I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1528

To reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 22, 1999

Mrs. CUBIN (for herself, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. GIBBONS,

Mr. TANCREDO, and Mr. UDALL of Colorado) introduced the following

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

A BILL

To reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping

Act of 1992.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Geologic

5 Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1999’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Section 2(a) of the National Geologic Mapping Act

8 of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31a(a)) is amended—

9 (1) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the

10 end;
2

•HR 1528 IH

1 (2) by redesignating paragraph (8) as para2 graph (10);

3 (3) by inserting after paragraph (7) the fol4 lowing:

5 ‘‘(8) geologic map information is required for

6 the sustainable and balanced development of natural

7 resources of all types, including energy, minerals,

8 land, water, and biological resources;

9 ‘‘(9) advances in digital technology and geo10 graphical information system science have made geo11 logic map databases increasingly important as deci12 sion support tools for land and resource manage13 ment; and’’; and

14 (4) in paragraph (10) (as redesignated by para15 graph (2)), by inserting ‘‘of surficial and bedrock de16 posits’’ after ‘‘geologic mapping’’.

17 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

18 Section 3 of the National Geologic Mapping Act of

19 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31b) is amended—

20 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), (6),

21 and (7) as paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and (10), re22 spectively;

23 (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol24 lowing:
3

•HR 1528 IH

1 ‘‘(4) EDUCATION COMPONENT.—The term ‘edu2 cation component’ means the education component

3 of the geologic mapping program described in sec4 tion 6(d)(3).

5 ‘‘(5) FEDERAL COMPONENT.—The term ‘Fed6 eral component’ means the Federal component of

7 the geologic mapping program described in section

8 6(d)(1).’’; and

9 (3) by inserting after paragraph (8) (as redesig10 nated by paragraph (1)) the following:

11 ‘‘(9) STATE COMPONENT.—The term ‘State

12 component’ means the State component of the geo13 logic mapping program described in section

14 6(d)(2).’’.

15 SEC. 4. GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM.

16 Section 4 of the National Geologic Mapping Act of

17 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31c) is amended—

18 (1) in subsection (b)(1)—

19 (A) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘pri20 orities’’ and inserting ‘‘national priorities and

21 standards for’’;

22 (B) in subparagraph (A)—

23 (i) by striking ‘‘develop a geologic

24 mapping program implementation plan’’

25 and inserting ‘‘develop a 5-year strategic
4

•HR 1528 IH

1 plan for the geologic mapping program’’;

2 and

3 (ii) by striking ‘‘within 300 days after

4 the date of enactment of the National Geo5 logic Mapping Reauthorization Act of

6 1997’’ and inserting ‘‘not later than 1 year

7 after the date of enactment of the National

8 Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of

9 1999’’;

10 (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking

11 ‘‘within 90 days after the date of enactment of

12 the National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization

13 Act of 1997’’ and inserting ‘‘not later than 1

14 year after the date of enactment of the Na15 tional Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of

16 1999’’; and

17 (D) in subparagraph (C)—

18 (i) in the matter preceding clause (i),

19 by striking ‘‘within 210 days after the date

20 of enactment of the National Geologic

21 Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1997’’

22 and inserting ‘‘not later than 3 years after

23 the date of enactment of the National Geo24 logic Mapping Reauthorization Act of

25 1999, and biennially thereafter’’;
5

•HR 1528 IH

1 (ii) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘will co2 ordinate’’ and inserting ‘‘are coordi3 nating’’;

4 (iii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘will es5 tablish’’ and inserting ‘‘establish’’; and

6 (iv) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘will

7 lead to’’ and inserting ‘‘affect’’; and

8 (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the

9 following:

10 ‘‘(d) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—

11 ‘‘(1) FEDERAL COMPONENT.—

12 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The geologic mapping

13 program shall include a Federal geologic map14 ping component, the objective of which shall be

15 to determine the geologic framework of areas

16 determined to be vital to the economic, social,

17 environmental, or scientific welfare of the

18 United States.

19 ‘‘(B) MAPPING PRIORITIES.—For the Fed20 eral component, mapping priorities—

21 ‘‘(i) shall be described in the 5-year

22 plan under section 6; and

23 ‘‘(ii) shall be based on—

24 ‘‘(I) national requirements for

25 geologic map information in areas of
6

•HR 1528 IH

1 multiple-issue need or areas of com2 pelling single-issue need; and

3 ‘‘(II) national requirements for

4 geologic map information in areas

5 where mapping is required to solve

6 critical earth science problems.

7 ‘‘(C) INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES.—

8 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Federal com9 ponent shall include interdisciplinary stud10 ies that add value to geologic mapping.

