[Rhodes22-list] NOAA weather privatized?

[Mark Kaynor]

Folks,

I've been hearing about this for a couple of weeks and thought I'd pass it
along. 

Mark

The National Weather Service recently began publishing weather data to the
public via an easy to access XML interface. Previously NOAA released data in
an arcane and complicated format created over 40 years ago.

This is a great boon for everyone, as the XML feeds allow for integration of
weather data into personal homepages & computer applications, and makes it
easier for scientists, meteorology students and people interested in the
weather to use industry-standard tools to access weather data.

Well, its not great for everyone, particularly companies like Accuweather,
who make their money reselling weather data to the public and media outlets.
Apparently they managed to lobby Senator Santorum of Pennsylvania to
introduce a bill, S.786.1, which would prevent the National Weather Service
from competing with for-pay weather companies. The language of the bill is
very broad and if passed may jeopardize the XML Data Feed, the NOAA website,
and even NOAA weather radio.

The following link makes sending a letter to your senators easy - please
take the time to do so if you want NOAA to be able to continue to provide
free services (the ones we already pay for with our taxes).

https://secure.eff.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr003=uio7mzb8p1.app8a&pag
e=UserAction&cmd=display&id=123