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March 24, 2023
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Background and FY2024
Appropriations
Background
Figure 1. USGS Annual Appropriations, FY2019 to
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in the Department of
FY2023, and FY2024 Budget Request
the Interior (DOI), provides scientific information about
(nominal $, in millions)
geologic processes to mitigate risks from natural hazards
and to support the management of water, energy, mineral,
ecosystem, and land resources. The USGS also collects
long-term Earth observations to understand geologic and
ecosystem processes, using satellite imagery, mapping, and
ground-based instruments to measure changes. In contrast
to some other DOI bureaus, the USGS has no regulatory
authority and does not manage 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 water resources,
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on enacted
ecosystems, and natural hazards. The USGS conducts
appropriations laws and the President’s FY2024 request.
scientific activities under interdisciplinary mission areas,
Note: FY2019-FY2022 amounts are adjusted for inflation to FY2022
and each mission area has its own budget line (Table 1).
dol ars, using FY2024 Budget of the United States Government,
The USGS also has budget lines for Science Support
Historical Tables, Table 10.1.
(administrative activities and information) and Facilities.
Congress typically appropriates funds for the agency
Table 1. USGS Funding: FY2022 and FY2023 Annual
through annual Interior, Environment, and Related
Appropriations and FY2024 Budget Request
Agencies appropriations acts.
(nominal $, in millions)
FY2024 Budget Request
Mission Area or
FY2022
FY2023
FY2024
The President’s budget request for USGS appropriations in
Budget Line
Enacted
Enacted
Requested
FY2024 is $1.786 billion, $288.3 million more than
Ecosystems
277.9
307.2
395.0
FY2023 annual appropriations of $1.497 billion provided
by Division of G of P.L. 117-328 (a 19% increase; Figure
Energy and
95.2
104.2
150.8
1). For FY2023, the President requested a 23% increase
Mineral Resources
over FY2022 annual appropriations of $1.394 billion. The
FY2023 annual appropriation provided a 7% increase over
Natural Hazards
186.0
200.3
226.2
FY2022 annual appropriations.
Water Resources
285.9
304.4
313.4
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-
Core Science
263.8
284.6
368.6
58) provided the USGS with $510.7 million in
Systems
supplemental appropriations, $69.0 million of which are
Science Support
99.7
106.3
134.2
first made available in FY2024. This total includes $64.0
million for the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and $5.0
Facilities
184.8
188.1
197.5
million for the National Geological and Geophysical Data
Total
1,394.4
1,497.2
1,785.5
Preservation Program. The USGS has provided information
(including at the end of its FY2024 Budget Justification) on
Sources: FY2024 U.S. Geological Survey Budget Justification and
how the agency plans to spend its IIJA funding. The
explanatory statements accompanying P.L. 117-103 and P.L. 117-328.
funding is to support science to address critical mineral
Note: Table figures may not add to totals shown due to rounding
information and to preserve geological data.
and Congressional y Directed Spending items in FY2022 and FY2023.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Background and FY2024 Appropriations
The following sections summarize USGS mission areas and
Generation Water Observing System, and Federal Priority
selected programs in the FY2024 budget request.
Streamgages. The requested increase also includes science
related to water withdrawals, fire and drought impacts, and
Ecosystems Mission Area
ecological flows. The budget also requested decreases for
The Ecosystems mission area conducts biological and
some activities in the mission area.
ecological science to inform natural resource management
decisions through five programs and cooperative research
Core Science Systems Mission Area
units. The FY2024 budget requests a 29% increase above
The Core Science Systems mission area generally focuses
the FY2023 enacted level for the mission area. Specifically,
on the USGS’s mapping activities and supports science
the budget request proposes an increase of $24.2 million
across the agency. The mission area includes the National
above the FY2023 enacted level of $63.1 million for the
Land Imaging Program, which operates the Landsat satellite
National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers,
program, among other activities. The FY2024 budget
which are university-based research centers that help
requests a 30% increase above the FY2023 enacted annual
resource managers understand and adapt to climate change
appropriations for the mission area, which includes
impacts. Similar to FY2022 and FY2023 budget requests,
an increase of $30.0 million for a high-performance
other requested funding increases for FY2024 across the
computing initiative to advance USGS science data
mission area include science to support conservation and
delivery, particularly for drought and fire science;
adaptive management of DOI land, to inform
an increase of $24.6 million for the creation of an
decisionmaking for clean energy development on federal
American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas, by
land and water, to quantify ecosystem services, and to
utilizing the USGS’s Protected Areas Database of the
understand climate impacts on ecosystems. The budget also
U.S., to inform conservation decisions for the
requested decreases for some activities in the mission area.
