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May 6, 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2023 Appropriations
and Background
Background
scientific information and data for infrastructure
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)—a scientific agency
investments, particularly those using mineral resources.
housed with the Department of the Interior (DOI)—aims to
provide unbiased scientific information to describe and
Figure 1. USGS Annual Appropriations, FY2018 to
understand the geological processes of the Earth; minimize
FY2022 and FY2023 Budget Request
loss of life and property from natural disasters; and support
(nominal $, in millions)
the management of water, biological, energy, and mineral
resources. The USGS also collects scientific information for
long-term data sets. These data sets range from satellite
imagery of land and ecosystem features to streamflow and
groundwater data. In contrast to other DOI bureaus, USGS
has no regulatory authority and does not manage any major
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 1879, Congress has expanded the USGS’s statutory
authorities to include activities related to ecosystems and
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on enacted
natural hazards. The USGS conducts scientific activities
appropriations laws.
under interdisciplinary mission areas, and each mission area
has its own budget line. The USGS also has budget lines for
Table 1. USGS Funding: FY2021 and FY2022 Annual
Science Support (administrative activities and information)
Appropriations and FY2023 Budget Request
and Facilities. Congress typically appropriates funds for the
(nominal $, in millions)
agency through the annual Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies appropriations acts.
Mission Area or
FY2021
FY2022
FY2023
Budget Line
Enacted
Enacted
Requested
FY2023 Budget Request
The President’s budget request for
Ecosystems
259.1
277.9
375.7
USGS appropriations in
FY2023 is $1.711 billion, which is $317 million more than
Energy and
90.0
95.2
147.0
the FY2022 enacted level of $1.394 billion (nearly a 23%
Mineral Resources
increase; Figure 1). For FY2022, the President requested a
Natural Hazards
175.5
186.0
219.8
25% increase over the FY2021 level of $1.316, and
Congress provided a 6% increase in annual appropriations.
Water Resources
263.1
285.9
302.7
In 2021, Congress also provided the USGS with $537
Core Science
252.7
263.8
348.8
million in supplemental appropriations in the Infrastructure
Systems
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58) and P.L. 117-
Science Support
95.7
99.7
129.2
43. Congress made $266 million of these supplemental
funds available in FY2022, with the remainder available in
Facilities
179.4
184.8
188.1
subsequent fiscal years. For FY2023 under the IIJA,
Total
1,315.5
1,394.4
1,711.3
Congress provided $64 million for the USGS Earth
Mapping Resources Initiative (MRI) and $5 million for the
Sources: FY2023 U.S. Geological Survey Budget Justification, P.L.
National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation
116-260, and P.L. 117-103.
Program. The USGS has provided information on how the
Notes: Table figures may not add to totals shown due to rounding
agency plans to spend this funding, which is to support
and a $1.0 million FY2022 Congressionally Directed Spending item.
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2023 Appropriations and Background
The following sections summarize USGS mission areas and
System, initiated in FY2018, would receive $30.9 million to
selected programs in the FY2023 budget request.
pilot technology in selected watersheds. Federal Priority
Streamgages, the “backbone” network of federal
Ecosystems Mission Area
streamgages, would receive $30.3 million. The budget
The Ecosystems mission area houses five programs and the
request includes $64.5 million of Cooperative Matching
agency’s cooperative research units to conduct biological
Funds for activities across Water Resources—a decrease of
and ecological science to inform natural resource
$1 million compared to FY2022 funding.
