News
National News Releases
Browse through a comprehensive list of all national USGS news items.
New USGS Analysis of Wind Turbine Upgrades Shows No Impact on Wildlife Mortality
CORVALLIS, ORE. – Reduction in wildlife mortality rates is sometimes cited as a potential benefit to the replacement of older, smaller turbines by larger, next generation turbines. In contrast, others have expressed concern that newer, larger turbines may actually increase bird and bat deaths.
Low Risk of Researchers Passing Coronavirus to North American Bats
The risk is low that scientists could pass coronavirus to North American bats during winter research, according to a new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey.
New Research Highlights Decline of Greater Sage-Grouse in the American West, Provides Roadmap to Aid Conservation
RESTON, Va. – Greater sage-grouse populations have declined significantly over the last six decades, with an 80% rangewide decline since 1965 and a nearly 40% decline since 2002, according to a new report by the U.S. Geological Survey. Although the overall trend clearly shows continued population declines over the entire range of the species, rates of change vary regionally.
Drought May Lead to Elevated Levels of Naturally Occurring Arsenic in Private Domestic Wells
An estimated 4.1 million people in the lower 48 states are potentially exposed to arsenic levels that exceed EPA’s drinking water standards
Parts of US’s Southernmost States will “Tropicalize” as Climate Changes
Cold-sensitive plants, animals moving north due to fewer, weaker winter freezes
New Report Highlights Declining Sagebrush Ecosystem, Provides Foundation for Next Generation of Conservation and Management
Fort Collins, CO – Considered one of the most imperiled ecosystems in the world and home to mule deer, pronghorn, sage-grouse, pygmy rabbits and more than 350 other species of conservation concern, the sagebrush ecosystem continues to shrink rapidly due to a host of growing threats, according to a new scientific report.
Loss of Scientific Integrity Finding at USGS National Water Quality Lab
Background Information
New USGS Strategy Harnesses State-of-the-Art Science to Tackle Wildfires Before, During and After the Flames
To help address growing wildfire-related challenges in America, the U.S. Geological Survey is rolling out a new Wildland Fire Science Strategy that lays out the critical needs for wildfire research over the next five years. Released today, this strategy can be used to better understand the balance between fire’s benefits and its detrimental impacts.
USGS Study on Threatened Coral Can Guide Reef Restoration
Nursery-grown elkhorn coral transplanted into Dry Tortugas National Park survived and thrived, growing twice as fast as corals planted in other locations in the Florida Keys, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study published in Endangered Species Research.
USGS Releases Estimate of Natural Gas in Alaska's Western North Slope
USGS provides its first estimate of conventional natural gas resources in rock formations west of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The rock formations in this region are believed to contain no recoverable oil deposits, so no assessment was made of those resources in this study.
US Mines Produced an Estimated $82.3 Billion in Minerals During 2020
U.S. mines produced approximately $82.3 billion in minerals in 2020— about $1.5 billion lower than the 2019 revised total of $83.7 billion—the U.S. Geological Survey announced February 2.
Federal Agencies Partner to Strengthen ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning Capacity Along the West Coast
A lone solar panel in the middle of California’s largest national forest is powering a seismometer able to detect Earth’s vibrations, a piece of the puzzle necessary to help protect life and property by providing critical seconds of warning that an earthquake is occurring and shaking is imminent.