105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 709

AN ACT

To reauthorize and amend the National Geologic

Mapping Act of 1992, and for other purposes.
105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 709

AN ACT

To reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping

Act of 1992, and for other purposes.

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

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

3 Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1997’’.

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

5 Congress finds that—

6 (1) in enacting the National Geologic Mapping

7 Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31a et seq.), Congress

8 found, among other things, that—

9 (A) during the 2 decades preceding enact10 ment of that Act, the production of geologic

11 maps had been drastically curtailed;

12 (B) geologic maps are the primary data

13 base for virtually all applied and basic earth14 science investigations;

15 (C) Federal agencies, State and local gov16 ernments, private industry, and the general

17 public depend on the information provided by

18 geologic maps to determine the extent of poten19 tial environmental damage before embarking on

20 projects that could lead to preventable, costly

21 environmental problems or litigation;

22 (D) the lack of proper geologic maps has

23 led to the poor design of such structures as

24 dams and waste-disposal facilities;
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1 (E) geologic maps have proven indispen2 sable in the search for needed fossil fuel and

3 mineral resources; and

4 (F) a comprehensive nationwide program

5 of geologic mapping is required in order to sys6 tematically build the Nation’s geologic-map

7 data base at a pace that responds to increasing

8 demand;

9 (2) the geologic mapping program called for by

10 that Act has not been fully implemented; and

11 (3) it is time for this important program to be

12 fully implemented.

13 SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION AND AMENDMENT.

14 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 3 of the National Geo15 logic Mapping Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31b) is amended—

16 (1) by striking ‘‘As used in this Act:’’ and in17 serting ‘‘In this Act:’’;

18 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), (4),

19 and (5) as paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (7), respec20 tively;

21 (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the follow22 ing:

23 ‘‘(2) ASSOCIATION.—The term ‘Association’

24 means the Association of American State Geolo25 gists.’’;
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1 (4) by inserting after paragraph (5) (as redesig2 nated by paragraph (2) of this subsection) the fol3 lowing new paragraph:

4 ‘‘(6) STATE.—The term ‘State’ includes the

5 District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto

6 Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

7 Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Is8 lands.’’; and

9 (5) in each paragraph that does not have a

10 heading, by inserting a heading, in the same style as

11 the heading in paragraph (2), as added by para12 graph (3), the text of which is comprised of the term

13 defined in the paragraph.

14 (b) GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM.—Section 4 of the

15 National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31c)

16 is amended—

17 (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the

18 following:

19 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—

20 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established a na21 tional cooperative geologic mapping program be22 tween the United States Geological Survey and the

23 State geological surveys, acting through the Associa24 tion.
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1 ‘‘(2) DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND ADMINIS2 TRATION.—The cooperative geologic mapping pro3 gram shall be—

4 ‘‘(A) designed and administered to achieve

5 the objectives set forth in subsection (c);

6 ‘‘(B) developed in consultation with the ad7 visory committee; and

8 ‘‘(C) administered through the Survey.’’;

9 (2) in subsection (b)—

10 (A) in the subsection heading by striking

11 ‘‘USGS’’ and inserting ‘‘THE SURVEY’’;

12 (B) in paragraph (1)—

13 (i) by single-indenting the paragraph,

14 double-indenting the subparagraphs, and

15 triple indenting the clauses;

16 (ii) by inserting ‘‘LEAD AGENCY.—’’

17 before ‘‘The Survey’’;

18 (iii) in subparagraph (A)—

19 (I) by striking ‘‘Committee on

20 Natural Resources’’ and inserting

21 ‘‘Committee on Resources’’; and

22 (II) by striking ‘‘date of enact23 ment of this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘date

24 of enactment of the National Geologic
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1 Mapping Reauthorization Act of

2 1997’’;

3 (iv) in subparagraph (B)—

4 (I) by striking ‘‘State geological

5 surveys’’ and inserting ‘‘Association’’;

6 and

7 (II) by striking ‘‘date of enact8 ment of this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘date

9 of enactment of the National Geologic

10 Mapping Reauthorization Act of

11 1997’’; and

12 (v) in subparagraph (C)—

13 (I) by striking ‘‘date of enact14 ment of this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘date

15 of enactment of the National Geologic

16 Mapping Reauthorization Act of

17 1997’’;

