The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Background and FY2023 Appropriations

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Background and FY2023 Appropriations

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Updated January 6, 2023
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Background and FY2023
Appropriations
Background
Figure 1. USGS Annual Appropriations,
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in the Department of
FY2018-FY2023
the Interior (DOI), provides scientific information about
(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
processes, using satellite imagery, mapping, and ground-
based instruments to measure water and other ecosystem
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) and defined the agency’s initial scope.
Since 1879, Congress has expanded the USGS’s statutory
authorities to include activities related to ecosystems and
natural hazards. The USGS conducts scientific activities
under interdisciplinary mission areas, and each mission area
has its own budget line. The USGS also has budget lines for
Science Support (administrative activities and information)
and Facilities. Congress typically appropriates funds for the
agency through annual Interior, Environment, and Related

Agencies appropriations acts.
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), using enacted
legislation. Amounts except FY2023 adjusted to FY2022 dol ars using
FY2023 Annual Appropriations
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis,
In P.L. 117-328, Congress appropriated $1.497 billion to
National Income and Product Accounts, Table 1.1.9.
the USGS for FY2023 under Division G, the Department of
Table 1. USGS Funding: FY2022 and FY2023 Annual
the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Appropriations and FY2023 Budget Request
Appropriations Act, 2023. FY2023 annual appropriations
(nominal $, in millions)
were $214.2 million below the FY2023 President’s budget
request of $1.711 billion and $102.8 million above the
Mission Area or
FY2022
FY2023
FY2023
FY2022 enacted level of $1.394 billion (a 7% increase;
Budget Line
Enacted
Requested
Enacted
Figure 1). For FY2023 annual appropriations, Congress
increased funding for all mission areas compared with the
Ecosystems
$277.9
$375.7
$307.2
FY2022 enacted level but provided less funding than the
President requested for FY2023, except for Water
Energy and
$95.2
$147.0
$104.2
Resources (Table 1). Congress included three
Mineral Resources
congressionally directed spending items for the USGS
Natural Hazards
$186.0
$219.8
$200.3
totaling $2.1 million under a “Special Initiatives” line item.
Water Resources
$285.9
$302.7
$304.4
Congress also provided the USGS with supplemental
Core Science
$263.8
$348.8
$284.6
appropriations for FY2023. Division N of P.L. 117-328
Systems
provided emergency appropriations of $41.0 million for
USGS expenses related to natural disasters occurring in and
Science Support
$99.7
$129.2
$106.3
prior to 2023. In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and
Facilities
$184.8
$188.1
$188.1
Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58) provided emergency advance
appropriations of $64.0 million for the USGS Earth
Total
$1,394.4
$1,711.3
$1,497.2
Mapping Resources Initiative (MRI) and $5.0 million for
Sources: FY2023 U.S. Geological Survey Budget Justification, P.L.
the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation
117-103, and P.L. 117-328.
Program. The IIJA funding is to support gathering scientific
Notes: Table figures may not sum to totals shown due to rounding
information on mineral resources.
and congressional y directed spending items under Special Initiatives
($1.0 mil ion in FY2022 and $2.1 mil ion in FY2023).
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Background and FY2023 Appropriations
The following sections summarize FY2023 annual
additional $9.8 million for the Water Availability and Use
appropriations for USGS mission areas.
Science Program. Funding for this program included $13.5
million for integrated water prediction to develop advanced
Ecosystems Mission Area
modeling tools, state-of-the-art forecasts, and decision
The Ecosystems mission area houses five programs and the
support systems to inform daily water operations. The Next
agency’s cooperative research units, which conduct
Generation Water Observing System, initiated in FY2018 to
biological and ecological science to inform natural resource
pilot technology in selected watersheds, received $29.5
management decisions. Congress increased FY2023 annual
million compared with $29.0 million in FY2022. Federal
appropriations for Ecosystems by $29.3 million compared
Priority Streamgages, the “backbone” network of federal
with FY2022. Of this amount, Congress increased funding
streamgages, received $25.7 million compared with $25.2
for the National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science
million in FY2022. Cooperative Matching Funds for
Centers by $11.2 million above the FY2022 enacted level
activities across Water Resources received $66.5 million, a
