Sec. 318. Joint study on the impact of wind farms on weather radars and military operations
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The Secretary of Defense shall enter into an arrangement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct a study on the impact wind farms have on weather radars and subsequently Department of Defense operations and readiness. The study required pursuant to subsection
(a)shall include the following: The potential impacts of wind farms on NEXRAD radars and other Federal radars used by the Department of Defense, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Weather Service for weather forecasts and warnings. The subsequent impacts of wind farms on Department of Defense aviation readiness, including— Department of Defense air traffic control radars; minimum vectoring altitudes, in particular around military flight training bases; air-to-ground drop zones; air-to-ground bombing and test ranges; military operating areas that extend to the surface; military training routes; over-the-horizon radars; and Department of Defense weather radars. Examples of when interference from the wind farms has affected the ability of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to forecast or warn for dangerous weather. Recommendations to reduce, mitigate, or eliminate the potential impacts. An analysis of the distance that wind turbines need to be away from the radars to ensure no impact. Recommendations for addressing the impacts to NEXRADs and weather radar due to increasing turbine heights. Recommendations to reduce or eliminate impacts of existing wind turbines, including those projects that are being repowered by developers to increase turbine heights. Recommendations to ensure wind farms do not impact the ability of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service to warn or forecast hazardous weather. The cumulative impacts of multiple wind farms near a single radar on the ability of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service to warn or forecast hazardous weather. Recommendations to reduce or eliminate the cumulative impacts of multiple wind farms. An analysis of whether certain wind turbine projects, based on project layout, turbine orientation, number of turbines, density of turbines, proximity to radar, or turbine height result in greater impacts to the missions of Department of Defense, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Weather Service, and if so, how can those projects be better cited to reduce or eliminate NEXRAD impacts. Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a).