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June 11, 2021
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2022 Budget Request
and Background
Background
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) aims to provide
unbiased scientific information to describe and understand
the geologicalprocesses of the Earth; minimize loss oflife
and property fromnatural dis asters; and support the
management ofwater, 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 federallands. The USGS also collects
scientific information forlong-termdata sets. These data
sets range fromsatellite imagery of land and ecosystem
features to streamflow and groundwater data.
Congress created theUSGS 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 ofthe USGS:
[The Director of the USGS] shall have the direction
of the United States Geological Survey, and the
classification of thepublic 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 related to ecosystems and
naturalhazards. The USGS conducts scientific activities
under interdisciplinary mission areas, and each mission area
has its own budget line. The USGS also has budgetlines for
Science Support (administrative activities and information)
and Facilities. Congress appropriates funds for the agency
through the annual Interior, Environment, and Related
Agencies appropriations acts.
FY2022 Budget Request
The President's budgetrequest for FY2022 USGS
appropriations is $1.624 billion, which is $327 million moe
than the FY2021 enactedlevel of$1.316 billion (a 23.4%
increase; Figure 1). The FY2022 request, if enacted, would
be the highest funding amount ever for the USGS.
In FY2021 appropriations (Division Gof P.L. 116-260),
CongressreducedUSGS mission areas fromsixto five by
eliminating the Land Resources mission area and
transferring its programs andfundingto othermission areas
(see Table 1). Congress also created new programs in the
Ecosystems mission area andretained the organization of
some of the mission areas (e.g., Water Resources). The
FY2022 requestreflects this new USGS restructuring, and
all miss ion areas would see increased funding under the
budgetrequest.
Figure 1. USGS Annual Appropriations from FY20 1 7
to FY202 I and FY2022 Budget Request
(nominal $, in millions)
$1,700 64
$1,500
$1,300 $1.149 $1,161
$1,100
$900
$700
S500
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Fiscal Year Request
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) with public law data.
Table I. USGS Funding: FY2020 and FY2021 Enacted
and FY2022 Budget Request
(nominal $, in millions)
Mission Area or FY2020 FY2021 FY2022
Budget Line Enacted Enacted Requested
Ecosystems 170.5 259.1 358.2
Land Resources 166.3 0.0 0.0
Energy and 1 1 3.5 90.0 140.0
Mineral Resources
Natural Hazards 170.9 175.5 207.7
Water Resources 234.1 263.1 288.4
Core Science 137.9 252.7 341.9
Systems
Science Support 96.8 95.7 121.4
Facilities 180.9 179.4 184.8
Total 1,271.0 1,315.5 1,642.4
Sources: FY2022 U.S. Geological Survey Budgetjustification, P.L.
1 16-94, and P.L. 1 16-260.
Notes: P.L. 116-260 eliminated Land Resources and transferred
funding forth ose activities to Core Science Systems and Ecosystems.
Table figures may not add to totals shown dueto rounding.
https://crs reports.congress.gc](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/govedqf0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)