U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Monday, March 14Dept. of Interior

USGS Attendees: John Brock, Bill Werkheiser, David Applegate, Bill Leith, Larry Meinert, Virginia Burkett, Greg Snyder, Mike Tischler, Darcy McPhee, Paul Young, Don Kline

AASG Attendees: All

Introductions were made. A welcome from John Brock (Suzette Kimball is in Europe, meeting with agencies and organizations there). Joe Gillman made comments on behalf of AASG. Ann Barrett, USGS budget director, discussed the President’s recommendations for increases in the USGS budget, including in LANDSAT, water, climate change, hazards, mapping, and minerals. $118.4 million for core science systems. LiDAR, Alaska mapping, Arctic research, and earthquake monitoring all saw recommended increases in the President’s budget.

Dave Applegate reported on the geologic hazards program. Saw a $500,000 increase in recommended funding for landslide issues. Bill Leith discussed earthquakes and geomagnetism and the White House’ earthquake resilience meeting. The USGS has requested funding for an earthquake early warning network and is trying to make temporary stations in the eastern U.S. permanent. Will be releasing an earthquake forecast for the central U.S., including induced seismicity. Will do a conference call with affected states prior to release.

Kevin Gallagher noted that AASG needed to appoint a FACA for NCGMP and the data preservation program. He provided an update on the 3DEP long-range funding. Data preservation was authorized at $5 million in the Senate energy bill. There was discussion of an effort to increase that authorization.

Bill Werkheiser, Deputy Director, sat in for Suzette Kimball. Discussed international cooperation, fall liaison, and planning for the presidential transition. Mike Tischler described national geospatial data coordination and the strategic planning process for that. John Brock discussed planning for NCGMP. Will convene a workshop in Ft. Collins this summer. Would like AASG involvement.

Darcy McPhee, new acting associate for geologic mapping program, was introduced and spoke. Paul Young from the Energy and Minerals program discussed uranium issues in the Grand Canyon area. Larry Meinert, of the minerals program, discussed the increase in funding for the critical issues program.

Virginia Burkett, from the climate and land use mission area, spoke. Greg Snyder discussed Landsat and related data products, especially LiDAR. Don Kline, head of the water mission area, started eight weeks ago. Previously at NOAA.

ACTION ITEMS:

1) Appoint AASG FACA representative to NCGMP and DGGDPP.2) Maintain involvement with NCGMP long-range planning process.

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, WATER AND SCIENCE

DOI Attendees: Jennifer Gimbel, Camille Touton, Bill Lukas, Kevin Gallagher, Dave Applegate, Don Cline, Bill Werkheiser

AASG Attendees: Gillman, Spears, Masterman

AASG is supporting the DelBene landslide bill to be introduced in the House on Thursday.

We have met the new NCGMP staff and are pleased. USGS would like to rethink how the program is represented in DC. AASG has noted that many USGS programs have received budget increases but not NCGMP; we advocate strongly for the USGS budget and are disappointed. Our message is getting through on water and hazards but not on mapping. Perhaps we should use the messaging approach that was used with 3DEP. STATEMAP is a great way to leverage federal dollars and is highly productive in terms of number of maps produced. Geologic mapping is the foundational layer for all other geoscience studies such as water, hazards, and economic minerals. We must tout the benefits. AASG put enormous effort into launching the program. We now need a new effort to increase the funding. We will need to build relationships with the new people in DC after the transition of administrations.

Sec. Jewell is a huge fan of USGS, especially Landsat. In planning for transition of administrations, Interior is emphasizing partnerships. Jennifer Gimbel is pleased that Anne Castle will be honored with the AASG Pick and Gavel Award this year.

The 2016 AASG Annual Meeting in Alaska will feature a wide range of technical sessions and field trips. The 2017 meeting will be in Missouri and will be focused on water issues.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

GSA Attendees: Kasey White, Elizabeth Goldbaum

AASG Attendees: Tew, Arthur, Buchanan, Price, Ratchford

The next GeoCVD and USGS Coalition is scheduled for September 13–14, 2016.

The GSA "Natural Hazards Town Hall Meetings" or "Response Conferences" are likely not to be a continuing GSA effort, but GSA will be glad to support state geological surveys that would like help from GSA-member experts, if they could be useful in explaining hazards to the public.

AASG may want to schedule liaison visits with the Senate and House authorizing and appropriation committees that have oversight of NSF & NASA (Commerce, Justice & Science).