of $51.9 million. (The FY2023 budget request was for an
$1.0 million increase from FY2022.
increase of $33.8 million.) These university-based centers
conduct research to help resource managers understand the
Core Science Systems Mission Area
impacts of climate change and develop climate adaptation
The Core Science Systems mission area focuses on
strategies. Also, cooperative research units received an
geologic, topographic, hydrographic, and biogeographic
increase of $2.2 million, to be used in part to establish a
mapping activities and supports science across the agency.
new research unit. Only the Land Management Research
The mission area also includes the National Land Imaging
program received decreased appropriations (by $3.3
Program, which operates Landsat satellites, among other
million) compared with FY2022.
activities. Congress increased FY2023 annual
appropriations for the mission area by $20.8 million
Energy and Mineral Resources Mission Area
compared with FY2022 annual appropriations. Within this
The Energy and Mineral Resources mission area includes
overall increase, the National Geospatial Program increased
scientific research and assessments related to energy and
by $6.1 million, of which $3.0 million was for the 3D
minerals. Congress increased FY2023 annual
Elevation Program to fund high-resolution topographic
appropriations for Energy and Minerals Resources by $9.0
elevation data on western federal lands, and National Land
million compared with FY2022 annual appropriations.
Imaging increased by $8.4 million, mostly for satellite
Under the Mineral Resources Program, Congress provided
operations. The explanatory statement accompanying
Earth MRI with $10.8 million (to be used along with
Division G of P.L. 117-328 did not specify what, if any,
funding provided by P.L. 117-58) and $5.0 million for
increase was provided for certain activities requested by the
research on mine waste as a potential critical mineral
Administration. For example, the FY2023 President’s
source. Under the Energy Resources Program, Congress
budget requested an increase of $85.0 million compared
provided $3.0 million for geologic carbon sequestration
with FY2022 annual appropriations, which mainly
research (i.e., researching the capture and storage of carbon
comprised funding for three initiatives: (1) decision support
in geologic formations).
tools for land management decisions regarding climate
response and resilience; (2) creation of an American
Natural Hazards Mission Area
Conservation and Stewardship Atlas, using the Protected
The Natural Hazards mission area provides scientific
Areas Database, to inform the Administration’s America
information to understand natural hazards and to help
the Beautiful Initiative; and (3) creation of a federal climate
mitigate, respond, and reduce risks. Congress increased
data portal by the Federal Geographic Data Committee.
FY2023 annual appropriations for Natural Hazards by
$14.3 million compared with the FY2022 enacted level.
Science Support and Facilities Budget Lines
This increase reflected an additional $5.5 million for
The Science Support budget line includes funding to
landslide hazards, including funds to establish a landslide
provide business services and information technology
hazards and assessment competitive grant program, and an
management. Congress increased FY2023 annual
additional $4.2 million for volcano hazards, including
appropriations for Science Support by $6.6 million
increased funding for the National Volcano Early Warning
compared with FY2022. This included a $1.5 million
and Monitoring System. Out of the $92.7 million that
increase for cloud and high-performance computing.
Congress provided for earthquake hazards, $28.6 million is
The Facilities budget line includes funding for rent, facility
to be used for continued development and expansion of the
operations and maintenance, and deferred maintenance and
ShakeAlert West Coast Earthquake Early Warning system
repair. For FY2023, Congress provided the amount
(same as FY2022). Congress increased Coastal and Marine
requested, an increase of $3.2 million from FY2022 annual
Hazards and Resources Program funding by $1.3 million
appropriations. Under this budget line, $29.0 million was
above the FY2022 enacted level, less than the $19.1 million
for continued construction of a laboratory in Hilo, HI, and a
increase requested by the President’s budget.
field station at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and $38.0
Water Resources Mission Area
million (in addition to the $167.0 million provided by the
IIJA) was for construction of the USGS Energy and
The Water Resources mission area monitors water
Minerals Research Facility in Golden, CO.
resources and conducts research and assessments to
improve water management. Congress increased FY2023
Anna E. Normand, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
annual appropriations for Water Resources by $18.5 million
compared with the FY2022 enacted level, including an
IF12097
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Background and FY2023 Appropriations

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