### §31. Director of United States Geological Survey

#### (a) Establishment of office; appointment and duties; examination of geological structure, mineral resources, and products of national domain; prohibitions in respect to lands and surveys

The Director of the United States Geological Survey, which office is established, under the Interior Department, shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. This officer 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 Director and members of the United States Geological Survey shall have no personal or private interests in the lands or mineral wealth of the region under survey, and shall execute no surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.

#### (b) Examination of geological structure, mineral resources, and products outside national domain

The authority of the Secretary of the Interior, exercised through the United States Geological Survey of the Department of the Interior, to examine the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain, is expanded to authorize such examinations outside the national domain where determined by the Secretary to be in the national interest.

(Mar. 3, 1879, ch. 182, 20 Stat. 394; Pub. L. 87–626, §§1, 2, Sept. 5, 1962, 76 Stat. 427; Pub. L. 93–608, §2(6), Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1971; Pub. L. 102–154, title I, Nov. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1000; Pub. L. 104–66, title I, §1081(e), Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 721.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Codification

Subsec. (a) of this section is from act Mar. 3, 1879. Subsecs. (b) and (c) of this section are sections 1 and 2, respectively, of Pub. L. 87–626.

Provisions of subsec. (a) of this section which limited the salary of the Director of the Geological Survey to $6,000 a year were omitted as obsolete. See section 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

#### Amendments

1995—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–66 struck out subsec. (c) which read as follows: "The Secretary of the Interior shall report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate on January 31 of each year on all actions taken pursuant to subsection (b) of this section during the year ending on the December 31 immediately preceding the reporting date and on the results of such actions."

1975—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93–608 substituted requirement of an annual report for requirement of a semiannual report.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Change of Name

Pub. L. 102–285, §10(a), May 18, 1992, 106 Stat. 171, provided that: "The Geological Survey established by the Act of March 3, 1879 (43 U.S.C. 31(a)), is designated as and shall hereafter [on and after May 18, 1992] be known as the United States Geological Survey."

"United States Geological Survey" substituted for "Geological Survey" in subsecs. (a) and (b) pursuant to provision of title I of Pub. L. 102–154, which provided: "That the Geological Survey (43 U.S.C. 31(a)) shall hereafter [on and after Nov. 13, 1991] be designated the United States Geological Survey."

#### Continental Scientific Drilling and Exploration

Pub. L. 100–441, Sept. 22, 1988, 102 Stat. 1760, provided: "That this Act may be cited as the 'Continental Scientific Drilling and Exploration Act'.

#### "SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

"The purpose of this Act is to—

"(1) implement section 323 of the joint resolution entitled 'Joint Resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1985, and for other purposes', approved October 12, 1984 (Public Law 98–473; 98 Stat. 1875) [set out below] which supports and encourages the development of a national Continental Scientific Drilling Program;

"(2) enhance fundamental understanding of the composition, structure, dynamics, and evolution of the continental crust, and how such processes affect natural phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, transfer of geothermal energy, distribution of mineral deposits, the occurrence of fossil fuels, and the nature and extent of aquifers;

"(3) advance basic earth sciences research and technological development;

"(4) obtain critical data regarding the earth's crust relating to isolation of hazardous wastes; and

"(5) develop a long-range plan for implementation of the Continental Scientific Drilling Program.

#### "SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

"Congress finds that—

"(1) because the earth provides energy, minerals, and water, and is used as a storage medium for municipal, chemical, and nuclear waste, an understanding of the processes and structures in the earth's crust is essential to the well being of the United States;

"(2) there is a need for developing long-range plans for a United States Continental Scientific Drilling Program; and

"(3) the Continental Scientific Drilling Program would enhance—

"(A) understanding of the crustal evolution of the earth and the mountain building processes;

"(B) understanding of the mechanisms of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and the development of improved techniques for prediction;

"(C) understanding of the development and utilization of geothermal and other energy sources and the formation of and occurrence of mineral deposits;

"(D) understanding of the migration of fluids in the earth's crust for evaluation of waste contamination and the development of more effective techniques for the safe subsurface disposal of hazardous wastes;

"(E) understanding and definition of the size, source, and more effective use of aquifers and other water resources; and

"(F) evaluation and verification of surface geophysical techniques needed for exploring and monitoring the earth's crust.

