Committee Reports

111th Congress (2009-2010)

Senate Report 111-038

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Established in 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] serves as the Earth and natural science research bureau for the Department of the Interior and is the only integrated natural resources research bureau in the Federal Government. The Survey conducts research, monitoring, and assessments to contribute to understanding America's lands, water, and biological resources. Its research and data products support the Department's resource and land management needs and also provide the water, biological, energy, and mineral resources information needed by other Federal, State, tribal, and local government agencies to guide planning, management, and regulatory programs. More than 9,000 scientists, technicians, and support staff of the USGS are located in nearly 400 offices in every State and in several foreign countries throughout the world. The USGS leverages its resources and expertise in partnership with more than 2,000 agencies of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments; the academic community; non-governmental organizations; and the private sector.

SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH

The Committee recommends $1,104,340,000 for the U.S. Geological Survey for surveys, investigations and research, an increase of $60,537,000 above the fiscal year 2009 non-emergency funding level and $6,496,000 above the budget request.

Geographic Research, Investigations, and Remote Sensing- The Committee recommends $143,940,000 for geographic research, investigations and remote sensing activities, the same amount as the budget request. In agreement with the request, the Committee has accepted the administration's proposal to return the national geospatial program and funding of $68,001,000 to this activity from the enterprise information activity. Both the budget request and the Committee recommendation include a program increase above the current year enacted level of $300,000 for a biofuels initiative.

Geologic Hazards, Processes, and Research- The Committee recommends $247,881,000 for geologic hazards, resources and processes, an increase of $900,000 above the budget request. The Committee has included an amount of $250,000 to initiate and support a cooperative partnership between the University of Hawaii-Manoa and the USGS Hawaii Volcano Observatory. The agreement is intended to formalize the collaborative relationship that has been established between the two entities for monitoring, hazards assessments and other research in an area of highly active volcanoes. An amount of $650,000 has been included to continue the Nye County, Nevada minerals assessment project that was initiated last year. The budget request and the Committee's recommendation include increases above the enacted level of $1,000,000 to expand extended continental shelf studies, and $1,475,000 for wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels research.

Water Resources Investigations- The Committee recommends $231,027,000 for water resources investigations, an increase of $3,146,000 above the budget request. Additional funds are provided for the following: $900,000 to continue the San Diego, California Formation mapping project; $500,000 to continue United States-Mexico transboundary aquifer assessments; $400,000 to continue the Survey's participation in the work of the Long-term Estuary Assessment Group, Louisiana; $346,000 above the $154,000 included in the budget proposal to provide a total of $500,000 for monitoring activities and toxic studies in the Lake Champlain Basin; $500,000 for a water resources assessment of Maryland's Coastal Plain and Piedmont aquifer systems; and $500,000 to continue well monitoring and other water resources assessments in Hawaii. The budget request and the Committee's recommendation include increases above the enacted level of $5,000,000 to enhance the National Streamgage Network, and $200,000 for research on the environmental effects of biofuels development.

Biological Research- The Committee recommends an amount of $202,724,000 for biological research, an increase of $3,450,000 above the budget request. Changes to the budget request include programmatic increases of $750,000 for general genetics and genomic research, $600,000 for tropical ecosystems and watershed health research, and $750,000 for the National Biological Information Infrastructure [NBII]. The increase in funding for the NBII is intended to support work in the highest priority areas of invasive species, pollinators, and protected area information. The NBII has sustained a series of budget reductions in recent years, which the Committee has attempted to partially address with this increase. Other increases above the request include $1,000,000 to continue San Francisco, California Salt Ponds monitoring and research, and $350,000 for the development and testing of protocols for monitoring invasive species, including zebra mussels, in the Columbia River Basin in collaboration with Washington State University and its partners. The budget request and the Committee's recommendation for biological research include the following increases above the current year enacted level: $4,200,000 for Arctic ecosystems research, $5,000,000 to provide additional support for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service climate change activities, $1,025,000 to study the effects of renewable energy sources on ecosystems and wildlife populations, and $2,000,000 for the Cooperative Research Units.

Enterprise Information- The Committee recommends $44,969,000 for enterprise information activities, a decrease of $1,000,000 from the budget request. The Committee has provided $1,000,000 for the 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps Initiative rather than the $2,000,000 included in the budget proposal. In agreement with the budget request, the Committee has transferred $68,001,000 from enterprise information to the geographic research, investigations and remote sensing activity where it is more appropriately housed.

Global Climate Change- The Committee recommends $58,177,000 for global climate change activities, the same amount as the budget request. Increases above the current year enacted level include $5,000,000 for climate change science, $5,000,000 for the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center, and $7,000,000 to expand carbon sequestration research.

As part of its Global Climate Change agenda the committee encourages USGS to consider pursuing research on sensitive landscapes which can offer early indications that foreshadow additional evaluation needs associated with climate change impacts. In particular, additional monitoring and observation of aquifers such as those in the High Plains Grass Lands may be useful and provide early indications of climate change and its impact on rangelands, agricultural lands and vegetation.

Science Support- The Committee recommends $69,225,000 for bureau operations, the same amount as the budget request.

Facilities- The Committee recommends $106,397,000 for the Survey's facilities program, the same amount as the budget request.

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