The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2026 Appropriations
Changes from June 10, 2025 to February 23, 2026
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Background
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in the Department of the Interior (DOI), provides scientific information to support the management of water, energy, mineral, ecosystembiological, and land resources and to mitigate risks fromhelp communities prepare for natural hazards. The USGS also collects long-term data to understand and report on the Earth's geologic and ecosystem processes, using satellite imagery, mapping, and ground-based instruments. The USGS is not a regulatory agency and does not manage federal lands.
Congress created the USGS in 1879 in the USGS Organic Act (43 U.S.C. §31). The USGS Organic Act defined the initial scope of the USGS:
[The Director of the USGS] shall have the direction of the United States Geological Survey, and the classification of the public lands and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain.
Since then, Congress has expanded the USGS's statutory authority to "such examinations outside the national domain where determined by the Secretary [of the Interior] to be in the national interest." Under this authority and additional congressional direction, the USGS now also conducts activities related to water resources, ecosystems, and natural hazards that span the globe. The USGS conducts scientific activities under interdisciplinary mission areas, and each mission area has its own budget line (Table 1). The USGS also has budget lines for Science Support (administrative activities and information) and Facilities. Congress typically appropriates funds for the USGS under its Surveys, Investigations, and Research accountAccount in annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations acts.
FY2026 Budget Request
President Trump's FY2026 budget request for the USGS is $891.6 million. The request is $558.6 million less (-39%) than FY2025 annual appropriations of $1.450 billion provided by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P.L. 119-4). For the USGS, the budget request "eliminates programs that provide grants to universities, duplicate other Federal research programs and focus on social agendas (e.g., climate change)." The budget states that the USGS would "focus on achieving dominance in energy and critical minerals."
($ in millions) Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on enacted appropriations laws. |
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on enacted appropriations laws and the President's FY2026 budget request.
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Mission Area and Budget Line Funding
On May 30, 2025, DOI published its FY2026 Interior Budget in Brief, which includes highlights of proposed changes for USGS mission areas, budget lines, and a few selected programs for FY2026 compared with previous fiscal years. In the Budget in Brief, figures for FY2024 reflect "actual funding" for the fiscal year and the FY2025 figures are labeled as "notional." In passing FY2025 appropriations, Congress did not include an accompanying report or explanatory statement for P.L. 119-4 to detail FY2025 funding for USGS mission areas, budget lines, and programs. In the Budget in Brief, the Administration specifies that the FY2025 notional figures are estimates and that the "President reserves his authority under the 'Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025' (P.L. 119-4) to revise spending within the amounts provided by Congress" (i.e., within the $1.450 billion for the USGS).
Ecosystems Mission Area. The FY2026 USGS budget request would eliminate the Ecosystems mission area, which was funded at $292.9 million for FY2025. This mission area conducts biological and ecological science to inform natural resource management decisions through its five programs and its cooperative research units. Science activities conducted under the Ecosystems mission area include research related to invasive species, wildlife management, ecosystem restoration, climate change, and environmental contaminants, among other focuses. The Budget in Brief explains that a reason for proposed elimination is "so that the bureau can focus on high priority energy and minerals activities."
Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area. The budget request also proposes creation of a new mission area—Geology, Energy, and Minerals—in the USGS. The Budget in Brief states that the reorganization combines geologic data and mapping activities with activities conducted under the existing Energy and Minerals mission area. Under the current Energy and Minerals mission area, the USGS conducts scientific research and assessments for energy and minerals and analyzes and forecasts critical mineral supply chains. The request states that the proposed funding of $137.1 million for the Geology, Energy, and Minerals mission area would support Executive Orders 14154 and 14241, "Unleashing American Energy" and "Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production," respectively. Under the reorganized mission area, Energy Resources funding would increase from $34.7 million for FY2025 to $36.9 million for FY2026, while Mineral Resources funding would decrease from $75.4 million to $69.9 million.