GSA would welcome support for geoscience funding at NSF.

ACTION ITEMS:

1) State surveys can ask GSA for support for town hall meetings, as desired.

IRIS (INCORPORATED RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS FOR SEISMOLOGY)

IRIS Attendees: Pearle Dorr, Danielle Sumy, John Taber, Andy Frassetto

AASG Attendees: White, Andrews, Thorleifson, Gale, Wunsch

Andy Frassetto provided an update on the USArray Transportable Array (TA) and the Central and Eastern U.S. Network (CEUSN). CEUSN is supportive of continuing operations of an increased density of seismic stations, particularly useful for measuring induced seismicity. Some of the TA stations that were deployed have been adopted by states. 158 stations have funding for operations through 2017, after which the USGS is requesting $800K/year to continue operations of stations no longer funded through NSF.

Discussion also centered on magneto-tellurics and the application of this technology to planning/modeling hazards and infrastructure impacts due to space weather and solar storms. The layperson explanation is that highly resistant crust is less likely to conduct electric current into the crust and it is therefore more likely that digital and electronic infrastructure will be compromised. The Space Weather Initiative is currently unfunded. If AASG is interested, the organization could advocate to Senator Markey’s office.

AASG members let IRIS know about a GSA Critical Issues paper on induced seismicity that is about to be released. Also, Delaware is receiving very positive feedback about an earthquake kiosk that shows data and images. Kentucky is collecting baseline seismic monitoring data and water-quality data in advance of permitting injection wells associated with shale gas development.

ACTION ITEMS:

1) IRIS requested that AASG write a letter to appropriations in support of continued operations of the stations and appropriations of $800K/year to USGS. This item was also discussed in the meeting with USGS. The request was forwarded to AASG leadership.

2) IRIS requested that they be on the agenda at the AASG Annual Meeting in June.3) IRIS is interested in fairly large (100–200 people) venues for the 2016 distinguished

lectures program featuring a lecture on induced seismicity by Dr. Justin Rubenstein, USGS Menlo Park. IRIS also invited us to the 2016 IRIS Workshop in Vancouver, WA, June 8–10.

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES, MAJORITY AND MINORITY STAFF

Staff Attendees: Nona McCoy, Ryan Hunt

AASG Attendees: Ortt, Prewett, Bradbury, Faulds

Requested continued support for NGGDPP and language in S2012, and explained our desire to see this funding level increase to the level of appropriation, with the understanding that Senate Appropriations has no control over specific USGS budget allocations. We explained the efficiency of having state surveys conduct geologic mapping as compared to using federal employees. We also requested support for landslide language that was moving through the House. Nona McCoy mentioned she would look at the USGS justification for funding each program. She mentioned these justifications are available to anyone. She and Ryan Hunt mentioned that member letters are due Friday, March 18, which is coming too soon for AASG purposes. Nona mentioned that the surveys need to line up senate constituents in the future for support.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

DEPT. OF ENERGY GEOTHERMAL TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE

DOE Attendees: Susan Hamm, Arlene F. Anderson, Laura Garcher, Shawn Force, Zac Frown, Tim Reinhart, Lauran Boyd

AASG Attendees: Faulds, Prewitt, Bradbury, Ortt

Faulds opened the discussion highlighting the collaboration between the state geological surveys and DOE in their many programs. AASG thanked DOE for their support.

A balance between conventional resources and Enhanced Geothermal Stimulation (EGS) was discussed especially with enhanced technologies in 3D modeling, increased knowledge of stratigraphy, and geological analysis.

Tim Reinhart talked about participating in data repositories and increasing the robustness of the database. Additional studies are looking at geothermal fluids from a mineral extraction perspective, both at cataloging of the elemental make-up as well as the extraction process while maintaining thermal efficiency of the fluid. Co-produced byproducts from geothermal as well as conventional oil and gas are being analyzed for greater efficiencies (thermal production from methane flaring).

A discussion regarding defining what is geothermal occurred. Do we include standard residential geothermal heat pump as geothermal?

FORGE is the newest EGS program. The focus is to develop a reproducible strategy for EGS and the economics of them. These are potential field laboratories for geothermal technologies, involving partnerships between academia, state surveys, government labs, and industry. Most of these projects in the past have been broad brushed, but now the projects are looking at refining techniques of imaging the subsurface. The second phase of this initiative is obtaining more site characterization with stratigraphy, induced seismicity, simulations, geothermal reservoirs, sensors, etc. FORGE is focused on addressing the problems that may develop in commercialization of geothermal in hot dry rocks.

