Description:

The U.S. and its territories contain approximately 170 active volcanoes. The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Volcano Hazards Program is to enhance public safety and minimize social and economic disruption from volcanic unrest. This mission includes monitoring volcanic activity at the nation’s volcanoes and issuing early warning of hazardous activities that pose a threat to people, communities, and infrastructure. The National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS) was conceived to support this mission. As authorized in 2019 by Congress, NVEWS encompasses modernized and expanded ground- and space-based monitoring networks, a 24/7 national volcano watch capability, a National Volcano Information Service (NVIS), an external grants program, and advisory committees. In 2023 the NVEWS authorization was expanded to include capacities housed within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to “strengthen the warning and monitoring systems of volcano observatories in the United States.” Current work is being done by staff in three NOAA Line Offices - the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), the National Weather Service (NWS), and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)In this Townhall staff will provide NVEWS updates including about the modernizing and expanding of volcano-monitoring networks, progress on core NVEWS components, and development of an implementation plan encompassing NOAA’s NVEWS-related contributions and priorities. Anyone interested in learning more about NVEWS and/or providing feedback is welcome and strongly encouraged to attend.