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1 1 (May 7, 2018)

handle is hein.crs/govzfh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Cogesoa Resarc Servic S May 7, 2018 The U.S. Geological Survey: FY2019 Appropriations and Background Background 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; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect the nation's quality of life. USGS is a scientific agency that is housed within the Department of the Interior (DOI). Its primary mission is conducting science; it has no regulatory authority and does not manage any significant area of federal land. USGS also collects and stores scientific information in long-term continuous data sets. These data sets range from satellite imagery of land and ecosystem features to streamflow data of major rivers and streams. Congress authorized the creation of USGS in an appropriations bill that passed on March 3, 1879, and became known as the USGS Organic Act (43 U.S.C. §31). Specifically, the Organic Act states that 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. The USGS's scope has expanded over time from its early activities of studying mineral deposits and mapping. Presently, USGS conducts scientific activities under six interdisciplinary program areas: (1) Ecosystems, (2) Land Resources, (3) Energy and Minerals, (4) Natural Hazards, (5) Water Resources, and (6) Core Science Systems. USGS also has budget lines for Science Support (administrative activities and information) and Facilities (sites where USGS activities are housed). The agency generally is funded through the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations laws. Congress may be interested in USGS because many USGS activities have both nationwide and regional policy implications. USGS often partners with stakeholders in its monitoring and scientific endeavors and contributes scientific knowledge to seminal policy decisions, such as the listing of species under the Endangered Species Act. This In Focus will cover FY2019 appropriations for USGS and present selected issues Congress might consider. Appropriations The President's budget request for FY2019 USGS appropriations is $859.7 million, which is $225 million less than the FY2018-enacted level of $1,148.5 million (a 25% reduction). The USGS budget request for FY2019 and FY2017- and FY2018-enacted appropriations are in Table 1. Table I. USGS Funding FY2017-FY2019 Request (in $millions) FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 Program Area Enacted Enacted Request Ecosystems 159.7 157.7 96.1 Land Resources 149.3 152.5 103.2 Energy and Minerals 94.3 102.8 84.1 Natural Hazards 145.0 178.6 117.3 Water Resources 214.7 217.6 164.9 Core Science Systems 116.0 116.3 92.3 Science Support 105.6 102.8 89.2 Facilities 100.4 120.1 1 12.4 Total 1,085.2 1,148.5 859.7 Sources: U.S. Department of Interior Budget justifications and Performance Information, FY2019, U.S. Geological Survey; P.L. 115- 141; and P.L. 115-31. The FY2019 request, if enacted, would be the lowest funding amount for USGS in the last several years (Figure 1). All program areas under USGS would receive reductions in funding from FY2018-enacted levels if the budget request were enacted. The largest reductions would be for the Ecosystems Program Area (approximately 40%) and the Land Resources Program Area (approximately 34%). The budget request also proposes to eliminate or reduce funding in several programs and increase funding to others. The Administration stated that these reductions were proposed to address higher-priority funding needs. The following sections discuss selected changes to some USGS program areas. Ecosystems Program Area The Cooperative Research Units (CRU) Program is one of the activities proposed for elimination under the Ecosystems Program Area (CRUs received $17.3 million in FY2018). CRUs are intended to enhance graduate education in fisheries and wildlife science through research partnerships with the USGS, a state natural resource agency, a university, and other stakeholders. The Administration's request also would reduce $12.6 million from the Environments Program (a 34.6% reduction from FY2018). This program supports research on large-scale ecosystems, such as in the Chesapeake Bay and the Everglades. https://crsreports.congress go

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