The first appropriations bill to be completed
and voted on in the FY 2006 budget cycle was the Department of the Interior,
Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. H.R. 2361, approved
yesterday evening by a vote of 410 yes to 10 no, provides funding for
the U.S. Geological Survey. This bill, which is now on the Senate floor
for an up-or-down vote, and which will then be sent to President George
Bush, provides an overall increase of 4.2% or $39.5 million. The Bush
Administration had requested a 0.2% or $2.0 million reduction from the
current budget of $935.5 million to $933.6 million.
See http://www.aip.org/fyi/2005/021.html
for a review of the budget request.
See http://www.aip.org/fyi/2005/074.html
for a review of the House version of this bill.
See http://www.aip.org/fyi/2005/090.html
for a review of the Senate version of this bill.
The full text of conference report 109-188 pertaining to the USGS follows.
Program headings have been capitalized.
"SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH
"The conference agreement provides $976,035,000 for surveys, investigations,
and research instead of $974,586,000 as proposed by the House and $963,057,000
as proposed by the Senate.
"MAPPING, REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATIONS.
The change to the House level for mapping, remote sensing and geographic
investigations is a decrease of $2,000,000 for the Landsat program.
"The managers direct the Survey to offset the decrease with reductions
in travel, administrative streamlining and buyout savings throughout
the Bureau.
"GEOLOGIC HAZARDS, RESOURCES AND PROCESSES. Changes to
the House level for geologic hazards, resources and processes include
increases of $500,000 for Alaska gas hydrates, and decreases of $648,000
for Florida shelf research, $412,000 for Puget Sound and $1,134,000
for Alaska mineral assessments.
"The managers strongly disagree with the Administration's proposed
reductions to the minerals assessment program and believe it is irresponsible
for the Administration to decrease or eliminate funding for what is
clearly an inherently Federal responsibility. The conference agreement
restores funding for this vital program to the enacted level.
"WATER RESOURCES INVESTIGATIONS. Changes to the House level
for water resources investigations include increases of $500,000 for
the Memphis aquifer study, $230,000 for the Ozark aquifer study, $1,250,000
to continue Tar Creek remediation with the University of Oklahoma, $900,000
for coalbed methane research on the Tongue River, $450,000 for water
monitoring in Hawaii, $295,000 for Lake Champlain monitoring and a decrease
of $450,000 for the San Pedro partnership.
"The managers are concerned by continuing reports that suggest
the Survey's water resources program is providing or seeking to provide
a variety of commercial services to Federal and non-Federal entities
in direct competition with the private sector. The managers have previously
encouraged the Survey to use the services of the private sector in the
conduct of its activities wherever feasible, cost effective, and consistent
with the quality standards and principles pertaining to the effective
performance of governmental functions. The managers expect that the
Survey should strive to implement such a policy to the best of its ability
in the performance of its work.
"The managers agree that if the San Francisco South Bay salt ponds
project is a priority for the Survey, additional funding should be requested
in future budgets.
"The managers agree to continue the Lake Champlain monitoring
and research assessment activities and have included increased funding
of $295,000 to restore the program to the enacted level. Future budget
requests should include sufficient funds for these operations.
"The managers agree that the Survey's participation in the Long
Term Estuary Assessment program should be continued at the current year
enacted level.
"BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH. Changes to the House level for biological
research include increases of $100,000 for the invasive species initiative,
$350,000 to complete the Mark Twain National Forest mining study, $800,000
for molecular biology research at the Leetown Science Center, $200,000
for the multidisciplinary water study at Leetown Science Center, $350,000
for pallid sturgeon research, $200,000 for the diamondback terrapin
study, $400,000 to complete the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem
study in Montana, $55,000 to restore the base funding for Cooperative
Research Units, $400,000 for remote survey and monitoring equipment
for the ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas, $200,000 for the University
of Missouri-Columbia to establish a wetland ecology center for excellence,
and decreases of $150,000 for a database of invasive species on national
wildlife refuges and $185,000 for equipment for the Anadromous Fish
Research Center.
"The managers have included a portion of the requested funding
increase for the invasive species initiative and direct the Survey to
fund the leafy spurge eradication program proposed in the request.
"The managers have included funding for ivory-billed woodpecker
survey efforts in Arkansas. The funding should be used in collaboration
with Cornell University's Laboratory of Ornithology and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to conduct aerial and ground surveys using remote
video and acoustic technologies.
"The managers understand funding provided to the University of
Missouri-Columbia for the establishment of a wetland ecology center
of excellence should be used for one-time start-up costs and this funding
will not be included in future appropriations.
"The managers remain concerned about the National Biological Information
Infrastructure program. No clearly coordinated budgetary and programmatic
plan has emerged for its expansion, and the managers remain concerned
about the reason an Internet-based program that hosts biological information
must be geographically distributed.
"The managers understand that the multidisciplinary water study
at Leetown Science Center is nearing completion. The Survey should provide
a brief report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
by December 31, 2005, evaluating the research that has been conducted
to date and outlining what, if any, issues remain to be addressed in
order to finish the project.
"SCIENCE SUPPORT. The change to the House level for science
support is a decrease of $2,000,000 for the Landsat program.
"The managers direct the Survey to offset the decrease with reductions
in travel, administrative streamlining and buyout savings throughout
the Bureau.
"Bill Language.--The conference agreement modifies language included
in both the House and Senate bills allowing the Survey to publish and
disseminate data.
"Administrative Provisions
"The conference agreement includes language proposed by the Senate
that contained minor technical differences from the House."
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