US LAWS, STATUTES & CODES ON-LINE

US Supreme Court Decisions On-Line | US Laws



§ 31. —  Director of United States Geological Survey.



[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 43USC31]

 
                         TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS
 
               CHAPTER 2--UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
 
Sec. 31. Director of United States Geological Survey


(a) Establishment of office; appointment and duties; examination of 
        geological structure, mineral resources, and products of 
        national domain; prohibitions in respect to lands and surveys

    The Director of the United States Geological Survey, which office is 
established, under the Interior Department, shall be appointed by the 
President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. This officer 
shall have the direction of the United States Geological Survey, and the 
classification of the public lands and examination of the geological 
structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain. The 
Director and members of the United States Geological Survey shall have 
no personal or private interests in the lands or mineral wealth of the 
region under survey, and shall execute no surveys or examinations for 
private parties or corporations.

(b) Examination of geological structure, mineral resources, and products 
        outside national domain

    The authority of the Secretary of the Interior, exercised through 
the United States Geological Survey of the Department of the Interior, 
to examine the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of 
the national domain, is expanded to authorize such examinations outside 
the national domain where determined by the Secretary to be in the 
national interest.

(Mar. 3, 1879, ch. 182, 20 Stat. 394; Pub. L. 87-626, Secs. 1, 2, Sept. 
5, 1962, 76 Stat. 427; Pub. L. 93-608, Sec. 2(6), Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 
1971; Pub. L. 102-154, title I, Nov. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1000; Pub. L. 
104-66, title I, Sec. 1081(e), Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 721.)

                          Codification

    Subsec. (a) of this section is from act Mar. 3, 1879. Subsecs. (b) 
and (c) of this section are sections 1 and 2, respectively, of Pub. L. 
87-626.
    Provisions of subsec. (a) of this section which limited the salary 
of the Director of the Geological Survey to $6,000 a year were omitted 
as obsolete. See section 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and 
Employees.


                               Amendments

    1995--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104-66 struck out subsec. (c) which read 
as follows: ``The Secretary of the Interior shall report to the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate on 
January 31 of each year on all actions taken pursuant to subsection (b) 
of this section during the year ending on the December 31 immediately 
preceding the reporting date and on the results of such actions.''
    1975--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93-608 substituted requirement of an 
annual report for requirement of a semiannual report.

                         Change of Name

    Pub. L. 102-285, Sec. 10(a), May 18, 1992, 106 Stat. 171, provided 
that: ``The Geological Survey established by the Act of March 3, 1879 
(43 U.S.C. 31(a)), is designated as and shall hereafter [on and after 
May 18, 1992] be known as the United States Geological Survey.''
    ``United States Geological Survey'' substituted for ``Geological 
Survey'' in subsecs. (a) and (b) pursuant to provision of title I of 
Pub. L. 102-154, which provided: ``That the Geological Survey (43 U.S.C. 
31(a)) shall hereafter [on and after Nov. 13, 1991] be designated the 
United States Geological Survey.''

                          Transfer of Functions

    For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies 
of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of 
the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, 
Secs. 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out 
under section 1451 of this title.


