§ 31a. — Findings and purpose.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 43USC31a]
TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS
CHAPTER 2--UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Sec. 31a. 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;
(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;
(B) screening and characterizing sites for toxic and nuclear
waste disposal;
(C) land use evaluation and planning for environmental
protection;
(D) earthquake hazards reduction;
(E) predicting volcanic hazards;
(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;
(H) mitigating effects of coastal and stream erosion;
(I) siting of critical facilities; and
(J) basic earth-science research;
(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;
(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;
(7) geologic maps have proven indispensable in the search for
needed fossil-fuel and mineral resources;
(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
important as decision support tools for land and resource
management; and
(10) a comprehensive nationwide program of geologic mapping of
surficial and bedrock deposits is required in order to
systematically build the Nation's geologic-map data base at a pace
that responds to increasing demand.
(b) Purpose
The purpose of sections 31a to 31h of this title 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.
(Pub. L. 102-285, Sec. 2, May 18, 1992, 106 Stat. 166; Pub. L. 106-148,
Sec. 2, Dec. 9, 1999, 113 Stat. 1719.)
References in Text
Sections 31a to 31h of this title, referred to in subsec. (b), was
in the original ``this Act'', meaning Pub. L. 102-285, which is
classified principally to sections 31a to 31h of this title. For
complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note
below and Tables.
Amendments
1999--Subsec. (a)(8) to (10). Pub. L. 106-148 added pars. (8) and
(9) and redesignated former par. (8) as (10) and inserted ``of surficial
and bedrock deposits'' after ``geologic mapping''.
Short Title of 1999 Amendment
Pub. L. 106-148, Sec. 1, Dec. 9, 1999, 113 Stat. 1719, provided
that: ``This Act [enacting sections 31e, 31g and 31h of this title,
amending sections 31a to 31d and 31f of this title, and repealing former
sections 31e, 31g, and 31h of this title] may be cited as the `National
Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1999'.''
Short Title of 1997 Amendment
Pub. L. 105-36, Sec. 1, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 1107, provided that:
``This Act [amending sections 31b to 31h of this title and enacting
provisions set out as a note under this section] may be cited as the
`National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1997'.''
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 102-285 provided that: ``This Act [enacting
this section and sections 31b to 31h of this title, amending sections
1457, 1457a, and 1782 of this title, sections 450ii-3, 665, 1133, and
3151 of Title 16, Conservation, section 262k of Title 22, Foreign
Relations and Intercourse, section 1677 of Title 25, Indians, sections
1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 4c, 4d, 5, 6, 7, 8, 411, 412, 804, 812, 871, 878, 1224,
1229, 1232, 1311, 1315, and 1604 of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining,
and sections 5814 and 6505 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare,
enacting provisions set out as notes under section 31 of this title and
section 1 of Title 30, and amending provisions set out as a note under
section 1231 of Title 30] may be cited as the `National Geologic Mapping
Act of 1992'.''
Findings
Pub. L. 105-36, Sec. 2, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 1107, provided that:
``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.''
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 31b, 31h of this title.
