Sec. 629. UPGRADING AND REPLACING AGING AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEMS

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## SEC. 629 UPGRADING AND REPLACING AGING AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEMS ###

(a)Study ####

(1)In general Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter into an agreement with a qualified organization to conduct a study to assess the need for upgrades to or replacement of existing automated surface observation systems/automated weather observing systems (in this section referred to as “ASOS/AWOS”) located in non-contiguous States. ####

(2)Contents The study conducted under paragraph

(1)shall include an analysis of— #####

(A)the age of each ASOS/AWOS located in non-contiguous States; #####

(B)the number of days in the calendar year preceding the date on which the study is conducted that each such ASOS/AWOS was not able to accurately communicate or disseminate data for any period of time; #####

(C)impacts of extreme severe weather on ASOS/AWOS outages; #####

(D)the effective coverage of the existing ASOS/AWOS; #####

(E)detailed upgrade requirements for each existing ASOS/AWOS, including an assessment of whether replacement would be the most cost-effective recommendation; #####

(F)prior maintenance expenditures for each existing ASOS/AWOS; #####

(G)a description of all upgrades or replacements made by the FAA to ASOS/AWOS prior to the date of enactment of this Act; #####

(H)impacts of an outage or break in service in the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure on such ASOS/AWOS; and #####

(I)any other matter determined appropriate by the Administrator. ###

(b)Report Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a), and include in such report— ####

(1)a plan for executing upgrades to or replacements of existing ASOS/AWOS located in non-contiguous States; ####

(2)a plan for converting and upgrading such ASOS/AWOS communications to the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure; ####

(3)an assessment of the use of unmonitored navigational aids to allow for alternate airport planning for commercial and cargo aviation to limit ASOS/AWOS service disruptions; ####

(4)an evaluation of additional alternative methods of compliance for obtaining weather elements that would be as sufficient as current data received through ASOS/AWOS; and ####

(5)any other recommendation determined appropriate by the Administrator. ###

(c)Funding To carry out the study under this section, the Administrator may use amounts made available pursuant to section 48101(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code.