Resources can be more efficiently used if the impacts of their extraction can be anticipated. Damaged or endangered ecosystems can be repaired more effectively if the natural processes that form and maintain them are accounted for in remediation plans. Strategies for conserving and using the Nation's lands and resources are improved when the natural processes at work are recognized as well as the costs of working against them. The Federal role in conducting science to understand geologic hazards, resources, and processes. This role derives from the U.S. Government s responsibilities to protect the lives and property of its citizens, to support continued economic growth and competitiveness, and to assist society in anticipating and coping with the enormous forces of nature that shape and control the landscape.
Natural hazards have significant social and economic impact on our Nation.
Annually, as many as 10 potentially damaging earthquakes strike the conterminous United States and more than 5,000 shocks large enough to be felt occur throughout the entire country. The United States has 65 active and potentially active volcanoes, more than all other countries except for Indonesia and Japan. During the 20th century, volcanic eruptions in Washington, California, Alaska, and Hawaii devastated thousands of square miles and caused substantial economic and societal disruption and, in the worst instances, loss of life. Notably, volcanic ash poses a unique threat to air traffic. The expanding need for minerals in the United States and the world demands research in new techniques and concepts to assess the Nation s mineral wealth and provide accurate mineral resource information for national policy.