NAMIC Welcomes Introduction of Weather Data Taxpayer Protection Act

Legislation to ensure the availability of reliable, accurate weather data for the public will help better protect Americans from extreme weather and natural catastrophes, the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies said today.

Introduced July 30 by Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, and House Science Committee Chair Frank Lucas, R-Okla., the Weather Data Taxpayer Protection Act will establish a commission at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to set standards for weather modeling systems purchased by the federal government using taxpayer dollars.

“Highly sophisticated weather modeling is a vital tool for seeing where extreme weather will strike and determining not only how to respond, but also how to prepare ahead of time,” said Jimi Grande, senior vice president of federal and political affairs for NAMIC. “Many different groups, from emergency responders to insurers to community planners in rural and urban areas, rely on weather models to do their jobs as best they can, but a model is only as useful as it is accurate. Representative Miller’s legislation will help ensure the federal government is purchasing weather models with the highest rate of accuracy so they can be deployed effectively and efficiently across our nation.”

An insurance industry representative will be among those serving on the commission established under the bill, along with local government officials and other private-sector stakeholders. The commission will also be tasked with reporting to Congress on how to best integrate short- and long-term weather models.

“Bringing short-term and long-term forecasting together will help communities across America reduce their losses and risk when it comes to extreme weather,” said Grande. “In the short term, we’ll be better able to get people out of harm’s way from wildfires, flooding, and other catastrophes. And on a long-term scale, hopefully, it will prevent people from moving into high-risk areas in the first place.”