Introduction of the National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 2008

Floor Speech

INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAPPING REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008 -- (Extensions of Remarks - January 29, 2008)

HON. JIM COSTA
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2008

* Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, today I am proud to be joined by the Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, Mr. Rahall of West Virginia, in introducing the National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 2008, which would reauthorize the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, a critically important initiative that was created by the Geologic Mapping Act of 1992, originally sponsored by Chairman Rahall.

* The importance of geologic maps to our society is not very well known by the general public, but it is hard to overstate. Geologic maps help us build highways, safeguard drinking water, prepare for disasters, protect wildlife, discover precious minerals, locate the fuels that power our society, and much more.

* Geologic maps are particularly essential for my own home State. Californians face more geologic hazards than almost anyone else in the country. Over 25 million people live in the State's tectonically active regions near the coast, where earthquakes are only one of a multitude of geologic threats. Landslides, floods, hazardous minerals, and tsunamis are some of the other dangers that come with living in one of the most seismically active and geologically diverse states in the nation.

* The STATEMAP component of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program has provided over $2.5 million to California, matched by over $2.6 million from the State, to create highly precise geologic maps that are being used by the California Geological Survey's Seismic Hazard Mapping Program to identify areas that are most prone to liquefaction or landslides during earthquakes. This information allows communities to require stronger building codes in areas that are more susceptible to these hazards, or to avoid them altogether.

* In addition, the maps created through STATEMAP provide information about the location of California's abundant supply of oil, natural gas, and valuable minerals, and have also been used to support water management decision-making around Lake Tahoe.

* California is, of course, not the only State that benefits from the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. Since the program's inception, 49 States, plus Puerto Rico, have matched nearly $70 million in STATEMAP funds to help produce over 7,500 new geologic maps. Despite this effort, only about 25 percent of the Nation has been mapped at a precision that provides the maximum benefits. And only 2 percent of California has been mapped under the STATEMAP program.

* There are two additional components to the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program: the FEDMAP component, which is run by the United States Geological Survey and carries out geologic mapping according to priorities developed by a Federal advisory committee, and the EDMAP component, which has provided millions of dollars to help train over 600 students at 131 universities across the Nation. According to the Department of the Interior, the vast majority of those students receiving EDMAP grants continued in the geosciences, indicating that this program is truly helping to train the next generation of geologists.

* A reauthorization of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program is necessary in order to continue to move the goals of the program forward, to build on the momentum of the previous 16 years, and to provide comprehensive geologic mapping of the entire country. The program has been reauthorized with broad bipartisan support in 1997 and 1999, and a similar bill introduced in the 109th Congress received the endorsement of the administration and passed the House on a voice vote. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, and moving forward quickly toward reauthorizing this essential program.

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