The U.S. Geological Survey: FY2019 Appropriations and Background

The U.S. Geological Survey: FY2019 Appropriations and Background

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May 7, 2018
The U.S. Geological Survey: FY2019 Appropriations and
Background
Background
FY2017- and FY2018-enacted appropriations are in Table
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) aims to provide
1.
unbiased scientific information to describe and understand
the geological processes of the Earth; minimize loss of life
Table 1. USGS Funding FY2017-FY2019 Request
and property from natural disasters; manage water,
(in $millions)
biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and
protect the nation’s quality of life. USGS is a scientific
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
agency that is housed within the Department of the Interior
Program Area
Enacted
Enacted
Request
(DOI). Its primary mission is conducting science; it has no
regulatory authority and does not manage any significant
Ecosystems
159.7
157.7
96.1
area of federal land. USGS also collects and stores
Land Resources
149.3
152.5
103.2
scientific information in long-term continuous data sets.
These data sets range from satellite imagery of land and
Energy and Minerals
94.3
102.8
84.1
ecosystem features to streamflow data of major rivers and
Natural Hazards
145.0
178.6
117.3
streams.
Water Resources
214.7
217.6
164.9
Congress authorized the creation of USGS in an
Core Science Systems
116.0
116.3
92.3
appropriations bill that passed on March 3, 1879, and
became known as the USGS Organic Act (43 U.S.C. §31).
Science Support
105.6
102.8
89.2
Specifically, the Organic Act states that the
Facilities
100.4
120.1
112.4
Director of the USGS shall have the direction of the
Total
1,085.2
1,148.5
859.7
United States Geological Survey, and the
Sources: U.S. Department of Interior Budget Justifications and
classification of the public lands and examination of
Performance Information, FY2019, U.S. Geological Survey; P.L. 115-
the geological structure, mineral resources, and
141; and P.L. 115-31.
products of the national domain.
The USGS’s scope has expanded over time from its early
The FY2019 request, if enacted, would be the lowest
activities of studying mineral deposits and mapping.
funding amount for USGS in the last several years (Figure
Presently, USGS conducts scientific activities under six
1). All program areas under USGS would receive
interdisciplinary program areas: (1) Ecosystems, (2) Land
reductions in funding from FY2018-enacted levels if the
Resources, (3) Energy and Minerals, (4) Natural Hazards,
budget request were enacted. The largest reductions would
(5) Water Resources, and (6) Core Science Systems. USGS
be for the Ecosystems Program Area (approximately 40%)
also has budget lines for Science Support (administrative
and the Land Resources Program Area (approximately
activities and information) and Facilities (sites where USGS
34%). The budget request also proposes to eliminate or
activities are housed). The agency generally is funded
reduce funding in several programs and increase funding to
through the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
others. The Administration stated that these reductions were
appropriations laws.
proposed to address higher-priority funding needs. The
following sections discuss selected changes to some USGS
Congress may be interested in USGS because many USGS
program areas.
activities have both nationwide and regional policy
implications. USGS often partners with stakeholders in its
Ecosystems Program Area
monitoring and scientific endeavors and contributes
The Cooperative Research Units (CRU) Program is one of
scientific knowledge to seminal policy decisions, such as
the activities proposed for elimination under the
the listing of species under the Endangered Species Act.
Ecosystems Program Area (CRUs received $17.3 million in
This In Focus will cover FY2019 appropriations for USGS
FY2018). CRUs are intended to enhance graduate education
and present selected issues Congress might consider.
in fisheries and wildlife science through research
partnerships with the USGS, a state natural resource
Appropriations
agency, a university, and other stakeholders. The
The President’s budget request for FY2019 USGS
Administration’s request also would reduce $12.6 million
appropriations is $859.7 million, which is $225 million less
from the Environments Program (a 34.6% reduction from
than the FY2018-enacted level of $1,148.5 million (a 25%
FY2018). This program supports research on large-scale
reduction). The USGS budget request for FY2019 and
ecosystems, such as in the Chesapeake Bay and the
Everglades.
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The U.S. Geological Survey: FY2019 Appropriations and Background
Land Resources Program Area
(down 23% compared to FY2018 appropriations). This
Under the Land Resources Program Area, the National
would include reductions to research aiming to advance
Land Imaging Program would receive a reduction of $17.6
water science and status and trends assessments, including a
million compared to FY2018 (an 18.9% reduction). This
study to measure Lower Mississippi River water quality.
program prepares Landsat 9 for launch. Landsat 9 would be
the latest land remote sensing satellite of a continuous
Natural Hazards Program Area
series stretching over 40 years. The Administration
Under the Natural Hazards Program Area, the
proposes to reduce funding for activities in the Land
Administration proposes to reduce funding for the
Change Science Program (a 57% reduction from FY2018).
Earthquake Hazards Program and the Volcano Hazards
Included in these cuts are a reduction of $8.9 million for
Program by 20% compared to FY2018. Most of the
carbon sequestration research, $9.8 million for climate
reduction would be for Earthquakes Early Warning
research and development, and $12.4 million for Climate
activities.
Adaptation Science Centers.
Potential Issues for Congress
Energy and Mineral Resources Program Area
In FY2018, the Administration proposed to reduce funding
The Environmental Health Program of the Energy and
overall for the USGS, but Congress chose to increase
Mineral Resources Program Area would be largely
funding by nearly 6% compared to FY2017 (Figure 1). The
eliminated under the FY2019 request. This program studies
issues of how Congress might address the Administration’s
contaminants and pathogens to determine their effect on
proposed changes to funding and whether Congress may
humans and other organisms. In contrast, there is a
alter the priorities for USGS research and data collection
proposed increase in funding for mapping and surveying
have arisen again this year.
critical minerals.
The priorities and scope of the USGS’s activities and
mission also are potential issues for Congress. Some
Critical minerals, according to USGS, are “mineral
contend that USGS activities have expanded beyond the
commodities that have important uses and no viable
scope of the USGS Organic Act. They note that USGS
substitutes, yet face potential disruption in supply, are
involvement in ecosystem restoration research,
defined as critical to the Nation’s economic and
environmental health, and species research, for example,
national security.”
strays from the USGS’s primary mandate to be a geological

