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February 19, 2020
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2021 Appropriations
Process and Background
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) aims to provide
unbiased scientific information to describe and understand
the geological processes of the Earth; minimize loss of life
and property from natural disasters; and support the
management of water, biological, energy, and mineral
resources. The USGS is a scientific agency housed within
the Department of the Interior (DOI). In contrast to other
DOI bureaus, it has no regulatory authority and does not
manage any major federal lands. The USGS also collects
and stores scientific information in long-term data sets.
These data sets range from satellite imagery of land and
ecosystem features to streamflow and groundwater data.
Congress created the USGS in 1879 in a portion of a law
known as 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 beyond studying mineral
deposits and mapping. Presently, the USGS conducts
scientific activities under six interdisciplinary mission
areas: (1) Ecosystems; (2) Land Resources; (3) Energy,
Minerals, and Environmental Health; (4) Natural Hazards;
(5) Water Resources; and (6) Core Science Systems. Each
mission area has its own budget line. The USGS also has
budget lines for Science Support (administrative activities
and information) and Facilities. Congress appropriates
annual funds for the agency through the annual Interior,
Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations acts.
The President's budget request for FY2021 USGS
appropriations is $971.2 million, which is $299.8 million
less than the FY2020 enacted level of $1,271.0 million (a
23.6% reduction; Figure 1). The FY2021 request, if
enacted, would be the lowest funding amount for the USGS
since the FY2006 enacted level of $965.3 million. The
request proposes restructuring the USGS from six to five
mission areas and reorganizing mission areas with new
programs. The request also includes changing the structure
of the USGS Director's Office-splitting the deputy
director position into two deputy positions (i.e., one for
operations and one for administration and policy) and
establishing a new chief scientist position.
Figure I. USGS Annual Appropriations, FY2016-
FY2020 and FY2021 Request
(nominal $, in millions)
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Fiscal Year
Sources: Congressional Research Service (CRS) using data from
public laws and U.S. Department of the Interior, Budget Justifications
and Performance Information, FY202 1, U.S. Geological Survey.
Under the FY2021 request, all mission areas and budget
lines, besides Core Science Systems, would receive
reductions in funding from FY2020 enacted levels (Table
1). (Core Science Systems would receive a net reduction
when discounting the transfer of the National Land Imaging
Program from Land Resources to this account.) The largest
reductions from the FY2020 enacted levels would be for the
Ecosystems Mission Area (approximately 25%) and
Facilities (approximately 29%).
Table I. USGS Funding: FY2019 Enacted, FY2020
Enacted, and FY2021 Request
(nominal $, in millions)
Mission Area or FY2019 FY2020 FY202 I
Budget Line Enacted Enacted Request
Ecosystems
Land Resources
Energy, Minerals, and
Environmental Health
Natural Hazards
Water Resources
Core Science Systems
Science Support
156.9
158.3
111.7
166.3
226.3
117.9
102.8
170.5
166.3
113.5
170.9
234.1
127.3
0
91.2
138.0
180.8
137.9 212.0
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