Administration’s America the Beautiful Initiative; and
an increase of $10.0 million for the Federal Geographic
Energy and Mineral Resources Mission Area
Data Committee to create a federal climate data portal.
The Energy and Mineral Resources mission area includes
The increase also would support Landsat activities,
scientific research and assessments related to energy and
including an increase of $12.0 million for Landsat Next
minerals. The FY2024 budget requests a 45% increase
development and an increase of $5.0 million for a new
above the FY2023 enacted annual appropriations for the
commercial data pilot program. The request includes
mission area. Under the Energy Resources Program, the
decreases for various mapping activities.
request includes an increase of $24.0 million above the
FY2023 enacted level of $33.4 million to support activities
Science Support and Facilities Budget Lines
related to geologic carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas
The Science Support budget line includes funding to
inventory and reduction tools for federal lands, among other
provide business services and information technology
activities. Under the Mineral Resources Program, the
management to operate USGS science programs. The
request includes an increase of $22.5 million above the
FY2024 budget requests a 26% increase above the FY2023
FY2023 enacted level of $70.9 million to support supply
enacted level for the budget line, which would fund
chain research and forecasts, assessments of potential new
initiatives that aim to strengthen scientific integrity and
sources of critical minerals, and mine waste research and
diversity, invest in cloud and high-performance computing,
assessment in support of reclamation and mineral recovery.
and improve cybersecurity controls, among other activities.
The Facilities budget line includes funding for rent, facility
Natural Hazards Mission Area
operations and maintenance, and deferred maintenance and
The Natural Hazards mission area provides scientific
repair. The FY2024 budget requests a 5% increase above
information to reduce losses from natural hazards. The
the FY2023 enacted level for the budget line.
FY2024 budget requests a 13% increase above the FY2023
enacted level for the mission area. This increase includes a
Issues for Congress
$19.9 million increase for the Coastal/Marine Hazards and
Congress many consider varied issues related to USGS
Resources Program to improve coastal hazard modeling and
appropriations for FY2024, including the following. Most
forecasting, coastal resilience and risk reduction, and
broadly, Congress is likely to evaluate the President’s
assessments of carbon sequestration in coastal
overall increase of 19% for the USGS compared to FY2023
environments (i.e., blue carbon). The increase also includes
annual appropriations, as well as proposed decreases for
$9.6 million under the Earthquake Hazards Program for
various activities. Also, Congress may weigh supplemental
subduction zone and induced seismicity science and
appropriations provided for FY2023 ($110.0 million) and
infrastructure technology for earthquake analysis, among
the $69.0 million in IIJA advance appropriations for
other items. The budget requests decreases for the Volcano
FY2024. Further, Congress may consider whether to fund
and Landslide Hazards Programs (-$1.7 million and -$2.7
specific funding requests from Members in FY2024. P.L.
million, respectively) compared to FY2023 enacted levels.
117-328 funded $2.1 million in Congressionally Directed
Spending for the USGS in FY2023. In FY2024, it appears
Water Resources Mission Area
the Senate may allow such Member requests for the USGS
The Water Resources mission area monitors water
at the outset of the appropriations process, but the House
resources and researches water processes. The FY2024
appropriations process may not.
budget requests a 3% increase above the FY2023 enacted
level for the mission area. The budget requests increased
Anna E. Normand, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
funding for water assessments and observations through
Integrated Water Availability Assessments, the Next
IF12358
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Background and FY2024 Appropriations
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