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July 1, 2022
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Supplemental Appropriations
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is a science agency in
Figure 1. USGS Annual Appropriations, FY2018-FY2022,
the Department of the Interior (DOI) that aims to provide
and Supplemental Appropriations, FY2018-FY2026
scientific information about the geological processes of the
(nominal $ in millions)
Earth; to minimize loss of life and property from natural
hazards; and to support the management of water,
biological, energy, and mineral resources. Congress
typically appropriates funds for the agency through annual
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations
acts. This In Focus covers supplemental appropriations for
the USGS that are in addition to annual appropriations. (For
information on USGS annual appropriations, see CRS In
Focus IF11850, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):
FY2022 Appropriations and Background.) Congress may
consider both the amount of USGS supplemental
appropriations and how effectively the agency uses these
funds, among other issues, as discussed below.
Table 1 summarizes supplemental appropriations for the
USGS for FY2018-FY2026. It shows a total of $677.7
million in supplemental appropriations over the nine-year
period. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA;
P.L. 117-58) provided $510.7 million over the FY2022-
FY2026 period for activities related to USGS’s energy,
mineral, and mapping activities. Three other laws provided
Source: CRS, using enacted legislation.
a total of $167.0 million for USGS natural hazard response,
Notes: Approps = Appropriations. P.L. 117-58 provided FY2022
recovery, and related projects. Figure 1 shows
appropriations and advance appropriations for each fiscal year from
supplemental funding for the USGS for FY2018-FY2026.
FY2023-FY2026.
For comparative purposes, it also shows annual
appropriations enacted for each of FY2018-FY2022.
Table 1. Enacted USGS Supplemental Appropriations, FY2018-FY2026
Public Law
Total
Description
P.L. 117-58
$510.7M $64.0M for each of FY2022, FY2023, FY2024, FY2025, and FY2026 (to remain available for the fiscal year
(FY22-
in which appropriated and two subsequent fiscal years) for the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
FY26)
(§40201 of Division D of P.L. 117-58).
$167.0M for FY2022 for the design, construction, and build-out of an energy and minerals research
facility through a cooperative agreement with an academic partner (§40204 of Division D of P.L. 117-58).
$8.7M for FY2022 and $5.0M for each of FY2023-FY2025 (to remain available for the fiscal year in which
appropriated and two subsequent fiscal years) for the National Geological and Geophysical Data
Preservation Program (§41003(a) of Division D of P.L. 117-58. See also 42 U.S.C. §15908).
Transfer of 0.5% of these appropriations to DOI’s Office of Inspector General for funding oversight.
P.L. 117-43
$26.3M
For expenses related to the consequences of wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters in 2019,
(FY22)
2020, and 2021.
P.L. 116-20
$98.5M
For expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael and wildfires in 2018,
(FY19)
earthquake damage associated with emergency declaration EM–3410, and those areas impacted by a
major disaster declared pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq. for 2018 wildfires or volcanic eruptions.
$72.3M of the total is designated for repair and replacement of equipment and facilities damaged by
disasters in 2018.
P.L. 115-123
$42.2M
For expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and those areas
(FY18)
impacted by a major disaster declared (pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq.) for 2017 wildfires.
Source: CRS, using referenced laws.
Notes: M=mil ion. Nominal dol ars. Appropriations are to remain available until expended unless otherwise stated. The IIJA also appropriated
funding for DOI-wide activities, which also may provide funding for the USGS (e.g., $6.6 mil ion to USGS for ecosystem restoration activities).
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U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Supplemental Appropriations
Natural Hazard Funding
of the network were damaged in wildfires. In response to
The USGS, with support from nonfederal partners, collects
landslides associated with Hurricane Maria, the USGS
scientific information for long-term data sets, such as
spent $5.8 million for post-landslide assessments and lidar
streamflow and flood records, and monitors, assesses, and
studies to identify landslide hazards, which contributed to a
conducts research on natural hazards. To date, supplemental
landslide susceptibility map for Puerto Rico.
