Outspoken hurricane director praised

[HurricaneJoe22]

http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/117780.html


Outspoken hurricane director praised

By LESLEY CLARK
lclark@MiamiHerald.com

WASHINGTON --
The new director of the National Hurricane Center earned congressional kudos for his candor Thursday -- and a commitment from his bosses that replacement of an aging weather satellite will be a priority.

Appearing at a meeting of Florida's congressional delegation, Bill Proenza earned a bipartisan pat on the back for his warning last month that forecasters and researchers were being starved of funding and services.

''When someone in the government makes an accusation like you did, it takes some courage,'' noted Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart, R-Miami, co-chairman of the delegation along with Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar.

Proenza had singled out as particularly troubling the potential loss of a weather satellite that measures wind speed and direction in storms that are well out to sea. The satellite was launched in 1999 with an expected five-year life span and there's no new satellite waiting to replace it.

''If it fails, what is Plan B?'' said Rep. Ron Klei

n, D-Boca Raton. ''How have we gotten to this point?'' Proenza, who noted the satellite could fail ''at any time,'' said he has had discussions about it in recent days with the target of his criticism, the center's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

`WORKING TOGETHER'

''I am convinced we are working together to replace the satellite, to put it at the top of the budget process,'' Proenza said. ``It's rising to the very top as far as priorities are concerned.''

Proenza earlier this month told The Miami Herald that the NOAA was wasting millions of dollars on a 200-year anniversary celebration, and Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D-Weston, said she was impressed with his candor.

''I really want to commend you for your backbone,'' she said, adding that in her capacity as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, ``if I have anything to say about whether we are spending money on meeting the gap in services or celebrating the agency, it will be meeting the gap.''

`PROUD OF FLORIDA'

Members of Congress also quizzed new Federal Emergency Management Director David Paulison and Craig Fugate, Florida's emergency management director, about the state's readiness for the hurricane season. Several Democrats have suggested the war in Iraq is depleting the National Guard's ability to respond to disasters.

Paulison said National Guard officials have told him they have enough equipment. ''I'm very proud of Florida,'' Paulison told the delegation. ``I brag about you constantly.''

[SkeetoBite]

I'm glad to see this turn out this way. It could have gotten real ugly, real fast.

[Aquawind]

It's great to see Proenza fighting for money when things get tough. He is not waiting or relying on NOAA to make things happen and essentially is promoting NOAA needs to everyone. That is called taking charge of the situation and the sign of a good leader.

[MGC]

Glad to see a government employee stand up and say what is right. I know at the agency I work for the bosses are a bunch a lemmings and do what ever they are told by the big bosses right or wrong.....MGC

[DanKellFla]

Good for Bill. Too bad that the satellite being old is not a surprise. Maybe there will be a new one in 3 or 4 years. Meanwhile, we have to hope that the satellite will hold together for the time being. Hopefully, there will be some real action soon and not just lip service.