Natural Hazards, Water Resources, and Core Science Systems Mission Areas. Other proposed changes for the USGS highlighted in the Budget in Brief include funding reductions for the remaining mission areas. The Natural Hazards mission area would decrease in funding from $196.1 million for FY2025 to $136.5 million for FY2026 (-30%). The document states that the request "maintains Earthquake Hazards funding for core national earthquake monitoring and reporting capabilities." The budget requests $223.8 million for the Water Resources mission area, a reduction from its FY2025 funding of $288.8 million (-22%). The request would support artificial intelligence and machine-learning approaches for USGS's water models and assessments, and it would "maintain support for USGS streamgages." Funding for the Core Science Systems mission area would decrease from $228.0 million for FY2025 to $165.0 million for FY2026 (-28%). Under this mission area, the budget would restructure the Landsat Next mission by working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration "to identify more affordable ways to maintain the continuity of Landsat data."
Science Support and Facilities. The budget request would also reduce funding for its remaining budget lines. Science Support would decrease in funding from $105.0 million for FY2025 to $80.0 million for FY2026 (-24%). Funding for Facilities would decrease from $184.1 million for FY2025 to $149.1 million for FY2026 (-19%).
Congressionally Directed Spending
For FY2022 through FY2024, appropriations acts included Member-requested funding for geographically specific activities. The House Appropriations Committee refers to such funding requests Community Project Funding (CPF), whereas the Senate Appropriations Committee designates this funding as Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS). The Senate FY2025 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill would have funded five CDS requests totaling $4.5 million under the USGS's account; however, the final measure, P.L. 119-4, did not fund any CPF/CDS requests. For FY2026, the Senate Appropriations Committee again allowed Members to request CDS items for the USGS's account, whereas the House Appropriations Committee did not allow CPF requests for the account.
Supplemental Appropriations for FY206
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58) provided the USGS supplemental appropriations of $510.7 million, $64.0 million of which are first made available in FY2026. This FY2026 IIJA funding is for the Earth Mapping Resource Initiative (Earth MRI), which Congress first funded in 2019. DOI states that funding for Earth MRI from regular and supplemental appropriations has supported the USGS, partnering with 40 states, to more than triple its coverage of high-resolution data that can support assessments of critical mineral resources and other national resource applications.
Issues for Congress
Congress may examine how the FY2026 budget request, which proposes decreasing USGS's funding by 39% compared with FY2025, would shape the focus of the agency's scientific activities. DOI's Budget in Brief provides topline request levels for USGS's mission areas and budget lines but does not detail requested funding levels for most activities and programs. Congress may seek further information from the Administration regarding the requested funding levels for specific USGS activities, including which ones—if any—the request would eliminate in addition to those under the Ecosystems mission area.
President Trump's budget request proposes restructuring the USGS. As previously stated, the request would eliminate the Ecosystems mission area. The Secretary of the Interior testified that this mission area's activities were not part of the original scope of USGS and that they may be "better suited to be in U.S. Fish and Wildlife." In addition, the budget request proposes creating a new Geology, Energy, and Minerals mission area to support the USGS's "Map, Baby, Map! mission" and the Administration's energy and minerals agenda. Some stakeholders instead support the USGS's current structure and activities. USGS activities supported by such stakeholders include those that are authorized by Congress and those that are funded based on appropriations direction. As such, Congress may consider the priorities and scope of the USGS's activities and mission areas when crafting appropriations legislation and accompanying direction for FY2026 funding. In addition, Congress may consider what, if any, statutory authorities to amend or enact to shape USGS activities.
(nominal $, in millions)
Mission Area or Budget Line
FY2025 Enacted
FY2026 Request
FY2026 Enacted
Ecosystems
299.4
—
294.7
Energy and Mineral Resources
101.1
137.1
104.7
Natural Hazards
198.6
136.5
200.1
Water Resources
288.8
223.8
288.8
Special Initiatives
—
—
2.3
Core Science Systems
273.2
165.0
276.1
Science Support
105.0
80.0
73.7
Facilities
184.1
149.1
180.1
Total
1,450.2
891.6
Sources: Explanatory statement for P.L. 119-74, Division C.
Note: The table presents FY2026 request funding under the current mission area structure and does not reflect the funding for the reorganized mission area structure proposed in the FY2026 President's budget request. Table figures may not add to totals shown due to rounding.
Mission Area and Budget Line Funding
The following sections further describe the FY2025 enacted appropriations, FY2026 budget request, and FY2026 enacted appropriations for selected activities under mission areas and budget lines, as described by the explanatory statement. Also, Congress included three congressionally directed spending items for the USGS, totaling $2.3 million, under "Special Initiatives."
