policy Watch
You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.
Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.
Pick a topic to get started
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in