management decisions. The FY2023 budget requests an
increase of $97.8 million above the FY2022 enacted level
Core Science Systems Mission Area
of $277.9 million. Specifically, the budget request proposes
The Core Science Systems mission area generally focuses
an increase of $33.8 million above the FY2022 enacted
on the USGS’s mapping activities and supports science
level of $51.9 million for the National and Regional
across the agency. The mission area also includes the
Climate Adaptation Science Centers. These university-
National Land Imaging Program, which operates Landsat
based centers conduct research to help resource managers
satellite program, among other activities. The FY2023
understand the impacts of climate change and develop
budget requests an increase of $85.0 million above the
climate adaptation strategies. Similar to the FY2022 budget
FY2022 enacted level of $263.8 million, which includes
request, other requested funding increases across the
an increase of $30.0 million for decision support tools to
mission area for FY2023 include activities to support
evaluate risks and trade-offs for land management
conservation science and adaptive management of DOI
decisions regarding climate response and resilience;
land, quantify ecosystem services, reduce threats of
an increase of $24.6 million for the creation of an
invasive species and wildlife diseases, and understand
American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas, by using
climate impacts on ecosystems.
the USGS’s Protected Areas Database, to inform
conservation decisions for the Administration’s America
Energy and Mineral Resources Mission Area
the Beautiful Initiative; and
The Energy and Mineral Resources mission area includes
an increase of $10.0 million for the Federal Geographic
scientific research and assessments related to energy and
Data Committee to create a federal climate data portal
minerals. The FY2023 budget requests an increase of $51.8
that would geospatially integrate climate-relevant data,
million above the FY2022 enacted level of $95.2 million
tools, and information from across the government to
for the mission area. Under the Energy Resources Program,
guide nonfederal government and commercial decision
the request includes an increase of $25.2 million above the
making regarding climate change.
FY2022 enacted level of $31.5 million to support activities
related to geologic carbon sequestration, as well as
Science Support and Facilities Budget Lines
greenhouse gas inventory and reduction tools for federal
The Science Support budget line includes funding to
lands. Under the Mineral Resources Program, the request
provide business services and information technology
includes an increase of $26.6 million above the FY2022
management to operate USGS science programs. The
enacted level of $63.7 million to support supply chain
FY2023 budget requests an increase of $29.5 million above
research and assessments of potential new sources of
the FY2022 enacted level of $99.7 million for the budget
critical minerals, and mine waste research and assessment
line, which would fund initiatives that aim to strengthen
in support of reclamation and potential mineral recovery.
scientific integrity and diversity, invest in cloud and high-
performance computing, and transition USGS’s sedan fleet
Natural Hazards Mission Area
to zero-emission vehicles, among other activities.
The Natural Hazards mission area provides scientific
information to reduce losses from natural hazards. The
The Facilities budget line includes funding for rent, facility
FY2023 budget requests an increase of $33.8 million above
operations and maintenance, and deferred maintenance and
the FY2022 enacted level of $186.0 million for the mission
repair. The FY2023 budget requests an increase of $3.3
area, including a $19.1 million increase for the Coastal and
million above the FY2022 enacted level of $184.8 million.
Marine Hazards and Resources Program to improve coastal
Issues for Congress
hazard modeling and forecasting, coastal resilience and risk
reduction, and assessing carbon sequestration in coastal
The President’s FY2022 budget requested to increase
environments (i.e., blue carbon). The increase also includes
USGS funding by 25% over FY2021 funding; Congress
$9.9 million in additional funding above the FY2022
provided a 6% increase ($317 million) in annual
enacted level for subduction zone and induced seismicity
appropriations and $537.0 million in supplemental
science and observation infrastructure upgrades under the
appropriations (in P.L. 117-43 and the IIJA) for FY2022. In
Earthquake Hazards Program.
the IIJA, Congress also provided the USGS with $69.0
million for FY2023, which Congress may take into
Water Resources Mission Area
consideration when determining annual appropriations for
The Water Resources mission area monitors water
the USGS in FY2023. In FY2022, Congress also included a
resources and conducts research to improve water
$1 million Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) item
management. The FY2023 budget requests an increase of
for the USGS. Congress may also consider whether to fund
$16.8 million above the FY2022 enacted level of $285.9
additional such items in FY2023.
million for the mission area, including increased funding
for the Water Availability and Use Science Program and for
Anna E. Normand, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
the Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program
IF12097
(GSIP). Under GSIP, the Next Generation Water Observing
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2023 Appropriations and Background
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