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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Committee on Future Roles, Challenges, and Opportunities for the U.S. Geological Survey
Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources
National Research Council
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C.
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This study was supported by the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, under assistance award No. 1434-HQ-97-AG-01819. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. government.
International Standard Book Number 0-309-07264-6
Additional copies of this report are available from:National Academy Press
2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Box285 Washington, DC 20055800-624-6242202-334-3313(in the Washington Metropolitan Area) http://www.nap.edu
Cover: Illustrations courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey published in the National Atlas of the United States of America™, 1970.
Copyright 2001 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
National Research Council
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. William A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
COMMITTEE ON FUTURE ROLES, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
DONALD DEPAOLO, Chair,
University of California, Berkeley
HUGO F. THOMAS, Vice Chair,
University of Connecticut, Storrs
JOHN C. ANTENUCCI,
PlanGraphics, Inc., Frankfort, Kentucky
ODIN D. CHRISTENSEN,
Newmont Mining Corporation, Englewood, Colorado
MICHAEL T. CLEGG,
University of California, Riverside
THOMAS DUNNE,
University of California, Santa Barbara
WILLIAM FISHER,
The University of Texas at Austin
LAWRENCE W. FRITZ,
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Rockville, Maryland
GRANT H. HEIKEN,
Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico
JAMES A. MACMAHON,
Utah State University, Logan
DIANNE R. NIELSON,
State of Utah, Salt Lake City
JOANNE M. NIGG,
University of Delaware, Newark
JEROME O. NRIAGU,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
RAYMOND A. PRICE,
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
DANIEL R. SAREWITZ,
Columbia University, Washington, D.C.
BRUCE A. STEIN,
The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia
NRC Staff
ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director,
Board on Earth Sciences and Resources
TAMARA L. DICKINSON, Study Director
REBECCA E. SHAPACK, Research Assistant
JUDITH L. ESTEP, Administrative Assistant (through January 2000)
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
COMMISSION ON GEOSCIENCES, ENVIRONMENT, AND RESOURCES
GEORGE M. HORNBERGER, Chair,
University of Virginia, Charlottesville
RICHARD A. CONWAY,
Union Carbide Corporation (retired), South Charleston, West Virginia
LYNN GOLDMAN,
Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
THOMAS E. GRAEDEL,
Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
THOMAS J. GRAFF,
Environmental Defense Fund, Oakland, California
EUGENIA KALNAY,
University of Maryland, College Park
DEBRA KNOPMAN,
Progressive Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.
JOHN B. MOONEY, JR.,
J. Brad Mooney Associates, Ltd., Arlington, Virginia
HUGH C. MORRIS,
El Dorado Gold Corporation, Vancouver, British Columbia
H. RONALD PULLIAM,
University of Georgia, Athens
MILTON RUSSELL,
University of Tennessee (retired), Knoxville
ROBERT J. SERAFIN,
National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
ANDREW R. SOLOW,
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts
E-AN ZEN,
University of Maryland, College Park
NRC Staff
ROBERT M. HAMILTON, Executive Director
GREGORY H. SYMMES, Associate Executive Director
JEANETTE SPOON, Administrativeand Financial Officer
CHRISTINE HENDERSON, Scientific Reports Officer
SANDI FITZPATRICK, Administrative Associate
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
This report has been reviewed by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council (NRC's) Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:
Robert R. Beebe
Consultant
Tucson, Arizona
Kenneth R. Bradbury
University of Wisconsin, Extension
Madison
James M. Coleman
Michigan State University
East Lansing
William R. Dickinson
University of Arizona
Tucson
Warren B. Hamilton
Colorado School of Mines
Golden
Kathleen A. Miller
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Boulder, Colorado
Judy M. Olson
Michigan State University
East Lansing
Dallas L. Peck
U.S. Geological Survey, emeritus
Reston, Virginia
Peter H. Raven
Missouri Botanical Garden
St. Louis
Nancy Tosta
Ross and Associates Environmental Consulting, Ltd.
Seattle, Washington
M. Gordon Wolman
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by George Hornberger, University of Virginia, appointed by the Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources, and Alexander Flax, Consultant, appointed by the NRC's Report Review Committee, who were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1
1
INTRODUCTION
11
Vision and Mission of the USGS,
14
Strategic Change at the USGS,
15
Study and Report,
16
2
THE PAST AND PRESENT AS A PROLOGUE
19
The Public Domain and the USGS,
19
The Evolution of the USGS,
21
Changes in Society,
24
Changes in Relationships Between Society and Science,
27
Changes Within the USGS,
30
The USGS Today,
31
3
FUTURE SOCIETAL TRENDS
37
Natural Resources,
39
Mineral Resources,
40
Energy Resources,
41
Water Resources,
44
Biological Resources,
47
Environmental Issues,
49
Globalization and National Security,
52
Societal Expectations and the Demand for Information,
54
Serving the Underserved Population,
55
Summary,
59
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
4
EVOLVING TO MEET NATIONAL NEEDS
61
Role of the USGS,
61
Serving Customers,
64
Future Program Emphasis,
69
Integrative System Models,
73
The USGS as a Scientific Information Portal,
76
Other Program Areas,
81
International Activities,
87
Future Research Opportunities,
90
Hazards,
92
Environment,
98
Natural Resources,
111
Transition Toward an Integrated Natural Science and Information Agency,
113
Summary,
116
5
FUTURE CHALLENGES
119
Priority Setting,
119
Research Program,
121
External Guidance,
124
Human Resources,
126
Coordination and Collaboration,
128
Federal Partnerships,
129
Industry and University Partnerships,
131
External Grants Programs,
131
Employee Exchanges,
132
Reimbursable Programs,
132
Budget and Funding,
134
Summary,
135
6
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
137
Natural Science and Information Agency,
138
Major Responsibilities,
141
Monitoring, Reporting, and Forecasting,
142
Assessing Resources,
144
Providing Geospatial Information,
144
National and International Roles,
144
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Improving Effectiveness,
146
Priority Setting,
146
Meeting Technical Needs,
148
Budget,
151
Summary,
151
REFERENCES
153
APPENDIX A
Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
165
APPENDIX B
Oral Presentations and Written Statements Submitted to the Committee
173
ACRONYMS
177
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FUTURE ROLES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
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