18 (II) by striking ‘‘Committee on

19 Natural Resources’’ and inserting

20 ‘‘Committee on Resources’’;

21 (III) in clauses (i) and (ii) by in22 serting ‘‘and the Association’’ after

23 ‘‘the Survey’’;

24 (IV) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end

25 of clause (ii); and
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1 (V) by striking ‘‘; and’’ at the

2 end of clause (iii) and all that follows

3 through the end of the subparagraph

4 and inserting a period;

5 (C) in paragraph (2)—

6 (i) by inserting ‘‘RESPONSIBILITIES

7 OF THE SECRETARY.—’’ before ‘‘In addi8 tion to’’; and

9 (ii) in subparagraph (A) by striking

10 ‘‘State geological surveys’’ and inserting

11 ‘‘Association’’; and

12 (D) by single-indenting the paragraph and

13 double-indenting the subparagraphs;

14 (3) in subsection (c)—

15 (A) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘interpre16 tive’’ and inserting ‘‘interpretative’’; and

17 (B) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘aware18 ness for’’ and inserting ‘‘awareness of’’; and

19 (4) in subsection (d)—

20 (A) in paragraph (1) by inserting ‘‘FED21 ERAL COMPONENT.—’’ before ‘‘A Federal’’;

22 (B) in paragraph (2)—

23 (i) by inserting ‘‘SUPPORT COMPO24 NENT.—’’ before ‘‘A geologic’’; and
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1 (ii) by striking subparagraph (D) and

2 inserting the following:

3 ‘‘(D) geochronologic and isotopic investiga4 tions that—

5 ‘‘(i) provide radiometric age dates for

6 geologic-map units; and

7 ‘‘(ii) fingerprint the geothermometry,

8 geobarometry, and alteration history of

9 geologic-map units,

10 which investigations shall be contributed to a

11 national geochronologic data base;’’;

12 (C) in paragraph (3) by inserting ‘‘STATE

13 COMPONENT.—’’ before ‘‘A State’’; and

14 (D) by striking paragraph (4) and insert15 ing the following:

16 ‘‘(4) EDUCATION COMPONENT.—A geologic

17 mapping education component—

18 ‘‘(A) the objectives of which shall be—

19 ‘‘(i) to develop the academic programs

20 that teach earth-science students the fun21 damental principles of geologic mapping

22 and field analysis; and

23 ‘‘(ii) to provide for broad education in

24 geologic mapping and field analysis

25 through support of field studies;
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1 ‘‘(B) investigations under which shall be

2 integrated with the other mapping components

3 of the geologic mapping program and shall re4 spond to priorities identified for those compo5 nents; and

6 ‘‘(C) Federal funding for which shall be

7 matched by non-Federal sources on a 1-to-1

8 basis.’’.

9 (c) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—Section 5 of the Na10 tional Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31d) is

11 amended—

12 (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the

13 following:

14 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There shall be established

16 a 10-member geologic mapping advisory committee

17 to advise the Director on planning and implementa18 tion of the geologic mapping program.

19 ‘‘(2) MEMBERS EX OFFICIO.—Federal agency

20 members shall include the Administrator of the En21 vironmental Protection Agency or a designee, the

22 Secretary of Energy or a designee, the Secretary of

23 Agriculture or a designee, and the Assistant to the

24 President for Science and Technology or a designee.
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1 ‘‘(3) APPOINTED MEMBERS.—Not later than 90

2 days after the date of enactment of the National

3 Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1997, in

4 consultation with the Association, the Secretary shall

5 appoint to the advisory committee 2 representatives

6 from the Survey (including the Chief Geologist, as

7 Chairman), 2 representatives from the State geologi8 cal surveys, 1 representative from academia, and 1

9 representative from the private sector.’’; and

10 (2) in subsection (b)(3) by striking ‘‘and State’’

11 and inserting ‘‘, State, and university’’.