Ecosystems Mission Area. The Ecosystems Mission Area conducts biological and ecological science to inform natural resource management decisions through its five programs and its Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) and cooperative research units (CRUs). Science activities conducted under the mission area include research related to invasive species, wildlife management, ecosystem restoration, land use, climate adaptation, and environmental contaminants, among others. The President requested eliminating funding for the mission area, except for invasive carp activities to be conducted in the Water Resources Mission Area. Instead, P.L. 119-74 provided $294.7 million for the mission area, $4.7 million less than in FY2025. The explanatory statement specified that some programs and CASCs are to receive increased funding compared with FY2025 levels; others are to receive decreased funding, and CRUs are to receive level funding.
Energy and Mineral Resources Mission Area. The budget request proposed creation of a new mission area: Geology, Energy, and Minerals. The request stated that the proposed mission area would support several executive orders, including Executive Orders 14154 and 14241, "Unleashing American Energy" and "Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production," respectively. Instead, P.L. 119-74 continued to fund scientific research and assessments for energy and minerals and analysis and forecasts of critical mineral supply chains under the existing Energy and Mineral Resources Mission Area. The explanatory statement stipulated funding the Mineral Resources program at the same level as FY2025 annual appropriations. The law increased funding for the Energy Resources program by $3.6 million, and the explanatory statement specified that $10.0 million of the program's funding be set aside for certain geothermal activities.
Natural Hazards Mission AreaThe Natural Hazards Mission Area provides scientific information to help communities prepare for natural hazards, such as earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, and coastal hazards. The budget request sought to reduce appropriations for the mission area by 31% compared with FY2025; however, the FY2026 explanatory statement directed $200.1 million for the mission area, an increase of $1.5 million over FY2025. Some hazards programs received the same appropriations as FY2025, although others received reduced or additional funding. For instance, funding for Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources program was reduced by $0.9 million compared with FY2025. The Earthquake Hazards program increased by $2.3 million compared with FY2025, and the explanatory statement specified that $34.9 million of the program's funding was for continued development and expansion of the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system in the West Coast. Water Resources Mission AreaThe Water Resources Mission Area monitors water resources and researches water processes. The FY2026 budget request proposed a 22% reduction for the mission area compared with FY2025. The explanatory statement directed that funding for the mission area remain at $288.8 million, with $66.5 million for Cooperative Matching Funds, which support cost-shared activities across the mission area. Funding for the National Water Quality Program decreased compared with FY2025. Funding increased for the Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, with portions of the funding for Federal Priority Streamgages ($31.0 million) and Next Generation Water Observing Systems ($30.0 million). The Water Resources Research Act Program, a federal-state partnership that conducts water research, also received increased funding, although the President proposed not to fund the program.Core Science Systems Mission Area The Core Science Systems mission area generally focuses on mapping activities and supports science across agency activities. The budget request proposed a 40% decrease from FY2025 funding of $273.2 million; however, the explanatory statement directed an increase of $2.9 million for the mission area. The National Land Imaging Program and National Geospatial Program received increased funding compared to FY2025, with level funding for the remaining programs. Within National Land Imaging, Landsat satellite operations received level funding ($95.3 million). The explanatory statement reiterated language in S.Rept. 119-46, which directed NASA and the USGS to maintain the current superspectral three-satellite constellation architecture for Landsat Next, with a launch target by 2031. The budget request had directed the agencies "to identify a more affordable architecture for the next Landsat mission."
Science Support and Facilities. The Science Support budget line includes funding to provide business services and information technology management to operate USGS programs. The explanatory statement included a reduction of $31.3 million for the budget line compared to FY2025 funding of $105.0 million. The reduction was mostly under Administration and Management. The budget request noted recent consolidation of roles under the activity. The Facilities budget line includes funding for rent, facility operations and maintenance, and deferred maintenance and repair. The explanatory statement directed $180.1 million to the budget line, a reduction of $4.0 million from FY2025.
Supplemental Appropriations for FY2026
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58) provided the USGS with supplemental appropriations of $510.7 million, of which $64.0 million were first made available in FY2026. This FY2026 funding was for the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI), first funded with FY2019 annual appropriations. DOI stated that as of early 2025, regular and supplemental appropriations have supported Earth MRI, in partnership with 40 states, to "more than triple coverage of high-resolution data" that can support assessments of critical mineral resources.