[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 709 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 709

To reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 12, 1997

Mrs. Cubin (for herself and Mr. Gibbons) 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, and 
                          for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Geologic Mapping 
Reauthorization Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) in enacting the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 
        (43 U.S.C. 31a et seq.), Congress found, among other things, 
        that--
                    (A) during the 2 decades preceding enactment of 
                that Act, the production of geologic maps had been 
                drastically curtailed;
                    (B) geologic maps are the primary data base for 
                virtually all applied and basic earth-science 
                investigations;
                    (C) Federal agencies, State and local governments, 
                private industry, and the general public depend on the 
                information provided by geologic maps to determine the 
                extent of potential environmental damage before 
                embarking on projects that could lead to preventable, 
                costly environmental problems or litigation;
                    (D) the lack of proper geologic maps has led to the 
                poor design of such structures as dams and waste-
                disposal facilities;
                    (E) geologic maps have proven indispensable in the 
                search for needed fossil fuel and mineral resources; 
                and
                    (F) a comprehensive nationwide program of geologic 
                mapping is required in order to systematically build 
                the Nation's geologic-map data base at a pace that 
                responds to increasing demand;
            (2) the geologic mapping program called for by that Act has 
        not been fully implemented; and
            (3) it is time for this important program to be fully 
        implemented.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION AND AMENDMENT.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 3 of the National Geologic Mapping Act of 
1992 (43 U.S.C. 31b) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``As used in this Act:'' and inserting ``In 
        this Act:'';
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5) as 
        paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6), respectively;
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) Association.--The term `Association' means the 
        Association of American State Geologists.''; and
            (4) in each paragraph that does not have a heading, by 
        inserting a heading, in the same style as the heading in 
        paragraph (2), as added by paragraph (3), the text of which is 
        comprised of the term defined in the paragraph.
    (b) Geologic Mapping Program.--Section 4 of the National Geologic 
Mapping Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31c) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--There is established a national 
        cooperative geologic mapping program between the United States 
        Geological Survey and the State geological surveys, acting 
        through the Association.
            ``(2) Design, development, and administration.--The 
        cooperative geologic mapping program shall be--
                    ``(A) designed and administered to achieve the 
                objectives set forth in subsection (c);
                    ``(B) developed in consultation with the advisory 
                committee; and
                    ``(C) administered through the Survey.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the subsection heading by striking ``USGS'' 
                and inserting ``the Survey'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by single-indenting the paragraphs, 
                        double-indenting the subparagraphs, and triple 
                        indenting the clauses;
                            (ii) by inserting ``Lead agency.--'' before 
                        ``The Survey'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) by striking ``Committee on 
                                Natural Resources'' and inserting 
                                ``Committee on Resources''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``date of 
                                enactment of this Act'' and inserting 
                                ``date of enactment of the National 
                                Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 
                                1997'';
                            (iv) in subparagraph (B)--
                                    (I) by striking ``State geological 
                                surveys'' and inserting 
                                ``Association''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``date of 
                                enactment of this Act'' and inserting 
                                ``date of enactment of the National 
                                Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 
                                1997''; and
                            (v) in subparagraph (C)--
                                    (I) by striking ``date of enactment 
                                of this Act'' and inserting ``date of 
                                enactment of the National Geologic 
                                Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1997'';
                                    (II) by striking ``Committee on 
                                Natural Resources'' and inserting 
                                ``Committee on Resources'';
                                    (III) in clauses (i) and (ii) by 
                                inserting ``and the Association'' after 
                                ``the Survey'';
                                    (IV) by adding ``and'' at the end 
                                of clause (ii); and
                                    (V) by striking ``; and'' at the 
                                end of clause (iii) and all that 
                                follows through the end of the 
                                subparagraph and inserting a period; 
                                and
                    (C) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) by inserting ``Responsibilities of the 
                        secretary.--'' before ``In addition to''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A) by striking 
                        ``State geological surveys'' and inserting 
                        ``Association'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2) by striking ``interpretive'' 
                and inserting ``interpretative''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (4) by striking ``awareness for'' 
                and inserting ``awareness of''; and
            (4) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1) by inserting ``Federal 
                component.--'' before ``A Federal'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) by inserting ``Support component.--'' 
                        before ``A geologic''; and
                            (ii) by striking subparagraph (D) and 
                        inserting the following:
                    ``(D) geochronologic and isotopic investigations 
                that--
                            ``(i) provide radiometric age dates for 
                        geologic-map units; and
                            ``(ii) fingerprint the geothermometry, 
                        geobarometry, and alteration history of 
                        geologic-map units,
                which investigations shall be contributed to a national 
                geochronologic data base;'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3) by inserting ``State 
                component.--'' before ``A State''; and
                    (D) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(4) Education component.--A geologic mapping education 
        component--
                    ``(A) the objectives of which shall be--
                            ``(i) to develop the academic programs that 
                        teach earth-science students the fundamental 
                        principles of geologic mapping and field 
                        analysis; and
                            ``(ii) to provide for broad education in 
                        geologic mapping and field analysis through 
                        support of field studies;
                    ``(B) investigations under which shall be 
                integrated with the other mapping components of the 
                geologic mapping program and shall respond to 
                priorities identified for those components; and
                    ``(C) Federal funding for which shall be matched by 
                non-Federal sources on a 1-to-1 basis.''.
    (c) Advisory Committee.--Section 5 of the National Geologic Mapping 
Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31d) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--There shall be established a 10-member 
        geologic mapping advisory committee to advise the Director on 
        planning and implementation of the geologic mapping program.
            ``(2) Members ex officio.--Federal agency members shall 
        include the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency or a designee, the Secretary of Energy or a designee, 
        the Secretary of Agriculture or a designee, and the Assistant 
        to the President for Science and Technology or a designee.
            ``(3) Appointed members.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of enactment of the National Geologic Mapping 
        Reauthorization Act of 1997, in consultation with the 
        Association, the Secretary shall appoint to the advisory 
        committee 2 representatives from the Survey (including the 
        Chief Geologist, as Chairman), 2 representatives from the State 
        geological surveys, 1 representative from academia, and 1 
        representative from the private sector.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(3) by striking ``and State'' and 
        inserting ``, State, and university''.
    (d) Geologic Mapping Program Implementation Plan.--Section 6 of the 
National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31e) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1) by inserting ``cooperative'' after 
        ``national'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (3)(C) and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(C) for the State geologic mapping component, a 
                priority-setting mechanism that responds to--
                            ``(i) specific intrastate needs for 
                        geologic-map information; and
                            ``(ii) interstate needs shared by adjacent 
                        entities that have common requirements; and'';
            (3) by striking paragraphs (4) and (5) and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(4) a mechanism for adopting scientific and technical 
        mapping standards for preparing and publishing general-purpose 
        and special-purpose geologic maps to--
                    ``(A) ensure uniformity of cartographic and 
                scientific conventions; and
                    ``(B) provide a basis for judgment as to the 
                comparability and quality of map products; and''; and
            (4) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5).
    (e) National Geologic-Map Data Base.--Section 7 of the National 
Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31f) is amended by striking 
subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Standardization.--
            ``(1) In general.--Geologic maps contributed to the 
        national archives shall have format, symbols, and technical 
        attributes that adhere to standards so that archival 
        information can be accessed, exchanged, and compared 
        efficiently and accurately, as required by Executive Order 
        12906 (59 Fed. Reg. 17,671 (1994)), which established the 
        National Spatial Data Infrastructure.
            ``(2) Development of standards.--Entities that contribute 
        geologic maps to the national archives shall develop the 
        standards described in paragraph (1) in cooperation with the 
        Federal Geographic Data Committee, which is charged with 
        standards development and other data coordination activities as 
        described in Office of Management and Budget revised Circular 
        A-16.''.
    (f) Annual Report.--Section 8 of the National Geologic Mapping Act 
of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31g) is amended in the first sentence--
            (1) by striking ``Committee on Natural Resources'' and 
        inserting ``Committee on Resources''; and
            (2) by striking ``program, and describing and evaluating 
        progress'' and inserting ``program and describing and 
        evaluating the progress''.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 9 of the National 
Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 31h) is amended to read as 
follows:

``SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out the national cooperative geologic mapping program under this Act--
            ``(1) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 1998;
            ``(2) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 1999; and
            ``(3) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2000.
    ``(b) Allocation of Appropriated Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--Of the amount of funds that are 
        appropriated under subsection (a) for any fiscal year up to the 
        amount that is equal to the amount appropriated to carry out 
        the national cooperative geologic mapping program for fiscal 
        year 1996--
                    ``(A) not less than 20 percent shall be allocated 
                to State mapping activities; and
                    ``(B) not less than 2 percent shall be allocated to 
                educational mapping activities.
            ``(2) Increased appropriations.--Of the amount of funds 
        that are appropriated under subsection (a) for any fiscal year 
        up to the amount that exceeds the amount appropriated to carry 
        out the national cooperative geologic mapping program for 
        fiscal year 1996--
                    ``(A) for fiscal year 1998--
                            ``(i) 75 percent shall be allocated for 
                        Federal mapping and support mapping activities;
                            ``(ii) 23 percent shall be allocated for 
                        State mapping activities; and
                            ``(iii) 2 percent shall be allocated for 
                        educational mapping activities;
                    ``(B) for fiscal year 1999--
                            ``(i) 74 percent shall be allocated for 
                        Federal mapping and support mapping activities;
                            ``(ii) 24 percent shall be allocated for 
                        State mapping activities; and
                            ``(iii) 2 percent shall be allocated for 
                        educational mapping activities; and
                    ``(C) for fiscal year 2000--
                            ``(i) 73 percent shall be allocated for 
                        Federal mapping and support mapping activities;
                            ``(ii) 25 percent shall be allocated for 
                        State mapping activities; and
                            ``(iii) 2 percent shall be allocated for 
                        educational mapping activities.''.
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