National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1999

PUBLIC LAW 106-148
106th Congress
signed December 9, 1999

[the National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1997 was:
PUBLIC LAW 105-36
105th Congress
signed August 5, 1997]

[the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 was:
PUBLIC LAW 102-285
102d Congress
signed May 18, 1992]

An Act

To reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the "National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1999"

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TITLE 43. PUBLIC LANDS
CHAPTER 2. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

43 USCS § 31a

§ 31a. Findings and Purpose

(a) Findings

The Congress finds and declares that --

(A) exploration for and development of mineral, energy, and water resources;

(B) screening and characterizing sites for toxic and nuclear waste disposal;

(C) land use evaluation and planning for environmental protection;

(D) earthquake hazards reduction;

(E) predicting volcanic hazards;

(F) design and construction of infrastructure requirements such as utility lifelines, transportation corridors, and surface-water impoundments;

(G) reducing losses from landslides and other ground failures;

(H) mitigating effects of coastal and stream erosion;

(I) siting of critical facilities; and

(J) basic earth-science research;

(1) during the past 2 decades, the production of geologic maps has been drastically curtailed;

(2) geologic maps are the primary data base for virtually all applied and basic earth-science investigations, including --

(3) Federal agencies, State and local governments, private industry, and the general public depend on the information provided by geologic maps to determine the extent of potential environmental damage before embarking on projects that could lead to preventable, costly environmental problems or litigation;

(4) the combined capabilities of State, Federal, and academic groups to provide geologic mapping are not sufficient to meet the present and future needs of the United States for national security, environmental protection, and energy self-sufficiency of the Nation;

(5) States are willing to contribute 50 percent of the funding necessary to complete the mapping of the geology within the State;

(6) the lack of proper geologic maps has led to the poor design of such structures as dams and waste-disposal facilities;

(7) geologic maps have proven indispensable in the search for needed fossil-fuel and mineral resources;

(8) geologic map information is required for the sustainable and balanced development of natural resources of all types, including energy, minerals, land, water, and biological resources;

(9) advances in digital technology and geographical information system science have made geologic map databases increasingly important as decision support tools for land and resource management; and

(10) a comprehensive nationwide program of geologic mapping of surficial and bedrock deposits is required in order to systematically build the Nation's geologic-map data base at a pace that responds to increasing demand.

(b) Purpose

The purpose of sections 31a to 31h of this title is to expedite the production of a geologic-map data base for the Nation, to be located within the United States Geological Survey, which can be applied to land-use management, assessment, and utilization, conservation of natural resources, groundwater management, and environmental protection.

§ 31b. Definitions

In sections 31a to 31h of this title:

(1) Advisory committee -- The term "advisory committee" means the advisory committee established under section 31d of this title.

(2) Association -- The term "Association" means the Association of American State Geologists.

(3) Director -- The term "Director" means the Director of the United States Geological Survey.

(4) Education component -- The term "education component" means the education component of the geologic mapping program described in section 6(d)(3).

(5) Federal component -- The term "Federal component" means the Federal component of the geologic mapping program described in section 6(d)(1).

(6) Geologic mapping program -- The term "geologic mapping program" means the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program established by section 31c(a) of this title.

(7) Secretary -- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior.

(8) State -- The term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

(9) State component -- The term "State component" means the State component of the geologic mapping program described in section 6(d)(2).

(10) Survey -- The term "Survey" means the United States Geological Survey.

§ 31c. Geologic Mapping Program

(a) Establishment

(1) In general -- There is established a national cooperative geologic mapping program between the United States Geological Survey and the State geological surveys, acting through the Association.

(2) Design, development, and administration -- The cooperative geologic mapping program shall be --

(A) designed and administered to achieve the objectives set forth in subsection (c);

(B) developed in consultation with the advisory committee; and

(C) administered through the Survey.

(b) Responsibilities of the Survey

(1) Lead agency -- The Survey shall be the lead Federal agency responsible for planning, developing national priorities and standards for, coordinating, and managing the geologic mapping program. In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall--

(A) develop a 5-year strategic plan for the geologic mapping program in accordance with section 31e of this title, which plan shall be submitted to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate not later than 1 year after December 9, 1999;

(B) appoint, with the advice and consultation of the Association, the advisory committee not later than 1 year after December 9, 1999 in accordance with section 31d of this title; and

(C) not later than 3 years after December 9, 1999, and biennially thereafter, submit a report to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives identifying--

(i) how the Survey and the Association are coordinating the development and implementation of the geologic mapping program;

(ii) how the Survey and the Association establish goals, mapping priorities, and target dates for implementation of the geologic mapping program; and

(iii) how long-term staffing plans for the various components of the geologic mapping program affect successful implementation of the geologic mapping program.