survey. These observers would like to see more effort given
to geological and energy-related work in USGS. This
Surveying for critical minerals is proposed to be done in
opinion is potentially shared by the Administration, which
Alaska and the Western United States through public-
proposes to reduce funding from ecological and land-use
private partnerships. One justification for this increase,
programs and provide greater funding to mineral
according to the Administration, is to reduce foreign
assessments. Some stakeholders counter this claim by
dependence on supplying critical minerals.
noting that USGS has expanded its scope in response to
Figure 1. USGS Annual Appropriations
congressional authorizations and direction. Further, they
contend that USGS’s mission has changed over time to
(in $millions)
reflect the scientific needs of DOI and the country.
A third potential issue for Congress is a proposal by the
Administration to realign USGS’s management. The
proposal would keep intact the program areas but would
change the Associate Directors; the Associate Director for
Environmental Health would be removed and a new
Associate Director for Alaska would be created. Five field-
based Assistant Director positions would be created
supporting Associate directors for Ecosystems, Energy and
Minerals, Natural Hazards, and Water Program Areas. The
intent of these field positions is to oversee management of
science centers, according to the Administration. The
proposal is being done pursuant to E.O. 13781, a
“Comprehensive Plan for Reorganizing the Executive
Branch.” It is unclear if these proposed changes run parallel
to proposed changes that would reorganize the structure of

DOI into 13 regions throughout the country.
Source: CRS.
Pervaze A. Sheikh, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Peter Folger,
Specialist in Energy and Natural
Water Resources Program Area
Resources Policy
The largest proposed reduction in the Water Resources
Program Area is for the National Water Quality Program
IF10879

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The U.S. Geological Survey: FY2019 Appropriations and Background

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