-------- Original Message --------
Subject: The President?s FY 2009 Budget Request for USGS Providing
science to face tomorrow?s challenges
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 13:42:17 -0500
From: Clarice E Ransom <[log in to unmask]>
To: maps-l
News Release
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
For release: February 4, 2008
Contacts: Jessica Robertson, 703-648-6624, [log in to unmask]
Michael Gauldin, 703,648-4054, [log in to unmask]
*The President’s FY 2009 Budget Request for USGS*
Providing science to face tomorrow’s challenges
The President has proposed a budget of $968.5 million for the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) in fiscal year 2009, a decrease of $38.0
million from the 2008 enacted level. The FY 2009 budget focuses on the
highest priorities for research while ensuring that the USGS builds the
expertise it needs to continue answering the complex scientific
questions that may arise. The budget includes $34.9 million in program
increases and $15.0 million in fixed costs, offset by $87.8 million in
reductions for lower priority efforts and unrequested increases.
“The USGS is committed to providing timely, objective scientific
information in support of key Departmental and Presidential priorities,
including Water for America, Birds Forever, Healthy Lands, and Ocean and
Coastal Frontiers,” said USGS Director Mark Myers. “The proposed budget
will also strengthen our efforts in climate change studies, priority
ecosystems research and the development of a National Land Imaging
Program.”
The 2009 budget includes a net increase of $8.2 million to support the
water census component of the $21.3 million Water for America Initiative
with the Bureau of Reclamation. To support the water census, the
National Streamflow Information Program is funded at $23.8 million,
including an increase of $3.7 million to upgrade 350 streamgages with
real-time telemetry and to reinstate 50 discontinued streamgages in
2009. Increases of $3.0 million for the Ground-Water Resources Program
and $1.5 million for Cooperative Geologic Mapping will provide
additional support for the water census by increasing knowledge related
to groundwater resources.
The Birds Forever Initiative is a joint effort between the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and the USGS. A proposed $1.0 million increase to
support this initiative will fund USGS efforts to better understand
large-scale drivers of migratory bird population and habitat change such
as global warming, deforestation and urban development. This initiative
supports monitoring efforts, including the Breeding Bird Survey and
other migratory bird monitoring activities.
The budget also proposes a $3.5 million increase to expand activities in
support of the Healthy Lands Initiative, and the USGS is a significant
partner in this multi-bureau initiative. Continuing work in southwest
Wyoming, the USGS will conduct an ecological assessment in Healthy Lands
Initiative areas to develop a baseline of scientific information related
to wildlife habitat and development activities occurring or planned.
Tools, models, and protocols developed will be transferred and applied
to other areas.
In addition, the proposed budget includes an increase of $7.0 million
for oceans science in support of the Department’s Ocean and Coastal
Frontiers Initiative and completing the work started in 2008 on the U.S.
Ocean Action Plan. Coastal and Marine Geology is funded at $47.4
million. An increase of $4.0 million will be used to collect data for
the extended Continental Shelf of the Arctic Ocean, working with the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to support the Nation’s
claim to its mineral and energy rights in the extended Continental
Shelf. An additional $2.0 million will be used to conduct merit-based
ocean research projects, and $1.0 million will complete funding for
efforts in seafloor mapping, models to forecast response to extreme
weather events, and developing a water quality monitoring network.
The 2009 budget reflects a restructuring to create a global change
activity and sustains $5.0 million of the $7.4 million increase in 2008
for climate change science. The 2009 request of $26.6 million includes
$21.6 million in base funds to continue current global change research,
$4.0 million to establish a pilot program in Alaska for a national
climate change network, and $1.0 million for climate change adaptation
studies. These components will provide critical monitoring information
needed for predictive modeling related to our changing climate and its
effects on the landscape and the Nation’s resources.
The 2009 budget consolidates funding for a new Global Change Activity
totaling $26.6 million that is supported by an additional $4.8 million
in Climate Change Science, bringing total climate change funding to
$31.4 million.
Priority ecosystems studies have a proposed budget of $10.4 million. The
USGS will continue funding for work in the Greater Everglades,
Chesapeake Bay, San Francisco Bay, the Mojave Desert, the Platte River,
and Yellowstone.
Land Remote Sensing is funded at $62.6 million, including a programmatic
increase of $2.0 million to develop a National Land Imaging Program.
This program will assess the future need for civil, operational land
imaging data and develop a blueprint to determine future needs for
acquisition of satellite data to supplement Landsat 7 imagery.
In order to focus programs on activities that are inherently
governmental and to concentrate on highest priority research, the
President’s 2009 budget reduces funding to the Mineral Resources and the
National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) programs. A $24.6 million net
reduction to Mineral Resource Assessments is proposed, which will result
in a 2009 program of $26.3 million. A $10.9 million net reduction to
NAWQA is proposed for a total 2009 program of $54.1 million. The
President’s 2009 budget also reduces the Earthquake Hazards Program by
$5.0 million, retaining $49.1 million for the highest priority
earthquake research projects.
For more information on the President’s proposed USGS FY 2009 budget,
visit _http://www.usgs.gov/budget/2009/2009index.asp_.
The USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information,
visit _www.usgs.gov_.
Subscribe to USGS News Releases via our _electronic mailing list_ or
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