(2) Responsibilities of the Secretary -- In addition to paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall be responsible for developing, as soon as practicable --

(A) in cooperation with the Association, other Federal and State agencies, public and private sector organizations and academia, the geologic-map data base; and

(B) maps and mapping techniques which achieve the objectives specified in subsection (c) of this section.

(c) Program objectives

The objectives of the geologic mapping program shall include --

(1) determining the Nation's geologic framework through systematic development of geologic maps at scales appropriate to the geologic setting and the perceived applications, such maps to be contributed to the national geologic map data base;

(2) development of a complementary national geophysical-map data base, geochemical-map data base, and a geochronologic and paleontologic data base that provide value-added descriptive and interpretative information to the geologic-map data base;

(3) application of cost-effective mapping techniques that assemble, produce, translate and disseminate geologic-map information and that render such information of greater application and benefit to the public; and

(4) development of public awareness of the role and application of geologic-map information to the resolution of national issues of land use management.

(d) Program components

(A) In general -- The geologic mapping program shall include a State geologic mapping component, the objective of which shall be to establish the geologic framework of areas determined to be vital to the economic, social, environmental, or scientific welfare of individual States.

(B) Mapping priorities -- For the State component, mapping priorities --

(i) shall be determined by State panels representing a broad range of users of geologic maps; and

(ii) shall be based on --

(I) State requirements for geologic map information in areas of multiple-issue need or areas of compelling single-issue need; and

(II) State requirements for geologic map information in areas where mapping is required to solve critical earth science problems.

(C) Integration of Federal and State priorities -- A national panel including representatives of the Survey shall integrate the State mapping priorities under this paragraph with the Federal mapping priorities under paragraph (1).

(D) Use of funds -- The Survey and recipients of grants under the State component shall not use more than 15.25 percent of the Federal funds made available under the State component for any fiscal year to pay indirect, servicing, or program management charges.

(E) Federal share -- The Federal share of the cost of activities under the State component for any fiscal year shall not exceed 50 percent.

(i) to provide for broad education in geologic mapping and field analysis through support of field studies; and

(ii) to develop academic programs that teach students of earth science the fundamental principles of geologic mapping and field analysis.

(i) shall be integrated with the Federal component and the State component; and

(ii) shall respond to mapping priorities identified for the Federal component and the State component.

(A) In general -- The geologic mapping program shall include a geologic mapping education component for the training of geologic mappers, the objectives of which shall be--

(B) Investigations -- The education component may include the conduct of investigations, which --

(C) Use of funds -- The Survey and recipients of grants under the education component shall not use more than 15.25 percent of the Federal funds made available under the education component for any fiscal year to pay indirect, servicing, or program management charges.

(D) Federal share -- The Federal share of the cost of activities under the education component for any fiscal year shall not exceed 50 percent.

(1) Federal component

(A) In general -- The geologic mapping program shall include a Federal geologic mapping component, the objective of which shall be to determine the geologic framework of areas determined to be vital to the economic, social, environmental, or scientific welfare of the United States.

(B) Mapping priorities -- For the Federal component, mapping priorities--

(i) shall be described in the 5-year plan under section 6; and

(ii) shall be based on --

(I) national requirements for geologic map information in areas of multiple-issue need or areas of compelling single-issue need; and

(II) national requirements for geologic map information in areas where mapping is required to solve critical earth science problems.

(C) Interdisciplinary studies

(I) establishment of a national geologic map database under section 31f of this title;

(II) studies that lead to the implementation of cost-effective digital methods for the acquisition, compilation,analysis, cartographic production, and dissemination of geologic map information;

(III) paleontologic, geochronologic, and isotopic investigations that provide information critical to understanding the age and history of geologic map units;

(IV) geophysical investigations that assist in delineating and mapping the physical characteristics and 3-dimensional distribution of geologic materials and geologic structures; and

(V) geochemical investigations and analytical operations that characterize the composition of geologic map units.

(i) In general -- The Federal component shall include interdisciplinary studies that add value to geologic mapping.

(ii) Representative categories -- Interdisciplinary studies under clause (i) may include --

(iii) Use of results -- The results of investigations under clause (ii) shall be contributed to national databases.

