43 U.S.C. § 31A
Section 31a · Findings and purpose
Current version, with additions and removals from the May 18, 1992 version.
The Congress finds and declares that—
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 United States;
(2) geologic maps are the primary data base for virtually all applied and basic earth-science investigations, including—
(2) geologic maps are the primary data base for virtually all applied and basic earth-science investigations, including—
(A) exploration for and development of mineral, energy, and water resources;
(A) exploration for and development of mineral, energy, and water resources;
(B) screening and characterizing sites for toxic and nuclear waste disposal;
(B) screening and characterizing sites for toxic and nuclear waste disposal;
(D) earthquake hazards reduction;
(D) earthquake hazards reduction;
(F) design and construction of infrastructure requirements such as utility lifelines, transportation corridors, and surface-water impoundments;
(F) design and construction of infrastructure requirements such as utility lifelines, transportation corridors, and surface-water impoundments;
(G) reducing losses from landslides and other ground failures;
(G) reducing losses from landslides and other ground failures;
(H) mitigating effects of coastal and stream erosion;
(H) mitigating effects of coastal and stream erosion;
(J) recreation and public awareness; and
(3) 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;
(3) 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;
(4) the combined capabilities of State, Federal, and academic groups to provide geologic mapping are not sufficient to meet the present and future needs of the United States for national security, environmental protection, and energy self-sufficiency of the Nation;
(4) the combined capabilities of State, Federal, and academic groups to provide geologic mapping are not sufficient to meet the present and future needs of the United States for national security, environmental protection, and energy self-sufficiency of the Nation;
(5) States are willing to contribute 50 percent of the funding necessary to complete the mapping of the geology within the State;
(5) States are willing to contribute 50 percent of the funding necessary to complete the mapping of the geology within the State;
(6) the lack of proper geologic maps has led to the poor design of such structures as dams and waste-disposal facilities;
(6) the lack of proper geologic maps has led to the poor design of such structures as dams and waste-disposal facilities;
(8) geologic map information is required for the sustainable and balanced development of natural resources of all types, including energy, minerals, land, water, and biological resources;
(9) advances in digital technology and geographical information system science have made geologic map databases increasingly available as decision support tools for land and resource management; and