[House Report 108-648]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



108th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     108-648

======================================================================



 
         NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAPPING REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2004

                                _______
                                

 September 7, 2004.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 4010]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 4010) to reauthorize and amend the National Geologic 
Mapping Act of 1992, having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 
do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 4010 is to reauthorize and amend the 
National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    The National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 established the 
National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. This program was 
designed to foster cooperation and coordination between the 
United States Geological Survey and the State Geological 
Surveys in generating modern detailed digitized geologic maps 
in a cost effective and efficient manner.
    Geologic maps provide important information needed for 
identifying energy, mineral and water resources, and geologic 
and environmental hazards such as active faults and seismic 
areas, unstable ground subject to landslides, swelling soils, 
floodplains and abandoned mined lands. Understanding the 
subsurface geology and soil profiles can facilitate better 
planning for septic systems in rural areas, water treatment 
facilities, road construction and maintenance, home 
construction and other infrastructure.
    More than 7,500 new geologic maps have been produced 
through this cooperative program. To date 49 States and Puerto 
Rico have participated in this program producing high-quality 
digital maps that cover approximately 25% of the U.S. Monies 
expended in this program reap significant benefits. An economic 
analysis of the impact of Kentucky's geologic mapping program 
showed the economic return to the State was at a minimum 25 
times the cost of the program. Kentucky is the only State that 
has been completely mapped.
    H.R. 4010 will reauthorize appropriations for the National 
Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 at the existing fiscal year 2005 
level of $64 million for each of fiscal years 2006 through 
2010. It also extends current deadlines for various plans, 
reports and other requirements under that Act.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 4010 was introduced on March 23, 2004, by 
Congresswoman Barbara Cubin (R-WY). The bill was referred to 
the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the 
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. The Subcommittee 
held a hearing on the bill on June 24, 2004. On July 14, 2004, 
the Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The 
Subcommittee was discharged from further consideration of the 
bill by unanimous consent. No amendments were offered and the 
bill was then ordered favorably reported to the House of 
Representatives by unanimous consent.

            Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations 
are reflected in the body of this report.

                   Constitutional Authority Statement

    Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United 
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.

                    Compliance With House Rule XIII

    1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and 
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be 
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) 
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when 
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted 
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) 
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this 
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or 
objective of this bill is to reauthorize and amend the National 
Geologic Mapping Act of 1992.
    4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate 
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office:

H.R. 4010--National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 2004

    Summary: H.R. 4010 would reauthorize the national geologic 
mapping program and extend current deadlines for plans, 
reports, and other requirements established by the National 
Geologic Mapping Act of 1992. Under current law, authorizations 
of appropriations for the program will expire at the end of 
fiscal year 2005. The bill would authorize appropriations for 
the program at the existing 2005 level of $64 million for each 
of fiscal years 2006 through 2010. The geologic mapping program 
is carried out jointly by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and 
state geological authorities. Under this program, federal and 
state geologists are developing a comprehensive geological map 
of the United States and a related database of environmental 
and scientific information.
    Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO 
estimates that carrying out the 1992 act, as amended by H.R. 
4010, would cost $21 million in fiscal year 2006 and $191 
million over the 2006-2009 period. (We estimate that an 
additional $129 million would be spent after 2009, including 
$64 million that would be authorized for 2010.) Enacting this 
bill would have no effect on revenues or direct spending.
    H.R. 4010 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of H.R. 4010 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 
(natural resources and environment). For this estimate, CBO 
assumes that the entire amounts authorized for the mapping 
program will be appropriated for each fiscal year, including 
the $64 million authorized for 2005 under existing law. 
Estimated outlays are based on historical spending patterns for 
this program.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                               -----------------------------------------
                                 2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Spending under current law for
 the National Geologic Mapping
 Program:
    Authorization level \1\...     26     64      0      0      0      0
    Estimated outlays.........     26     29     21     22      0      0
Proposed changes:
    Authorization level.......      0      0     64     64     64     64
    Estimated outlays.........      0      0     21     42     64     64
Spending under H.R. 4010 for
 the National Geologic Mapping
 Program:
    Authorization level \1\...     26     64     64     64     64     64
    Estimated outlays.........     26     29     42     64     64     64
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2004 level is the amount appropriated to the USGS for that year
  under the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992. The 2005 level is the
  amount authorized to be appropriated under that act.

