(a) After providing any notification required by § 946.3(b), NWS may change operations at a field office to implement the Strategic Plan, including:

(1) Transferring official responsibility for taking radar observations to a NEXRAD Weather Service Forecast Office (NWSFO) or a NEXRAD Weather Service Office (NWSO) that is being established as a future Weather Forecast Office following commissioning of the NEXRAD at the new office;

(2) Transferring official responsibility for taking observations from a Category 1 radar to a backup radar or radars prior to constructing and/or operating a replacement NEXRAD. Before transferring responsibility, the Responsible Meteorologist shall document that technical coordination with users has been completed and that the transition to the replacement NEXRAD can be completed expeditiously;

(3) Transferring its service responsibility for issuing watches, warnings, forecasts and other products to a NWSFO or NWSO;

(4) Significantly reducing its staffing level by transferring or reassigning personnel to support the service responsibilities transferred under paragraph (a)(3) of this section provided that the field office continues to assign the appropriate number of positions established by the NWS Operations Manual to carry out its observation responsibilities; and

(5) Moving an entire field office to a location within the local commuting and service area of that office.

(b) A field office may not significantly reduce its staffing level assigned to support any observation responsibility, including those responsibilities transferred under paragraph (a)(2) of this section and those retained under paragraph (a)(4) of this section, until the Secretary has certified that the automation and/or consolidation will not degrade service in accordance with § 946.7.