#### "SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTINENTAL SCIENTIFIC DRILLING PROGRAM.

"The Secretary of the Department of Energy, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior through the United States Geological Survey, and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall implement the policies of section 323 of the joint resolution entitled 'Joint Resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1985, and for other purposes', approved October 12, 1984 (Public Law 98–473; 98 Stat. 1875) [set out below] by—

"(1) taking such action as necessary to assure an effective, cooperative effort in furtherance of the Continental Scientific Drilling Program of the United States;

"(2) taking all reasonable administrative and financial measures to assure that the Interagency Accord on Continental Scientific Drilling continues to function effectively in support of such program;

"(3) assuring the continuing effective operation of the Interagency Coordinating Group to further the objectives of such program;

"(4) taking such action to assure that the Interagency Coordinating Group receives appropriate cooperation from any Federal agency that can contribute to the objectives of such program, without adversely affecting any program or activity of such agency;

"(5) acting through the Interagency Coordinating Group, preparing and submitting to the Congress, within one hundred and eighty days after the enactment of this Act [Sept. 22, 1988] a report describing—

"(A) long and short-term policy objectives and goals of the United States Continental Scientific Drilling Program;

"(B) projected schedules of desirable scientific and engineering events that would advance United States objectives in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program;

"(C) the levels of resources and funding for fiscal year 1989 that would be required by each participating Federal agency to carry out events pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B);

"(D) the scientific, economic, technological, and social benefits expected to be realized through the implementation of such program at each level described in subparagraph (C);

"(E) a recommended course for interaction with the international community in a cooperative effort to achieve the goals and purposes of this Act;

"(F) the extent of participation or interest shown to date in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program by—

"(i) any other governmental agency;

"(ii) any academic institution;

"(iii) any organization in the private sector; and

"(iv) any governmental or other entity in the international community;

"(G) a plan to develop beneficial cooperative relationships among the entities mentioned in subparagraph (F), to the extent that the Interagency Coordinating Group deems practicable; and

"(H) any other information or recommendations that the Interagency Coordinating Group deems appropriate; and

"(6) submitting to the Congress annually, beginning one year after the submission of a report under paragraph (5), a report describing the levels of resources and funding that would be required by each participating Federal agency for the next fiscal year to carry out events pursuant to paragraph (5)(A) and (B)."

[For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions of law requiring submittal to Congress of any annual, semiannual, or other regular periodic report listed in House Document No. 103–7 (in which a report required under section 4(6) of Pub. L. 100–441, set out above, is listed as the 10th item on page 149), see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, and section 1(a)(4) [div. A, §1402(1)] of Pub. L. 106–554, set out as notes under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance.]

Pub. L. 98–473, title I, §101(c) [title III, §323], Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 1837, 1875, provided that: "It is the sense of the Congress that the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an important national scientific endeavor, benefiting the commerce of the Nation, which should be vigorously pursued by Government and the private sector. The Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an important national scientific endeavor that is vital to the understanding of the geologic evolution of the Earth and the economic value of its resources; the most effective and efficient means of realizing the fullest potential in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is through a cooperative effort by the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey; many important commercial and scientific advances may result from the Continental Scientific Drilling Program; and many foreign nations are engaged in a comparable deep drilling program, and cooperation and coordination would be beneficial to United States efforts. It is the sense of the Congress that—

"(1) the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an important national scientific endeavor by the United States which should be enthusiastically implemented through a joint cooperative effort among the United States Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey;

"(2) the private sector should be encouraged to support the Continental Scientific Drilling Program and the participating agencies should solicit appropriate private sector participation in such program; and

"(3) the United States Government should cooperate to the extent practicable with the international community in developing this important scientific and technical activity."

#### **Executive Documents**

#### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out under section 1451 of this title.