             Continental Scientific Drilling and Exploration

    Pub. L. 100-441, Sept. 22, 1988, 102 Stat. 1760, provided: ``That 
this Act may be cited as the `Continental Scientific Drilling and 
Exploration Act'.
``SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
    ``The purpose of this Act is to--
        ``(1) implement section 323 of the joint resolution entitled 
    `Joint Resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal 
    year 1985, and for other purposes', approved October 12, 1984 
    (Public Law 98-473; 98 Stat. 1875) [set out below] which supports 
    and encourages the development of a national Continental Scientific 
    Drilling Program;
        ``(2) enhance fundamental understanding of the composition, 
    structure, dynamics, and evolution of the continental crust, and how 
    such processes affect natural phenomena such as earthquakes, 
    volcanic eruptions, transfer of geothermal energy, distribution of 
    mineral deposits, the occurrence of fossil fuels, and the nature and 
    extent of aquifers;
        ``(3) advance basic earth sciences research and technological 
    development;
        ``(4) obtain critical data regarding the earth's crust relating 
    to isolation of hazardous wastes; and
        ``(5) develop a long-range plan for implementation of the 
    Continental Scientific Drilling Program.
``SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
    ``Congress finds that--
        ``(1) because the earth provides energy, minerals, and water, 
    and is used as a storage medium for municipal, chemical, and nuclear 
    waste, an understanding of the processes and structures in the 
    earth's crust is essential to the well being of the United States;
        ``(2) there is a need for developing long-range plans for a 
    United States Continental Scientific Drilling Program; and
        ``(3) the Continental Scientific Drilling Program would 
    enhance--
            ``(A) understanding of the crustal evolution of the earth 
        and the mountain building processes;
            ``(B) understanding of the mechanisms of earthquakes and 
        volcanic eruptions and the development of improved techniques 
        for prediction;
            ``(C) understanding of the development and utilization of 
        geothermal and other energy sources and the formation of and 
        occurrence of mineral deposits;
            ``(D) understanding of the migration of fluids in the 
        earth's crust for evaluation of waste contamination and the 
        development of more effective techniques for the safe subsurface 
        disposal of hazardous wastes;
            ``(E) understanding and definition of the size, source, and 
        more effective use of aquifers and other water resources; and
            ``(F) evaluation and verification of surface geophysical 
        techniques needed for exploring and monitoring the earth's 
        crust.
``SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTINENTAL SCIENTIFIC DRILLING PROGRAM.
    ``The Secretary of the Department of Energy, the Secretary of the 
Department of the Interior through the United States Geological Survey, 
and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall implement the 
policies of section 323 of the joint resolution entitled `Joint 
Resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1985, 
and for other purposes', approved October 12, 1984 (Public Law 98-473; 
98 Stat. 1875) [set out below] by--
        ``(1) taking such action as necessary to assure an effective, 
    cooperative effort in furtherance of the Continental Scientific 
    Drilling Program of the United States;
        ``(2) taking all reasonable administrative and financial 
    measures to assure that the Interagency Accord on Continental 
    Scientific Drilling continues to function effectively in support of 
    such program;
        ``(3) assuring the continuing effective operation of the 
    Interagency Coordinating Group to further the objectives of such 
    program;
        ``(4) taking such action to assure that the Interagency 
    Coordinating Group receives appropriate cooperation from any Federal 
    agency that can contribute to the objectives of such program, 
    without adversely affecting any program or activity of such agency;
        ``(5) acting through the Interagency Coordinating Group, 
    preparing and submitting to the Congress, within one hundred and 
    eighty days after the enactment of this Act [Sept. 22, 1988] a 
    report describing--
            ``(A) long and short-term policy objectives and goals of the 
        United States Continental Scientific Drilling Program;
            ``(B) projected schedules of desirable scientific and 
        engineering events that would advance United States objectives 
        in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program;
            ``(C) the levels of resources and funding for fiscal year 
        1989 that would be required by each participating Federal agency 
        to carry out events pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B);
            ``(D) the scientific, economic, technological, and social 
        benefits expected to be realized through the implementation of 
        such program at each level described in subparagraph (C);
            ``(E) a recommended course for interaction with the 
        international community in a cooperative effort to achieve the 
        goals and purposes of this Act;
            ``(F) the extent of participation or interest shown to date 
        in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program by--
                ``(i) any other governmental agency;
                ``(ii) any academic institution;
                ``(iii) any organization in the private sector; and
                ``(iv) any governmental or other entity in the 
            international community;
            ``(G) a plan to develop beneficial cooperative relationships 
        among the entities mentioned in subparagraph (F), to the extent 
        that the Interagency Coordinating Group deems practicable; and
            ``(H) any other information or recommendations that the 
        Interagency Coordinating Group deems appropriate; and
        ``(6) submitting to the Congress annually, beginning one year 
    after the submission of a report under paragraph (5), a report 
    describing the levels of resources and funding that would be 
    required by each participating Federal agency for the next fiscal 
    year to carry out events pursuant to paragraph (5)(A) and (B).''
    [For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions of law 
requiring submittal to Congress of any annual, semiannual, or other 
regular periodic report listed in House Document No. 103-7 (in which a 
report required under section 4(6) of Pub. L. 100-441, set out above, is 
listed as the 10th item on page 149), see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104-
66, as amended, and section 1(a)(4) [div. A, Sec. 1402(1)] of Pub. L. 
106-554, set out as notes under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and 
Finance.]
    Pub. L. 98-473, title I, Sec. 101(c) [title III, Sec. 323], Oct. 12, 
1984, 98 Stat. 1837, 1875, provided that: ``It is the sense of the 
Congress that the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an 
important national scientific endeavor, benefiting the commerce of the 
Nation, which should be vigorously pursued by Government and the private 
sector. The Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an important 
national scientific endeavor that is vital to the understanding of the 
geologic evolution of the Earth and the economic value of its resources; 
the most effective and efficient means of realizing the fullest 
potential in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is through a 
cooperative effort by the Department of Energy, the National Science 
Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey; many important 
commercial and scientific advances may result from the Continental 
Scientific Drilling Program; and many foreign nations are engaged in a 
comparable deep drilling program, and cooperation and coordination would 
be beneficial to United States efforts. It is the sense of the Congress 
that--
        ``(1) the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an 
    important national scientific endeavor by the United States which 
    should be enthusiastically implemented through a joint cooperative 
    effort among the United States Department of Energy, the National 
    Science Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey;
        ``(2) the private sector should be encouraged to support the 
    Continental Scientific Drilling Program and the participating 
    agencies should solicit appropriate private sector participation in 
    such program; and
        ``(3) the United States Government should cooperate to the 
    extent practicable with the international community in developing 
    this important scientific and technical activity.''



chanrobles.com.Com


ChanRobles Legal Resources:

ChanRobles On-Line Bar Review

ChanRobles Internet Bar Review : www.chanroblesbar.com

ChanRobles MCLE On-line

ChanRobles Lawnet Inc. - ChanRobles MCLE On-line : www.chanroblesmcleonline.com