11 ‘‘(ii) REPRESENTATIVE CAT12 EGORIES.—Interdisciplinary studies under

13 clause (i) may include—

14 ‘‘(I) establishment of a national

15 geologic map database under section

16 7;

17 ‘‘(II) studies that lead to the im18 plementation of cost-effective digital

19 methods for the acquisition, compila20 tion, analysis, cartographic produc21 tion, and dissemination of geologic

22 map information;

23 ‘‘(III) paleontologic, geochrono24 logic, and isotopic investigations that

25 provide information critical to under-
7

•HR 1528 IH

1 standing the age and history of geo2 logic map units;

3 ‘‘(IV) geophysical investigations

4 that assist in delineating and mapping

5 the physical characteristics and 3-di6 mensional distribution of geologic ma7 terials and geologic structures; and

8 ‘‘(V) geochemical investigations

9 and analytical operations that charac10 terize the composition of geologic map

11 units.

12 ‘‘(iii) USE OF RESULTS.—The results

13 of investigations under clause (ii) shall be

14 contributed to national databases.

15 ‘‘(2) STATE COMPONENT.—

16 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The geologic mapping

17 program shall include a State geologic mapping

18 component, the objective of which shall be to es19 tablish the geologic framework of areas deter20 mined to be vital to the economic, social, envi21 ronmental, or scientific welfare of individual

22 States.

23 ‘‘(B) MAPPING PRIORITIES.—For the State

24 component, mapping priorities—
8

•HR 1528 IH

1 ‘‘(i) shall be determined by State pan2 els representing a broad range of users of

3 geologic maps; and

4 ‘‘(ii) shall be based on—

5 ‘‘(I) State requirements for geo6 logic map information in areas of mul7 tiple-issue need or areas of compelling

8 single-issue need; and

9 ‘‘(II) State requirements for geo10 logic map information in areas where

11 mapping is required to solve critical

12 earth science problems.

13 ‘‘(C) INTEGRATION OF FEDERAL AND

14 STATE PRIORITIES.—A national panel including

15 representatives of the Survey shall integrate the

16 State mapping priorities under this paragraph

17 with the Federal mapping priorities under para18 graph (1).

19 ‘‘(D) USE OF FUNDS.—The Survey and re20 cipients of grants under the State component

21 shall not use more than 15.25 percent of the

22 Federal funds made available under the State

23 component for any fiscal year to pay indirect,

24 servicing, or program management charges.
9

•HR 1528 IH

1 ‘‘(E) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal

2 share of the cost of activities under the State

3 component for any fiscal year shall not exceed

4 50 percent.

5 ‘‘(3) EDUCATION COMPONENT.—

6 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The geologic mapping

7 program shall include a geologic mapping edu8 cation component for the training of geologic

9 mappers, the objectives of which shall be—

10 ‘‘(i) to provide for broad education in

11 geologic mapping and field analysis

12 through support of field studies; and

13 ‘‘(ii) to develop academic programs

14 that teach students of earth science the

15 fundamental principles of geologic mapping

16 and field analysis.

17 ‘‘(B) INVESTIGATIONS.—The education

18 component may include the conduct of inves19 tigations, which—

20 ‘‘(i) shall be integrated with the Fed21 eral component and the State component;

22 and

23 ‘‘(ii) shall respond to mapping prior24 ities identified for the Federal component

25 and the State component.
10

•HR 1528 IH

1 ‘‘(C) USE OF FUNDS.—The Survey and re2 cipients of grants under the education compo3 nent shall not use more than 15.25 percent of

4 the Federal funds made available under the

5 education component for any fiscal year to pay

6 indirect, servicing, or program management

7 charges.

8 ‘‘(D) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal

9 share of the cost of activities under the edu10 cation component for any fiscal year shall not

11 exceed 50 percent.’’.

12 SEC. 5. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

13 Section 5 of the National Geologic Mapping Act of

14 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31d) is amended—

15 (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ‘‘90 days

16 after the date of enactment of the National Geologic

17 Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1997’’ and insert18 ing ‘‘1 year after the date of enactment of the Na19 tional Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of

20 1999’’; and

21 (2) in subsection (b)—

22 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘critique

23 the draft implementation plan’’ and inserting

24 ‘‘update the 5-year plan’’; and
11

•HR 1528 IH

1 (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘this

2 Act’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 4 through 7’’.

3 SEC. 6. GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM 5-YEAR PLAN.

4 The National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 is

5 amended by striking section 6 (43 U.S.C. 31e) and insert6 ing the following:

7 ‘‘SEC. 6. GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM 5-YEAR PLAN.

8 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through

9 the Director, shall, with the advice and review of the advi10 sory committee, prepare a 5-year plan for the geologic

11 mapping program.