Hydrothermal (existing thermal resources) has finished a phase 1 for 11 projects creating a desktop analysis of hydrothermal potential. Phase II will start soon with the documentation of site characterization, including fieldwork for discovering new geothermal systems.

SUBTER is still continuing. An announcement is out for actual construction of the SUBTER project. This program is focused on four pillars of knowledge: well bore construction, stress state and induced seismicity, permeability manipulation, and subsurface signals.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS, INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES, MAJORITY STAFF

Staff Attendees: Jackie Kilroy

AASG Attendees: Spears, Arthur, Gillman, Parrish, Masterman

Jackie Kilroy was interested to hear about specific examples of NCGMP and NGGDPP successes or applied uses. That, along with general discussion of the programs and their value to the states and nation, consumed the time.

ACTION ITEMS:1) Send Jackie AASG write-ups of success stories for the programs, along with AASG

position papers on the two programs.

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

BLM Attendees: Mitch Leverette, Division Chief, Solid Minerals; Alfred Elser, Deputy Division Chief, Solid Minerals

AASG Attendees: Ratchford, Buchanan, Price, Tew

Discussion of the withdrawal of lands from mineral development, sage grouse ruling, and SFAs (sage grouse focal areas). Mainly Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada. Discussion of EIS process, lawsuits that have been filed to stop the process. Questions about the inclusion of oil and gas production in the evaluation process. There is a coal pause, or three-year moratorium on the evaluation of BLM land for coal. Price asked about renewables. BLM still moving forward on solar and wind but in an office separate from solid minerals.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY (OSTP)

OSTP Attendees: Tamara Dickinson, Rich Pouyat, Kelly Kryc, Jacqueline Meszeros, Laura Petes

AASG Attendees: Wunsch, Andrews, Gale, Thorleifson, White

Tamara Dickinson said key relevant issues OSTP is dealing with are implementation of the recent climate agreement in Paris, the President’s Climate Action Plan, Earthquake Early Warning System and disaster resilience, the White House Water Summit, and issues of earth observation.

Kelly Kryc discussed the Water Summit, to be held March 22, World Water Day. Six roundtables to be held for input on water issues, drought symposium, water innovation symposium, agenda will include water basin scale solutions, holistic focus on sustainability (finance, infrastructure, agriculture, resilience, policy), morning program will be followed by afternoon demonstrations.  Wunsch inquired about AASG getting a seat at event because of state surveys’ key role in water. Was declined by Dickinson citing limited space.

March 23 will be a half-day roundtable on soil moisture, monitoring, possibility of a national network, public-private partnerships, citizen-science input similar to National Weather Service. Citizen-science efforts are a priority for the administration.

Jacqueline Meszeros sought input on disaster issues, and AASG attendees each provided a perspective from their states. Earthquake Early Warning System Summit has been a significant effort.

Laura Petes’ main focus has been climate resilience.  State and tribal cooperative efforts, climate action champions, resilience America focused on vulnerable populations, climate data initiative coordination Federal data, and a climate resilience toolkit.

Issues they anticipate for the future: climate resilience, energy innovation, regional ocean plans, water issues/drought, and the Arctic.

AASG inquired about improving funding for STATEMAP; OSTP suggested a broader community conversation on geologic mapping, perhaps through National Academy, and suggested considering a broader approach than narrow mission of producing 2d static maps.

ACTION ITEM:

1) Meszeros wants to make contact with Alaska (Masterman) regarding Earthquake Early Warning System. (DONE)

REP. SUSAN DELBENE, D-WA

Staff Attendee: Ben Barasky.

AASG Attendees: Gillman, Arthur, Berry, Spears Discussion focused on the National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program bill, which the Congresswoman planned to introduce into the House on March 17.  Ben Barasky solicited assistance from AASG in obtaining additional sponsors and supporters of the bill—both Congressional, if possible, and organizational.  AASG committed to supporting the bill and agreed to work to gather additional sponsors.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, MAJORITY STAFF

Staff Attendees: Chris Kearney

AASG Attendees: Thorleifson, Andrews, Parrish, Wunsch, and Faulds

We had a good open discussion with Chris Kearney, who was clearly interested in major agenda items for AASG. Main topics of conversation included NGGDPP. Based on past funding levels, Kearney thought that the $5M level of authorization for NGGDPP was much more realistic and would be viewed favorably by Congress. If actual funding should approach $5M in the next 10 years, he thought it would be easy to revise the $5M limit, which would not require full congressional approval. Kearney suggested that we think about educating Congress about NGGDPP in the future.