    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 4010 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
tribal governments.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis; Impact 
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Marjorie Miller; 
Impact on the Private Sector: Amina Masood.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                    Compliance With Public Law 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                Preemption of State, Local or Tribal Law

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or 
tribal law.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAPPING ACT OF 1992

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

  (a) Findings.--The Congress finds and declares that--
          [(1) during the past 2 decades, the production of 
        geologic maps has been drastically curtailed;]
          (1) although significant progress has been made in 
        the production of geologic maps since the establishment 
        of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program in 
        1992, no modern, digital, geologic map exists for 
        approximately 75 percent of the Nation;
          (2) geologic maps are the primary data base for 
        virtually all applied and basic earth-science 
        investigations, including--
                  (A) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                  (C) land use evaluation and planning for 
                homeland and environmental protection;

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                  (E) [predicting] identifying volcanic 
                hazards;

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                  (I) siting of critical facilities; [and]
                  (J) recreation and public awareness; and
                  [(J)] (K) basic earth-science research;

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

          (9) advances in digital technology and geographical 
        information system science have made geologic map 
        databases increasingly [important] available as 
        decision support tools for land and resource 
        management; and

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to expedite the 
production of a geologic-map data base for the Nation, to be 
located within the United States Geological Survey, which can 
be applied to land-use management, assessment, and utilization, 
conservation of natural resources, groundwater management, and 
environmental [protection] management.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 4. GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM.

  (a) * * *
  (b) Responsibilities of the Survey.--
          (1) Lead agency.--The Survey shall be the lead 
        Federal agency responsible for planning, developing 
        national priorities and standards for, coordinating, 
        and managing the geologic mapping program. In carrying 
        out this paragraph, the Secretary, acting through the 
        Director, shall--
                  (A) develop a 5-year strategic plan for the 
                geologic mapping program in accordance with 
                section 6, which plan shall be submitted to the 
                Committee on Resources of the House of 
                Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
                Natural Resources of the Senate [not later than 
                1 year after the date of the enactment of the 
                National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act 
                of 1999;] not later than one year after the 
                date of the enactment of the National Geologic 
                Mapping Reauthorization Act of 2004;
                  (B) appoint, with the advice and consultation 
                of the Association, the advisory committee [not 
                later than 1 year after the date of the 
                enactment of the National Geologic Mapping 
                Reauthorization Act of 1999 in accordance] not 
                later than one year after the date of the 
                enactment of the National Geologic Mapping 
                Reauthorization Act of 2004 in accordance with 
                section 5; and
                  (C) [not later than 3 years after the date of 
                the enactment of the National Geologic Mapping 
                Reauthorization Act of 1999, and biennially 
                thereafter, submit] submit biennially a report 
                to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
                Resources of the United States Senate and to 
                the Committee on Resources of the House of 
                Representatives identifying--
                          (i) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  (c) Program Objectives.--The objectives of the geologic 
mapping program shall include--
          (1) * * *
          (2) development of a complementary national 
        [geophysical-map data base, geochemical-map data base, 
        and a] geochronologic and paleontologic data base that 
        [provide] provides value-added descriptive and 
        interpretative information to the geologic-map data 
        base;

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  (d) Program Components.--
          (1) Federal component.--
                  (A) * * *
                  (B) Mapping priorities.--For the Federal 
                component, mapping priorities--
                          (i) * * *
                          (ii) shall be based on--
                                  (I) national requirements for 
                                geologic map information in 
                                areas of multiple-issue need or 
                                areas of compelling single-
                                issue need; [and]
                                  (II) national requirements 
                                for geologic map information in 
                                areas where mapping is required 
                                to solve critical earth science 
                                problems[.]; and
                                  (III) the needs of Department 
                                of the Interior land management 
                                agencies.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 5. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

  (a) Establishment.--
          (1) * * *
          (2) Members ex officio.--Federal agency members shall 
        include the [Administrator of the Environmental 
        Protection Agency or a designee] Secretary of the 
        Interior or a designee from a land management agency of 
        the Department of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy 
        or a designee, and 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 1 year after 
        the date of the enactment of the National Geologic 
        Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1999, in consultation] 
        In consultation with the Association, the Secretary 
        shall appoint to the advisory committee two 
        representatives from the Survey (including the [Chief 
        Geologist, as Chairman] Associate Director for Geology, 
        as Chair), two representatives from the State 
        geological surveys, one representative from academia, 
        and [one representative] two representatives from the 
        private sector.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 7. NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAP DATABASE.

  (a) Establishment.--
          (1) In general.--The Survey shall establish a 
        national [geologic map] geologic-map database.
          (2) Function.--The database shall serve as a national 
        catalog and archive, distributed through links to 
        Federal and State geologic map holdings, that includes 
        information on how to obtain--
                  (A) all maps developed [under the Federal 
                component and the education component] with 
                funding provided under the national cooperative 
                geologic mapping program authorized by section 
                4(a);

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 8. BIENNIAL REPORT.

  [Not later 3 years after the date of the enactment of the 
National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1999 and 
biennially] Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of the National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act 
of 2004 and biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
a report that--
          (1) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  [(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out this Act--
          [(1) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 1999;
          [(2) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2000;
          [(3) $37,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;
          [(4) $43,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;
          [(5) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
          [(6) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and
          [(7) $64,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.]
  (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out this Act $64,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 
through 2010.
  (b) Allocation of Appropriations.--Of any amounts 
appropriated for any fiscal year in excess of the amount 
appropriated for fiscal year [2000] 2005--
          (1) [48] 50 percent shall be available for the State 
        component; and
          (2) [2] 4 percent shall be available for the 
        education component.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                  
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