12 ‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The 5-year plan shall

13 identify—

14 ‘‘(1) overall priorities for the geologic mapping

15 program; and

16 ‘‘(2) implementation of the overall management

17 structure and operation of the geologic mapping pro18 gram, including—

19 ‘‘(A) the role of the Survey in the capacity

20 of overall management lead, including the re21 sponsibility for developing the national geologic

22 mapping program that meets Federal needs

23 while fostering State needs;

24 ‘‘(B) the responsibilities of the State geo25 logical surveys, with emphasis on mechanisms
12

•HR 1528 IH

1 that incorporate the needs, missions, capabili2 ties, and requirements of the State geological

3 surveys, into the nationwide geologic mapping

4 program;

5 ‘‘(C) mechanisms for identifying short- and

6 long-term priorities for each component of the

7 geologic mapping program, including—

8 ‘‘(i) for the Federal component, a pri9 ority-setting mechanism that responds to—

10 ‘‘(I) Federal mission require11 ments for geologic map information;

12 ‘‘(II) critical scientific problems

13 that require geologic maps for their

14 resolution; and

15 ‘‘(III) shared Federal and State

16 needs for geologic maps, in which

17 joint Federal-State geologic mapping

18 projects are in the national interest;

19 ‘‘(ii) for the State component, a pri20 ority-setting mechanism that responds to—

21 ‘‘(I) specific intrastate needs for

22 geologic map information; and

23 ‘‘(II) interstate needs shared by

24 adjacent States that have common re25 quirements; and
13

•HR 1528 IH

1 ‘‘(iii) for the education component, a

2 priority-setting mechanism that responds

3 to requirements for geologic map informa4 tion that are dictated by Federal and State

5 mission requirements;

6 ‘‘(D) a mechanism for adopting scientific

7 and technical mapping standards for preparing

8 and publishing general- and special-purpose

9 geologic maps to—

10 ‘‘(i) ensure uniformity of cartographic

11 and scientific conventions; and

12 ‘‘(ii) provide a basis for assessing the

13 comparability and quality of map products;

14 and

15 ‘‘(E) a mechanism for monitoring the in16 ventory of published and current mapping in17 vestigations nationwide to facilitate planning

18 and information exchange and to avoid redun19 dancy.’’.

20 SEC. 7. NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAP DATABASE.

21 Section 7 of the National Geologic Mapping Act of

22 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31f) is amended by striking the section

23 heading and all that follows through subsection (a) and

24 inserting the following:
14

•HR 1528 IH

1 ‘‘SEC. 7. NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAP DATABASE.

2 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—

3 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Survey shall establish

4 a national geologic map database.

5 ‘‘(2) FUNCTION.—The database shall serve as a

6 national catalog and archive, distributed through

7 links to Federal and State geologic map holdings,

8 that includes—

9 ‘‘(A) all maps developed under the Federal

10 component and the education component;

11 ‘‘(B) the databases developed in connection

12 with investigations under subclauses (III), (IV),

13 and (V) of section 4(d)(1)(C)(ii); and

14 ‘‘(C) other maps and data that the Survey

15 and the Association consider appropriate.’’.

16 SEC. 8. BIENNIAL REPORT.

17 The National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 is

18 amended by striking section 8 (43 U.S.C. 31g) and insert19 ing the following:

20 ‘‘SEC. 8. BIENNIAL REPORT.

21 ‘‘Not later 3 years after the date of enactment of the

22 National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1999

23 and biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the

24 Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives

25 and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of

26 the Senate a report that—
15

•HR 1528 IH

1 ‘‘(1) describes the status of the national geo2 logic mapping program;

3 ‘‘(2) describes and evaluates the progress

4 achieved during the preceding 2 years in developing

5 the national geologic map database; and

6 ‘‘(3) includes any recommendations that the

7 Secretary may have for legislative or other action to

8 achieve the purposes of sections 4 through 7.’’.

9 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

10 The National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 is

11 amended by striking section 9 (43 U.S.C. 31h) and insert12 ing the following:

13 ‘‘SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

14 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be ap15 propriated to carry out this Act—

16 ‘‘(1) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 1999;

17 ‘‘(2) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;

18 ‘‘(3) $37,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;

19 ‘‘(4) $43,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;

20 ‘‘(5) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;

21 ‘‘(6) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and

22 ‘‘(7) $64,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.

23 ‘‘(b) ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Of any

24 amounts appropriated for any fiscal year in excess of the

25 amount appropriated for fiscal year 2000—
16

•HR 1528 IH

1 ‘‘(1) 48 percent shall be available for the State

2 component; and

3 ‘‘(2) 2 percent shall be available for the edu4 cation component.’’.

Æ