Senate Bill 2012 (Energy Bill) has been held up for the following reasons: 1) It has been tied to a resolution of the Flint water issue, but this is under negotiation and will probably be resolved. 2) One senator has a hold on the bill due to issues about offshore drilling. Kearney thought that the bill was passable, especially since it is a broad-based bipartisan bill covering many areas, including oil-gas production and conservation, lifting of the oil export ban, and energy and water access. Once passed by the Senate, this bill will need to be conferred by the House, which could be an opportunity to increase the authorization amount for NGGDPP.

The upcoming water conference at the White House will focus on water conservation and technology.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, OFFICE OF GROUNDWATER AND DRINKING WATER

EPA attendees: Bruce Kobelski, Mike Muse, Matt Columbo, Ronald Bergman, William Bates, Lisa McWhirter, Kyle Cary, Jill Dean, Karen Wirth, Keara Moore

AASG Attendees: Bradbury, Berry, Ortt, Ratchford

New EPA website was launched in September of this year (h t tps : /Iwww .e p a .gov/u i c ). Breakdown of users: 75% of users are from desktop computers; 20% mobile phones; 2% tablets; 3% unknown.

Source Water Protection Plan. EPA is encouraging source water collaborations with state agencies and encouraging states to provide a link on state websites that points back to EPA (see handouts). State agencies would take the lead as part of this program—state drinking water standards; scientists; field offices of the USGS. Karen Wirth is the Source Water Collaborator at the EPA. EPA has recently launched a new groundwater mapping tool: OW MAPS. EPA started in 2011 to standardize the information at the state level in a digital format for consistency considerations. EPA will provide polygon aquifer boundaries on OW MAPS. Aquifer exemptions relative to disposal wells is also available on OW MAPS. Aquifer exemptions remove a particular aquifer to safe drinking water standards.

EPA representatives said that it would be great idea for state surveys to map aquifers in their states regardless of whether the aquifer is exempt or not. June 2015 marked the roll out of the Hydraulic Stimulation Report—Office of Science, Research and Development. Hydraulic fracturing using diesel fuel (very rare) is considered a class 2 well. The National Governor's Association is looking at well integrity issues, spills, etc. They released their report in the middle part of last year. The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission has a "sister document" on hydraulic stimulation. Act 1431 used authority in Flint, Michigan—it has broad authority to implement regulatory actions.

ACTION ITEMS: None

INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (IPAA)

IPAA Attendees: Lee Fuller, Ryan Ullman, and Frederick Lawrence

AASG Attendees: Buchanan, Price, Tew

As we heard elsewhere, S. 2012, the energy bill, may not move because of amendments that caused loss of broad bipartisan support.

This was an informative meeting regarding IPAA's perspectives on domestic oil and gas. Discussed induced seismicity and the outlook for long-term oil and natural gas prices. AASG should meet with them annually.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, MINORITY STAFF

Committee Attendees: Ada Waelder, Staff Assistant

AASG Attendees: Prewett, Arthur, Gale, Spears, White

Jerry Prewett discussed the makeup and functions of AASG and said that all our states share issues related to minerals, groundwater, surface water, mapping, and hazards. He also expressed AASG support for the landslide hazard bill, the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program, and USGS. Although AASG would like to see an increase in appropriations for the above items, we understand current budget constraints.

The landslide hazard bill was scheduled to be introduced at the end of the week by Congresswoman DelBene (Washington). It was mentioned that although federal agencies provide time and expertise, state surveys are the “boots on the ground” scientists and are most familiar with the geology and issues in their home states.

Jon Arthur showed examples of maps and shaded relief images on his iPhone to support the uses of the 3DEP program.

Senator Cantwell’s office plans to contact Congresswoman DelBene’s office to discuss the landslide hazard bill.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

NATIONAL MINING ASSOCIATION

NMA Attendees: Katie Sweeney, General Counsel; Tawny Bridgeford, Deputy General Counsel; Jamie Caswell, Director of Communications; Justin Prosser, Director for Congressional Affairs; Adam Eckman.

