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April 18, 2019
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2020 Appropriations
Process and Background

Background
Table 1. USGS Funding FY2018-FY2020 Request
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) aims to provide
(nominal $ in millions)
unbiased scientific information to describe and understand
the geological processes of the Earth; minimize loss of life
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
and property from natural disasters; manage water,
Mission Area
Enacted
Enacted
Request
biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and
protect the nation’s quality of life. USGS is a scientific
Ecosystems
157.7
156.9
141.0
agency that is housed within the Department of the Interior
Land Resources
152.5
158.3
0.0
(DOI). Its primary mission is conducting science; in
contrast to other DOI bureaus, it has no regulatory authority
Energy, Minerals,
and does not manage any major federal land areas. USGS
and
102.8
111.7
86.1
also collects and stores scientific information in long-term
Environmental
continuous data sets. These data sets range from satellite
Health
imagery of land and ecosystem features to streamflow and
Natural Hazards
178.6
166.3
145.0
groundwater data.
Water Resources
217.6
226.3
179.9
USGS was created in 1879 in a portion of a law that is
Core Science
known as the USGS Organic Act (43 U.S.C. §31). The
116.3
117.9
207.2
Systems
USGS Organic Act defines the initial scope of the USGS:
Science Support
102.8
102.8
102.9
“[The Director of the USGS] shall have the direction
Facilities
120.1
120.4
121.3
of the United States Geological Survey, and the
classification of the public lands and examination of the
Total
1,148.5
1,160.6
983.5
geological structure, mineral resources, and products
Sources: U.S. Department of Interior Budget Justifications and
of the national domain.”
Performance Information, FY2020, U.S. Geological Survey; P.L. 116-6;
The USGS’s scope has expanded over time from its early
and P.L. 115-141.
activities of studying mineral deposits and mapping.
Presently, USGS conducts scientific activities under six
All mission areas would receive reductions in funding from
interdisciplinary mission areas: (1) Ecosystems, (2) Land
FY2019 levels under the FY2020 request. (Core Science
Resources, (3) Energy, Minerals, and Environmental Health
Systems would receive a reduction when discounting the
(4) Natural Hazards, (5) Water Resources, and (6) Core
addition of the National Land Imaging Program.) The
Science Systems. USGS also has budget lines for Science
largest reductions would be for the Energy, Minerals, and
Support (administrative activities and information) and
Environmental Health Mission Area (approximately 23%)
Facilities (sites where USGS activities are housed). The
and the Water Resources Mission Area (approximately
agency generally is funded through the Interior,
21%). The Administration stated that these reductions are
Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations laws.
needed to address higher-priority needs in other areas. The
mission areas as proposed with new changes are discussed
USGS activities have both national and regional policy
below.
implications. USGS often partners with stakeholders in its
monitoring and scientific endeavors and contributes
Ecosystems Mission Area
scientific knowledge to seminal policy decisions, such as
The Ecosystems Mission Area conducts biological and
the listing of species under the Endangered Species Act.
ecological science to inform natural resource management
decisions. The budget proposes consolidating research
Appropriations
spread across five existing Ecosystem programs into three
The President’s budget request for FY2020 USGS
new programs and one new center: Species Management
appropriations is $983.5 million, which is $177.1 million
Research Program, Land Management Research Program,
less than the FY2019-enacted level of $1,160.6 million (a
Biological Threats Research Program, and Climate
15.3% reduction; see Table 1). The FY2020 request, if
Adaptation Science Center. The request also proposes
enacted, would be the lowest funding amount for USGS
eliminating the Cooperative Research Units (CRU)
since 2007 (Figure 1). The request proposes restructuring
Program (CRUs received $18.4 million in FY2019). CRUs
USGS from six to five mission areas and reorganizing
are intended to enhance graduate education in fisheries and
mission areas with new programs.
wildlife science through research partnerships with the
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2020 Appropriations Process and Background
USGS, state natural resource agencies, universities, and
Figure 1. USGS Annual Appropriations
other stakeholders. Elimination of CRUs and the
(nominal $ in millions)
Contaminants Biology Program, coupled with other
program reductions, would lead to a total decrease of
approximately $77 million to the Ecosystems mission area
under the new structure.
Core Science Systems Mission Area
The Core Science Systems Mission Area focuses on the
mapping mission of USGS. Under the proposed
restructuring, the National Land Imaging Program and
some components of the Land Change Science Program
would transfer to Core Science Systems. The National Land
Imaging Program operates the Landsat land remote sensing
satellite system, including two active satellites; it is
preparing Landsat 9, the latest satellite in the series, for a
2021 launch.