(2) State component

(3) Education component

§ 31d. Advisory Committee

(a) Establishment

(1) In general -- There shall be established a 10-member geologic mapping advisory committee to advise the Director on planning and implementation of the geologic mapping program.

(2) Members ex officio -- Federal agency members shall include the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency or a designee, the Secretary of Energy or a designee, the Secretary of Agriculture or a designee, and the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology or a designee.

(3) Appointed members -- Not later than 1 year after December 9, 1999, in consultation with the Association, the Secretary shall appoint to the advisory committee two representatives from the Survey (including the Chief Geologist, as Chairman), two representatives from the State geological surveys, one representative from academia, and one representative from the private sector.

(b) Duties

The advisory committee shall --

(1) review and update the 5-year plan prepared by the Director pursuant to section 31e of this title;

(2) review the scientific progress of the geologic mapping program; and

(3) submit an annual report to the Secretary that evaluates the progress of the Federal, State, and university mapping activities and evaluates the progress made toward fulfilling the purposes of sections 31c through 31f of this title.

§ 31e. Geologic Mapping Program 5-Year Plan

(a) In general

The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall, with the advice and review of the advisory committee, prepare a 5-year plan for the geologic mapping program.

(b) Requirements

The 5-year plan shall identify --

(I) Federal mission requirements for geologic map information;

(II) critical scientific problems that require geologic maps for their resolution; and

(III) shared Federal and State needs for geologic maps, in which joint Federal-State geologic mapping projects are in the national interest;

(I) specific intrastate needs for geologic map information; and

(II) interstate needs shared by adjacent States that have common requirements; and

(i) for the Federal component, a priority-setting mechanism that responds to --

(ii) for the State component, a priority-setting mechanism that responds to--

(iii) for the education component, a priority-setting mechanism that responds to requirements for geologic map information that are dictated by Federal and State mission requirements;

(i) ensure uniformity of cartographic and scientific conventions; and

(ii) provide a basis for assessing the comparability and quality of map products; and

(A) the role of the Survey in the capacity of overall management lead, including the responsibility for developing the national geologic mapping program that meets Federal needs while fostering State needs;

(B) the responsibilities of the State geological surveys, with emphasis on mechanisms that incorporate the needs, missions, capabilities, and requirements of the State geological surveys, into the nationwide geologic mapping program;

(C) Mechanisms for identifying short and long-term priorities for each component of the geologic mapping program, including --

(D) A mechanism for adopting scientific and technical mapping standards for preparing and publishing general and special-purpose geologic maps to --

(E) a mechanism for monitoring the inventory of published and current mapping investigations nationwide to facilitate planning and information exchange and to avoid redundancy.

(1) overall priorities for the geologic mapping program; and

(2) implementation of the overall management structure and operation of the geologic mapping program, including --

§ 31f. National Geologic Map Database

(a) Establishment

(1) In general -- The Survey shall establish a national geologic map database.

(2) Function -- The database shall serve as a national catalog and archive, distributed through links to Federal and State geologic map holdings, that includes --

(A) all maps developed under the Federal component and the education component;

(B) the databases developed in connection with investigations under subclauses (III), (IV), and (V) of section 31c(d)(1)(C)(ii) of this title; and

(C) other maps and data that the Survey and the Association consider appropriate.

(b) Standardization

(1) In general -- Geologic maps contributed to the national archives shall have format, symbols, and technical attributes that adhere to standards so that archival information can be accessed, exchanged, and compared efficiently and accurately, as required by Executive Order 12906 (59 Fed.Reg. 17,671 (1994)), which established the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.

(2) Development of standards -- Entities that contribute geologic maps to the national archives shall develop the standards described in paragraph (1) in cooperation with the Federal Geographic Data Committee, which is charged with standards development and other data coordination activities as described in Office of Management and Budget revised Circular A-16.

§ 31g. Biennial Report

Not later 3 years after December 9, 1999 and biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that --

(1) describes the status of the national geologic mapping program;

(2) describes and evaluates the progress achieved during the preceding 2 years in developing the national geologic map database; and

(3) includes any recommendations that the Secretary may have for legislative or other action to achieve the purposes of sections 31c through 31f of this title.

§ 31h. Authorization of Appropriations

(a) In general

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act --

(1) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 1999;

(2) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;

(3) $37,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;

(4) $43,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;

(5) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;

(6) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and

(7) $64,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.

(b) Allocation of appropriations

Of any amounts appropriated for any fiscal year in excess of the amount appropriated for fiscal year 2000 --

(1) 48 percent shall be available for the State component; and

(2) 2 percent shall be available for the education component.