HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-28 Request to Congress for Continued Future Funding for Meteorological AircraftREsoLUTION No. 28-88
A RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF NORTH PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, REQUESTING
THAT THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA TAKE
THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ENSURE CONTINUED FUTURE FUNDING FOR TWELVE OR MORE UNITED
STATES AIR FORCE WC-130 AIRCRAFT OR SIMILARLY EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT FOR
METEOROLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF STORM EVENTS IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AND WELFARE.
WHEREAS, the United States Air Force currently operates twelve (12)
WC-130 aircraft based at Kessler Air Force Base in Mississippi with said program
being funded in the amount of $25 million through Fiscal Year 1989; and
WHEREAS, these aircraft are a vital part of a storm information and
protection network which also includes satellites and land based radar; and
WHEREAS, WC-130 aircraft or similarly equipped aircraft provide
significant hurricane and tropical storm details whioh cannot be received by
satellites or land based radar such as information related to storm surge, size
and location of the eye of the storm, exact location of the tropical storm or
hurricane, length and breadth of the storm, wind speed and gusts as well as any
last minute storm changes; and
WHEREAS, the Village of North Palm Beach is located within a surge
vulnerable area as are most coastal communities within Florida which
necessitates up to the minute information relative to storm activity in order to
effectuate an orderly evacuation of the population; and
WHEREAS, at the 1988 National Hurricane Conference in Atlanta, Georgia
United States Air Force General Chapman indicated his intention to terminate the
WC-130 Weather Reconnaissance Program due to the high maintenance cost
associated with the WC-130 and due to overall defense department budgetary
constraints.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF NORTH PALM
BEACH, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The Village Council of the Village of North Palm Beach,
Florida objects to the United States Air Force's intention to cancel the WC-130
Weather Reconnaissance Program in that such action could be detrimental to the
health, safety and welfare of the people of North Palm Beach as well as other
coastal communities.
Section 2. The United States Congressional Delegation of the State of
Florida is e�i reby requested to undertake appropriate actions to continue the
funding for the WC-130 aircraft or similarly equipped aircraft in Fiscal Year
1990 and thereafter to ensure that detailed and up to the minute meteorological
information relative to major storm events such as tropical storms and
hurricanes can continue to be received by national, state and local agencies
empowered to evacuate and protect the population before, during and after said
stone events.
Section 3. All similarly affected coastal municipalities of Palm
Beach County and the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners are
requested to impress upon the United States Congressional Delegation of the
State of Florida the need to continued funding of this vital Weather
Reconnaissance Program.
Section 4. The Village Clerk is hereby directed to provide the
members of the United States Congressional Delegation of the State of Florida„
the coastal municipalities of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County Board
of County Commissioners with certified copies of this Resolution for
consideration of the matters contained herein.
Section 5. Should any section or provision of this Resolution or any
portion thereof, or any paragraph, sentence or word, be declared by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the
validity of the remainder of this Resolution.
Section 6. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon
passage.
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 13th DAY OF OCTOBER , 1988.
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