House FY 2010 USGS Appropriations Bill

The FY 2010 Interior, Environment Appropriations Bill is moving in both the House and Senate. Later today the full House may start to consider H.R. 2996 which provides funding for the U.S. Geological Survey. The Senate Appropriations Committee also meets today to consider their version of this legislation.

House Report 111-180 accompanies H.R. 2996 and contains the committee’s funding levels and recommendations for various USGS programs, from which these numbers are taken. Selections pertaining to USGS are below; the entire report can be viewed here .

TOTAL USGS:

The FY 2009 USGS appropriation was $1,043.8 million
The FY 2010 request is $1,097.8 million, an increase of $54.0 million or 5.2 percent.
The House Appropriations Committee Bill recommends $1,105.7 million, an increase of 5.9 percent or $61.9 million.

There are eight components of the USGS budget:

GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH, INVESTIGATIONS, AND REMOTE SENSING:

The FY 2009 appropriation was $142.1 million
The FY 2010 request is $143.9 million, an increase of $1.8 million or 1.3 percent.
The House Appropriations Bill recommends $145.6 million, an increase of 2.5 percent or $3.5 million.

The committee report states:

“The recommendation accepts the Survey’s request to move the National Geospatial Program from the Enterprise Information activity to this activity. The Committee has added $1,650,000 above the request to fully support an ongoing commitment for the USGS to run the Civil Applications Committee (CAC) and associated supporting requirements. The Committee expects that the USGS will continue to chair the Civil Applications Committee, which they coordinate with 12 member and 6 associate member agencies; the CAC provides Federal civil agency access to technology and information. Bill language has been added to clarify that the CAC total program level is $2,000,000. Funds provided by this Act for the Civil Applications Committee shall not be used for law enforcement purposes. The recommendation fully funds the budget request of $40,200,000 for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission and the ongoing Landsat 5/7 program.

“The Committee encourages the Survey to maintain the funding for the Chesapeake Bay geographic analysis and monitoring effort at the fiscal year 2008 level.

“The Committee is aware that the Survey entered into a cooperative agreement in 2002 for an innovative partnership whereby North Carolina would provide State-derived elevation data in the form of a new digital State map to the National Mapping program. The State has provided all of the data to USGS, and the map provided by North Carolina is available on the USGS website. The Committee understands that the terms of the cooperative agreement may not have been fulfilled. The Committee urges the USGS to work with the State of North Carolina on this matter.”

GEOLOGICAL HAZARDS, RESOURCES, AND PROCESSES:

The FY 2009 appropriation was $242.1 million.
The FY 2010 request is $247.0 million, an increase of $4.9 million or 2.0 percent.
The House Appropriations Bill recommends $248.2 million, an increase of 2.5 percent or $6.1 million.

The committee report states:

“The Committee has added $1,000,000 above the request in the earthquake hazards subactivity for critically needed LIDAR and other seismological studies of areas with high earthquake risk and community danger. The recommendation also adds $250,000 for the Global Seismographic Network. The Committee remains encouraged by the ongoing multi-hazards initiative and encourages the Survey to continue to build on this useful effort.

“The Committee notes that is has fully funded the request for $4,000,000 for urgently needed extended continental shelf mapping to support a U.S. claim to additional continental shelf area, such as in the Arctic Ocean.”

WATER RESOURCES INVESTIGATIONS:

The FY 2009 appropriation was $221.4 million.
The FY 2010 request is $227.9 million, an increase of $6.5 million or 2.9 percent.
The House Appropriations Bill recommends $229.7 million, an increase of 3.8 percent or $8.3 million.

The committee report states:

“The Committee has funded the requested increase of $5,000,000 for the National Streamflow information program. The Water Resources Research Act programs are fully funded at the request of $6,500,000. Changes to the request include $300,000 for the South Arkansas Sparta aquifer recovery study, $200,000 for the Hood Canal dissolved oxygen study, WA, $280,000 for the McHenry County groundwater protection program, IL and $1,000,000 for the ongoing US-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act study.”

BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH:

The FY 2009 appropriation was $185.3 million.
The FY 2010 request is $199.3 million, an increase of $13.9 million or 7.5 percent.
The House Appropriations Bill recommends $202.5 million, an increase of 9.3 percent or $17.2 million.

The committee report states:

“The Committee has included the requested increases of $5,000,000 for the new climate change science support for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service effort, $4,200,000 to expand research on the changing Arctic ecosystems, and $2,000,000 for the cooperative research units. The Committee recommendation includes a $2,000,000 increase within biological information management and delivery for support to coordinators of the national network of State conservation data agencies. The recommendation also includes $220,000 for the Silvio O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Lab, MA, ongoing basic and applied research for the improved management of habitat for endangered fish species, fish passage, natural resources, and ultimately the economy and environment of the Connecticut River watershed and Long Island Sound. The Committee has added $1,000,000 to continue scientific support to the South San Francisco Bay salt ponds restoration effort, CA.

“The Committee remains concerned about the destructive fish disease, viral hemorrhagic septicemia, and encourages the Survey to pursue research on this issue. The Committee is also concerned about the impacts of the Chytrid disease on amphibian species worldwide and encourages the Survey to work with the international conservation community on this issue. In addition, the Committee remains concerned about increased mortality of bats in the northeastern United States from white nose syndrome and encourages the USGS to work with the Fish and Wildlife Service to research the cause and extent of the problem and develop a mitigation plan.”

ENTERPRISE INFORMATION:

The FY 2009 appropriation was $42.7 million.
The FY 2010 request is $46.0 million, an increase of 7.7 percent or $3.3 million.
The House Appropriations Bill recommends $46.0 million, as requested.

The committee report states:

“The recommendation includes the $2,000,000 for the USGS portion of the 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps initiative.”

GLOBAL CHANGE:

The FY 2009 appropriation was $40.6 million.
The FY 2010 request is $58.2 million, an increase of $17.6 million or 43.3 percent.
The House Appropriations Bill recommends $58.2 million, as requested.

The committee report states:

“The recommendation fully funds the requested program increases above fiscal year 2009 of $5,000,000 for the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center, $7,000,000 for various carbon sequestration scientific activities, and $5,000,000 for other climate change science. The Committee’s direction on coordinating climate change activities and completing the plan directed in fiscal year 2009 are in the front of this report.”

SCIENCE SUPPORT:

The FY 2009 appropriation was $67.4 million.
The FY 2010 request is $69.2 million, an increase of $1.8 million or 2.7 percent.
The House Appropriations Bill recommends $69.2 million, as requested.

There was no descriptive language in the committee report.

FACILITIES:

The FY 2009 appropriation was $102.1 million.
The FY 2010 request is $106.4 million, an increase of $4.3 million or 4.2 percent.
The House Appropriations Bill recommends $106.4 million, as requested.

There was no descriptive language in the committee report.