12 (d) GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

13 PLAN.—Section 6 of the National Geologic Mapping Act

14 of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31e) is amended—

15 (1) in paragraph (1) by inserting ‘‘cooperative’’

16 after ‘‘national’’;

17 (2) by striking paragraph (3)(C) and inserting

18 the following:

19 ‘‘(C) for the State geologic mapping com20 ponent, a priority-setting mechanism that re21 sponds to—

22 ‘‘(i) specific intrastate needs for geo23 logic-map information; and
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1 ‘‘(ii) interstate needs shared by adja2 cent entities that have common require3 ments; and’’;

4 (3) by striking paragraphs (4) and (5) and in5 serting the following:

6 ‘‘(4) a mechanism for adopting scientific and

7 technical mapping standards for preparing and pub8 lishing general-purpose and special-purpose geologic

9 maps to—

10 ‘‘(A) ensure uniformity of cartographic and

11 scientific conventions; and

12 ‘‘(B) provide a basis for judgment as to

13 the comparability and quality of map products;

14 and’’; and

15 (4) by redesignating paragraph (6) as para16 graph (5).

17 (e) NATIONAL GEOLOGIC-MAP DATA BASE.—Section

18 7 of the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 (43

19 U.S.C. 31f) is amended by striking subsection (b) and in20 serting the following:

21 ‘‘(b) STANDARDIZATION.—

22 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Geologic maps contributed

23 to the national archives shall have format, symbols,

24 and technical attributes that adhere to standards so
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1 that archival information can be accessed, ex2 changed, and compared efficiently and accurately, as

3 required by Executive Order 12906 (59 Fed. Reg.

4 17,671 (1994)), which established the National Spa5 tial Data Infrastructure.

6 ‘‘(2) DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS.—Entities

7 that contribute geologic maps to the national ar8 chives shall develop the standards described in para9 graph (1) in cooperation with the Federal Geo10 graphic Data Committee, which is charged with

11 standards development and other data coordination

12 activities as described in Office of Management and

13 Budget revised Circular A–16.’’.

14 (f) ANNUAL REPORT.—Section 8 of the National

15 Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31g) is amend16 ed in the first sentence—

17 (1) by striking ‘‘Committee on Natural Re18 sources’’ and inserting ‘‘Committee on Resources’’;

19 and

20 (2) by striking ‘‘program, and describing and

21 evaluating progress’’ and inserting ‘‘program and

22 describing and evaluating the progress’’.

23 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section

24 9 of the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 (43

25 U.S.C. 31h) is amended to read as follows:
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1 ‘‘SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be ap3 propriated to carry out the national cooperative geologic

4 mapping program under this Act—

5 ‘‘(1) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 1998;

6 ‘‘(2) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 1999; and

7 ‘‘(3) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2000.

8 ‘‘(b) ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS.—

9 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the amount of funds

10 that are appropriated under subsection (a) for any

11 fiscal year up to the amount that is equal to the

12 amount appropriated to carry out the national coop13 erative geologic mapping program for fiscal year

14 1996—

15 ‘‘(A) not less than 20 percent shall be allo16 cated to State mapping activities; and

17 ‘‘(B) not less than 2 percent shall be allo18 cated to educational mapping activities.

19 ‘‘(2) INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS.—Of the

20 amount of funds that are appropriated under sub21 section (a) for any fiscal year up to the amount that

22 exceeds the amount appropriated to carry out the

23 national cooperative geologic mapping program for

24 fiscal year 1996—

25 ‘‘(A) for fiscal year 1998—
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1 ‘‘(i) 75 percent shall be allocated for

2 Federal mapping and support mapping ac3 tivities;

4 ‘‘(ii) 23 percent shall be allocated for

5 State mapping activities; and

6 ‘‘(iii) 2 percent shall be allocated for

7 educational mapping activities;

8 ‘‘(B) for fiscal year 1999—

9 ‘‘(i) 74 percent shall be allocated for

10 Federal mapping and support mapping ac11 tivities;

12 ‘‘(ii) 24 percent shall be allocated for

13 State mapping activities; and

14 ‘‘(iii) 2 percent shall be allocated for

15 educational mapping activities; and

16 ‘‘(C) for fiscal year 2000—

17 ‘‘(i) 73 percent shall be allocated for

18 Federal mapping and support mapping ac19 tivities;

20 ‘‘(ii) 25 percent shall be allocated for

21 State mapping activities; and
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1 ‘‘(iii) 2 percent shall be allocated for

2 educational mapping activities.’’.

Passed the House of Representatives March 11,

1997.

Attest:

Clerk.