appropriations laws included $167.0 million for FY2018
through FY2022 for the USGS to repair, replace, or
Energy, Mineral, and Mapping Funding
upgrade monitoring equipment and facilities impacted by
The IIJA funded $510.7 million for activities authorized in
recent natural disasters and to improve natural hazard
Division D of the act that aim to bolster supply chains for
science capabilities. The USGS has released plans
clean energy technologies. For example, the IIJA provided
allocating this funding (see https://www.usgs.gov/
$320.0 million for the USGS Earth Mapping Resources
supplemental-appropriations-for-disaster-recovery-
Initiative, which aims to complete a national surface and
activities). The following sections highlight some of the
subsurface mapping and data integration effort that
funding and activities.
prioritizes mapping (e.g., topographic, geologic,
geochemical, and geophysical mapping). This initiative was
Hurricanes and Floods
first funded in FY2019 and received $10.6 million in
The USGS continues to use supplemental appropriations to
FY2022 annual appropriations. The IIJA also included
conduct work in states and territories impacted by
$23.7 million to augment existing efforts to characterize,
hurricanes and severe storms: AR, FL, GA, HI, LA, NC,
digitally document, and preserve physical geologic samples
NJ, NY, PA, PR, SC, TN, TX, and USVI. This includes
that may relate to mineral exploration. The USGS released
spending of around $10 million to replace or harden (i.e.,
a spend plan for these activities on February 16, 2022 (see
improve structures to withstand hazards) hundreds of
https://www.usgs.gov/media/files/usgs-bipartisan-
streamgages and to update post-storm conditions in streams
infrastructure-law-spend-plan).
and rivers. The USGS is spending $15.5 million to update
lidar surveys and conduct coastal assessments and risk
The IIJA also provided $167.0 million for a USGS Energy
forecasts in affected areas. Further, the agency is spending
and Minerals Research Facility in Golden, CO, to replace
$8.1 million to upgrade and harden the Puerto Rico Seismic
an outdated facility. In May, the USGS signed a
Network and the Puerto Rico Strong Motion Program,
memorandum for a cooperative agreement with the
which were impacted by Hurricane Maria.
Colorado School of Mines for the design of the facility.
Volcano and Earthquakes
Issues for Congress
The USGS is spending $73.4 million of FY2019
As previously noted, the USGS released information
supplemental appropriations for activities related to the
detailing its spending plans for supplemental
intense eruptions at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii in 2018,
appropriations. Specific issues for Congress may include
which damaged at least 724 structures. Of the total, $10.8
how quickly these funds are being spent, what activities
million is for rebuilding and hardening the Hawaiian
have been funded, and what sorts of output and/or
Volcano Observatory monitoring network, $3.0 million is
performance measures are being tracked by the USGS and
for investigations, and $59.6 million is for construction of a
other observers. Congress also may consider broader
new facility in Hilo to replace facilities at the summit of
questions, such as how effective the funding is in
Kilauea Volcano that were damaged beyond repair in 2018.
accomplishing specific purposes set out by Congress; such
The USGS also is spending $4.3 million in FY2019
purposes include reducing hazard impacts and identifying
supplemental appropriations for hardening and improving
mineral resources to improve supply chains. Another
Alaska Volcano Observatory facilities and monitoring
question may be if and how Congress wishes to adjust
network infrastructure after the 2018 magnitude 7.1
funding in future years.
earthquake that struck north of Anchorage. Upgrades to
facilities and network infrastructure are to ensure volcano
A more specific issue related to these funds involves natural
monitoring capabilities and hazard communications in
hazard monitoring infrastructure. USGS facilities and
emergencies. With FY2022 supplemental appropriations,
monitoring equipment that are necessary for hazard
the USGS is funding the replacement and hardening of
assessments and warnings are prone to impacts from natural
portable seismic equipment in California, Puerto Rico, and
hazards. Congress has provided supplemental
Utah.
appropriations to repair and harden some of this monitoring
infrastructure. Potential topics for consideration include
Wildfires and Landslides
whether to alter levels of investments to harden USGS
The USGS is spending about $20 million provided in
monitoring infrastructure and/or funding for natural hazards
FY2018, FY2019, and FY2022 supplemental
monitoring and science.
appropriations to assess post-wildfire landslide hazards and
to conduct lidar studies in California and Washington, and
Anna E. Normand, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
for assessment and updates to models of fire behavior and
Linda R. Rowan, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
their impacts on DOI land. The USGS also is spending
about $5 million to repair, replace, or harden the seismic
IF12152
network in California for earthquake monitoring after parts
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U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Supplemental Appropriations
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