§ 31. — Director of United States Geological Survey.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 43USC31]
TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS
CHAPTER 2--UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Sec. 31. Director of United States Geological Survey
(a) Establishment of office; appointment and duties; examination of
geological structure, mineral resources, and products of
national domain; prohibitions in respect to lands and surveys
The Director of the United States Geological Survey, which office is
established, under the Interior Department, shall be appointed by the
President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. This officer
shall have the direction of the United States Geological Survey, and the
classification of the public lands and examination of the geological
structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain. The
Director and members of the United States Geological Survey shall have
no personal or private interests in the lands or mineral wealth of the
region under survey, and shall execute no surveys or examinations for
private parties or corporations.
(b) Examination of geological structure, mineral resources, and products
outside national domain
The authority of the Secretary of the Interior, exercised through
the United States Geological Survey of the Department of the Interior,
to examine the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of
the national domain, is expanded to authorize such examinations outside
the national domain where determined by the Secretary to be in the
national interest.
(Mar. 3, 1879, ch. 182, 20 Stat. 394; Pub. L. 87-626, Secs. 1, 2, Sept.
5, 1962, 76 Stat. 427; Pub. L. 93-608, Sec. 2(6), Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat.
1971; Pub. L. 102-154, title I, Nov. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1000; Pub. L.
104-66, title I, Sec. 1081(e), Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 721.)
Codification
Subsec. (a) of this section is from act Mar. 3, 1879. Subsecs. (b)
and (c) of this section are sections 1 and 2, respectively, of Pub. L.
87-626.
Provisions of subsec. (a) of this section which limited the salary
of the Director of the Geological Survey to $6,000 a year were omitted
as obsolete. See section 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and
Employees.
Amendments
1995--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104-66 struck out subsec. (c) which read
as follows: ``The Secretary of the Interior shall report to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate on
January 31 of each year on all actions taken pursuant to subsection (b)
of this section during the year ending on the December 31 immediately
preceding the reporting date and on the results of such actions.''
1975--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93-608 substituted requirement of an
annual report for requirement of a semiannual report.
Change of Name
Pub. L. 102-285, Sec. 10(a), May 18, 1992, 106 Stat. 171, provided
that: ``The Geological Survey established by the Act of March 3, 1879
(43 U.S.C. 31(a)), is designated as and shall hereafter [on and after
May 18, 1992] be known as the United States Geological Survey.''
``United States Geological Survey'' substituted for ``Geological
Survey'' in subsecs. (a) and (b) pursuant to provision of title I of
Pub. L. 102-154, which provided: ``That the Geological Survey (43 U.S.C.
31(a)) shall hereafter [on and after Nov. 13, 1991] be designated the
United States Geological Survey.''
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies
of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of
the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950,
Secs. 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out
under section 1451 of this title.
Continental Scientific Drilling and Exploration
Pub. L. 100-441, Sept. 22, 1988, 102 Stat. 1760, provided: ``That
this Act may be cited as the `Continental Scientific Drilling and
Exploration Act'.
``SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
``The purpose of this Act is to--
``(1) implement section 323 of the joint resolution entitled
`Joint Resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal
year 1985, and for other purposes', approved October 12, 1984
(Public Law 98-473; 98 Stat. 1875) [set out below] which supports
and encourages the development of a national Continental Scientific
Drilling Program;
``(2) enhance fundamental understanding of the composition,
structure, dynamics, and evolution of the continental crust, and how
such processes affect natural phenomena such as earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, transfer of geothermal energy, distribution of
mineral deposits, the occurrence of fossil fuels, and the nature and
extent of aquifers;
``(3) advance basic earth sciences research and technological
development;
``(4) obtain critical data regarding the earth's crust relating
to isolation of hazardous wastes; and
``(5) develop a long-range plan for implementation of the
Continental Scientific Drilling Program.
``SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
``Congress finds that--
``(1) because the earth provides energy, minerals, and water,
and is used as a storage medium for municipal, chemical, and nuclear
waste, an understanding of the processes and structures in the
earth's crust is essential to the well being of the United States;
``(2) there is a need for developing long-range plans for a
United States Continental Scientific Drilling Program; and
``(3) the Continental Scientific Drilling Program would
enhance--
``(A) understanding of the crustal evolution of the earth
and the mountain building processes;
``(B) understanding of the mechanisms of earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions and the development of improved techniques
for prediction;
``(C) understanding of the development and utilization of
geothermal and other energy sources and the formation of and
occurrence of mineral deposits;
``(D) understanding of the migration of fluids in the
earth's crust for evaluation of waste contamination and the
development of more effective techniques for the safe subsurface
disposal of hazardous wastes;
``(E) understanding and definition of the size, source, and
more effective use of aquifers and other water resources; and
``(F) evaluation and verification of surface geophysical
techniques needed for exploring and monitoring the earth's
crust.
``SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTINENTAL SCIENTIFIC DRILLING PROGRAM.
``The Secretary of the Department of Energy, the Secretary of the
Department of the Interior through the United States Geological Survey,
and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall implement the
policies of section 323 of the joint resolution entitled `Joint
Resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1985,
and for other purposes', approved October 12, 1984 (Public Law 98-473;
98 Stat. 1875) [set out below] by--
``(1) taking such action as necessary to assure an effective,
cooperative effort in furtherance of the Continental Scientific
Drilling Program of the United States;
``(2) taking all reasonable administrative and financial
measures to assure that the Interagency Accord on Continental
Scientific Drilling continues to function effectively in support of
such program;
``(3) assuring the continuing effective operation of the
Interagency Coordinating Group to further the objectives of such
program;
``(4) taking such action to assure that the Interagency
Coordinating Group receives appropriate cooperation from any Federal
agency that can contribute to the objectives of such program,
without adversely affecting any program or activity of such agency;
``(5) acting through the Interagency Coordinating Group,
preparing and submitting to the Congress, within one hundred and
eighty days after the enactment of this Act [Sept. 22, 1988] a
report describing--
``(A) long and short-term policy objectives and goals of the
United States Continental Scientific Drilling Program;
``(B) projected schedules of desirable scientific and
engineering events that would advance United States objectives
in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program;
``(C) the levels of resources and funding for fiscal year
1989 that would be required by each participating Federal agency
to carry out events pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B);
``(D) the scientific, economic, technological, and social
benefits expected to be realized through the implementation of
such program at each level described in subparagraph (C);
``(E) a recommended course for interaction with the
international community in a cooperative effort to achieve the
goals and purposes of this Act;
``(F) the extent of participation or interest shown to date
in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program by--
``(i) any other governmental agency;
``(ii) any academic institution;
``(iii) any organization in the private sector; and
``(iv) any governmental or other entity in the
international community;
``(G) a plan to develop beneficial cooperative relationships
among the entities mentioned in subparagraph (F), to the extent
that the Interagency Coordinating Group deems practicable; and
``(H) any other information or recommendations that the
Interagency Coordinating Group deems appropriate; and
``(6) submitting to the Congress annually, beginning one year
after the submission of a report under paragraph (5), a report
describing the levels of resources and funding that would be
required by each participating Federal agency for the next fiscal
year to carry out events pursuant to paragraph (5)(A) and (B).''
[For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions of law
requiring submittal to Congress of any annual, semiannual, or other
regular periodic report listed in House Document No. 103-7 (in which a
report required under section 4(6) of Pub. L. 100-441, set out above, is
listed as the 10th item on page 149), see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104-
66, as amended, and section 1(a)(4) [div. A, Sec. 1402(1)] of Pub. L.
106-554, set out as notes under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and
Finance.]
Pub. L. 98-473, title I, Sec. 101(c) [title III, Sec. 323], Oct. 12,
1984, 98 Stat. 1837, 1875, provided that: ``It is the sense of the
Congress that the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an
important national scientific endeavor, benefiting the commerce of the
Nation, which should be vigorously pursued by Government and the private
sector. The Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an important
national scientific endeavor that is vital to the understanding of the
geologic evolution of the Earth and the economic value of its resources;
the most effective and efficient means of realizing the fullest
potential in the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is through a
cooperative effort by the Department of Energy, the National Science
Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey; many important
commercial and scientific advances may result from the Continental
Scientific Drilling Program; and many foreign nations are engaged in a
comparable deep drilling program, and cooperation and coordination would
be beneficial to United States efforts. It is the sense of the Congress
that--
``(1) the Continental Scientific Drilling Program is an
important national scientific endeavor by the United States which
should be enthusiastically implemented through a joint cooperative
effort among the United States Department of Energy, the National
Science Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey;
``(2) the private sector should be encouraged to support the
Continental Scientific Drilling Program and the participating
agencies should solicit appropriate private sector participation in
such program; and
``(3) the United States Government should cooperate to the
extent practicable with the international community in developing
this important scientific and technical activity.''