Austin News

U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz and Senator Alex Padilla have introduced a new piece of bipartisan legislation aimed at improving fog forecasting to enhance safety at U.S. ports. The proposed legislation, known as the Fog Observations and Geographic Forecasting Act (FOG Forecasting Act), seeks to boost the National Weather Service’s capability in predicting fog, thereby preventing costly shipping delays.

Ted Cruz, reflecting on the impact of severe fog in his hometown, remarked, “In my hometown of Houston, we’ve seen unexpected severe fog occurrences delay goods coming in and out of Port Houston. The FOG Forecasting Act would keep vessels moving safely and swiftly at U.S. ports, benefiting shippers, exporters, and consumers. I’m glad to partner on legislation with Sen. Padilla to help produce more accurate fog forecasts that will reduce collisions between vessels, ensure American cargo reaches its destinations intact and on time, and save millions in economic costs from port closures.”

Senator Padilla highlighted the risks posed by marine layer fog along the Pacific Coast, adding, "Californians along the Pacific Coast have experienced how unpredictably dense and dangerous the marine layer fog can be. Fog can create hazardous conditions, increasing collision risk for ships transporting essential goods to and from California’s high-volume ports. As communities prepare for and respond to increasingly severe weather patterns, strengthening NOAA’s weather forecasting capabilities is an important bipartisan priority to bolster safer transportation at sea and in the air along our coastlines."

Recently, an episode of widespread fog in Houston caused a significant halt in port operations for nearly two weeks, affecting navigation in the Houston Ship Channel. The economic implications of such events are substantial, with poor visibility associated with an estimated 70% of ship collisions. Maritime fog leads to frequent closures at the Port of Houston, with each hour of closure potentially incurring economic costs exceeding $100 million. Smaller ports also bear similar financial losses when affected by fog.

The FOG Forecasting Act mandates the National Weather Service to enhance marine-based fog observations, including visibility, temperature, and water level measurements, and to install cameras to aid in vessel navigation. The legislation proposes advancements in high-resolution modeling, improving the accuracy of forecasts related to wind and visibility, thus reducing uncertainty and potentially enabling ports to resume operations more quickly after fog-related disruptions.