National Climate Program Act

(Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1489)

National Climate Program Act - Establishes a National Climate Program to enable the United States and other nations to understand and respond to natural and man-induced climate processes and their implications.

Directs the President to: (1) establish the National Climate Program; (2) promulgate preliminary and final five-year plans each of which shall establish Program goals and priorities; (3) define the roles in the Program of the various departments, agencies, and offices; and (4) provide for Program coordination.

Requires the Secretary of Commerce to establish a National Climate Program Office not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act.

Requires the Program to include: (1) procedures for assessing the effect of climate on agriculture, energy supply and demand, land and water resources, transportation, human health, and national security; (2) basic and applied research to improve understanding of climate processes; (3) methods of improving climate forecasts; (4) global data collection and climate monitoring and analysis activities to provide reliable, useful, and available information on a continuing basis; (5) systems for the management and active dissemination of climatological data and information; (6) measures for increasing international cooperation in climate research, monitoring, analysis, and data dissemination; (7) mechanisms for intergovernmental climate-related research and services, including participating by universities and the private sector; (8) experimental climate forecast centers; and (9) biennial revisions for the final five-year plan.

Authorizes the Secretary to establish and maintain advisory committees and interagency groups as appropriate and necessary to assist in carrying out the responsibilities of the Program. Sets the level of compensation for members of such committees at the daily rate for GS-16 of the General Schedule.

Makes it the duty of the Secretary to participate and cooperate with other Federal agencies, and foreign, international, and domestic organizations and agencies involved in international or domestic climate-related programs. Directs the Secretaries of Commerce and State to: (1) provide representation at climate-related international meetings and conferences; and (2) coordinate the activities of the Program with climate programs of other nations and international agencies and organizations.

Specifies that each Federal agency and department participating in the program shall prepare annual requests for appropriations which shall be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Directs the OMB to include the National Climate Program in the horizontal budget annually prepared for Congress showing totality of programs for meteorology, aspects of programs and funding, and estimated goals and financial requirements.

Authorizes the Program to make grants to education institutions for the establishment of climate study centers, and for regional studies programs.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a program for Federal and State cooperative activities in climate research and advisory services. Authorizes the Secretary to make annual grants to any State or group of States which shall make such grants available to public or private educational institutions, State agencies, and other persons or institutions qualified to conduct climate-related studies or provide climate-related services. Limits such grants to 50 percent of the costs in any one year of the research and services provided under the grant.

Specifies that such intergovernmental programs include: (1) analytical studies and data collection and monitoring on a statewide and regional basis; and (2) advisory services designed to provide research results and climatic data and information to States, local government agencies, and individuals concerned with agricultural production, water resources, energy needs, and other climate-related issues. Sets forth the requirements any State or each of the States in a group must meet before a grant is made, including the integration of its climate program with the Program.

Requires the Secretary to prepare and submit to the President and the authorizing committees of the Congress, not later than January 30 of each year, a report on the activities conducted pursuant to this Act.

Provides for contract and grant authority to Federal officers or agencies vested with functions by this Act or under the Program. Requires each person or entity receiving Federal funds made available under said contract or grant arrangement to keep such records as the Director of the General Accounting Office (GAO) shall prescribe. Allows the Director of the GAO and the Comptroller General, or any duly authorized representatives, to have access for the purpose of audit and examination of books, documents, papers, and records of such person or entity up to three years after completion of the activities of such contract or grant arrangement.

Authorizes to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce for: climate-related programs, funds not to exceed $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1979 and $65,000,000 for fiscal year 1980; and for grants, sums not to exceed $10,000,000 for each fiscal year 1979 and 1980.