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Energy, Minerals, and Environmental Health
Mission Area
Potential Issues for Congress
The Energy, Minerals, and Environmental Health Mission
The Administration has requested less funding for the
Area includes scientific research and assessments related to
USGS compared to FY2019. Since FY2017, Congress has
energy and minerals. The FY2020 request proposes to
increased funding levels for the USGS as compared to the
eliminate the Environmental Health Program, which
Administration’s request. For example in FY2019,
supports studies of the effect of contaminants and
Congress provided a 1% increase over prior year funding
pathogens on humans and other organisms. In contrast,
levels, despite the Administration’s request for a 25%
there is a proposed increase of $10.6 million for mapping
decrease. The Administration justified its proposed
and surveying critical minerals through the Earth Mapping
reductions for FY2020 by stating that the request reduces
Resources Initiative.
overall program costs and reduces duplication of activities
carried out by USGS partners. In previous budget increases,
Congress has in some cases targeted specific mission areas.
Critical minerals, according to USGS, are “mineral
commodities that have important uses and no viable
The priorities and scope of the USGS’s activities and
substitutes, yet face potential disruption in supply, and
mission also are potential issues for Congress. Some
are defined as critical to the Nation’s economic and
contend that USGS activities have expanded beyond the
national security.”
scope of the USGS Organic Act. They note that USGS

involvement in researching ecosystem restoration, species,
Surveying for critical minerals is proposed in Alaska, the
and environmental health, for example, strays from the
midcontinent, and the Western United States through
USGS’s primary mandate to be a geological survey. These
public-private partnerships. The Administration has
observers would like to see more effort given to geological
justified the proposed increase as helping to reduce U.S.
and energy-related work by USGS. This opinion may be
dependence on foreign nations for critical mineral supplies.
reflected in the Administration’s proposals to reduce
funding for these programs and provide greater funding to
Water Resources Mission Area
mineral assessments. Some stakeholders counter this claim
The Water Resources Mission Area monitors water
by noting that USGS has expanded its scope in response to
resources and conducts research to improve water
congressional authorizations and direction. Further, they
management. The budget request proposes restructuring the
contend that USGS’s mission has changed over time to
mission area to create two new programs and eliminating
reflect the scientific needs of DOI and the country.
the Water Resources Research Act Program. The proposed
A third potential issue for Congress relates to a proposal to
Water Observing Systems program would combine the
relocate some USGS management. The Administration has
current Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program,
proposed establishing a headquarters presence in
which encompasses over 10,000 streamgages, and some
Lakewood, CO, in support of the proposed larger DOI
water quality monitoring.
reorganization. The Administration justifies the changes by
Natural Hazards Mission Area
stating that co-location of USGS leadership with other
The Natural Hazards Mission Area provides scientific
natural resource agencies will increase efficiency and
information to reduce losses from natural hazards. For
improve stakeholder engagement. Some stakeholders
FY2020, The Administration proposes to reduce funding
suggest that the move would decentralize USGS leadership
for the Earthquake Hazards Program by 23% compared to
and disrupt the continuity of the agency’s work.
FY2019. Most of the reduction would be for Earthquake
Early Warning activities.
Pervaze A. Sheikh, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Anna E. Normand, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
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