AASG Attendees: All.

AASG members gave brief mining updates for their respective states.

NMA staff described some of their issues and concerns. NMA is promoting a new website, mineralsmakelife.org, that focuses on public education about minerals with links to social media. They are looking for content for this site and invited AASG and the various state geologists to contribute content.

NMA previewed a short video about the prairie sage grouse and the BLM land withdrawals (available on the NMA website, www.nma.org) and handed out a fact sheet about the sage grouse issue. NMA expressed concern about land withdrawals related to the sage grouse issue and asked AASG to press this issue during their meetings with legislators.

Tawny Bridgeford discussed financial assurance issues and expressed concerns about a proposed EPA rule and model for predicting the cleanup costs of closed mining sites.

In response to a question about the time needed for permitting, Justin Prosser said Senator Murkowski has proposed a bill (S883) to speed up permitting, but it is unlikely to proceed this legislative session.

Katie Sweeney stated that the “waters of the U.S.” issue is in litigation and that there is a national stay on this rule. NMA considers this issue an over-reach on the part of EPA but has reached compromise with EPA on several related issues.

Adam Eckman discussed stream protection. OSM is re-writing the stream protection rules now.

Katie Sweeney discussed the coal-leasing moratorium. This is a three-year moratorium while Interior does a review of the program. NMA opposes this moratorium.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES, MINORITY STAFF

Staff Attendee: Steve Feldgus, Senior Energy Policy Advisor

AASG Attendees: Arthur, Thorleifson, Buchanan, Masterman, Tew

Introduction to AASG priorities. Discussion of how to ensure that NGGDPP reauthorization in the current Energy Bill, S.2012, will survive in a conference with a House bill. Steve thought the House counterpart of S.2012 would be HR8, maybe HR1937. He suggested we make contact with Upton staff in Energy and Commerce Committee to alert them to our interest in NGGDPP. There was discussion of the landslide bill. Steve urged us to develop an appropriations strategy in the autumn, so we are fully ready in the new year.

He urged us to arrange “Dear Colleague” letters. We need champions, ideally bipartisan, not on Approps. Targeted communications from State Geologists and AASG are good as well.

They will be in full election mode after July 15.

ACTION ITEMS:

1) Make sure Steve is invited to Pick and Gavel.2) Develop strategy to arrange for Dear Colleague letters in support of bills of interest.

NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSN.

NGWA Attendees: Lauren Schapker, Government Affairs Director for NGWA

AASG Attendees: Wunsch, Bradbury, Gale, Ortt

AASG stated it supports the NGWA programs and the water-monitoring network.

AASG noted that its MOU with NGWA has expired, and both groups agreed to work on re-signing the MOU.  NGWA said it likely will sign the new MOU at the annual meeting of AASG in Alaska—have a ceremonial signing.

Noted that the Secure Water Act is coming up for renewal in about two years. Should begin preparations now. Noted Water Technology Acceleration Act in Wisconsin to improve water technologies, a newly proposed bill that should be watched.

ACTION ITEM:

1) Renew MOU with NGWA.

U.S. FOREST SERVICE

USFS Attendees: Nicholas Douglas, Paul Johnson, Carmel Walters, Sherri Thompson, Mike Frasasso

AASG Attendees: White, Berry, Andrews, Faulds, Prewett

ACTION ITEMS:

1) AASG should start discussions of updating MOU and incorporate new areas of potential cooperation into agreement.

2) Geologic hazards on USFS lands are handled at the regional level.  Individual state surveys should contact USFS regional offices for coordination on hazards.

DEPT. OF ENERGY, CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE

DOE CO2 Attendees: Mark Ackiewicz, Elena Melchert

AASG Attendees: Jon Price, Joe Gillman, David Spears

DOE is working on large-scale characterization of reservoir capacity; looking for 50–100 megaton reservoirs near CO2 sources. Watch for a Funding Opportunity Announcement in the next 30 to 60 days.

Working on post-injection analysis; some pilot tests have been in the ground for 15 years. Next steps beyond regional partnerships: stacked storage, multiple wells, interaction of plumes and pressure fronts, larger-scale injection tests.

Minor induced seismicity has been related to CO2 injection with magnitudes -2 to 1.0.

A 500 mW coal-fired power plant produces three to four million tons of CO2 per year.

Funding has been increased for regional partnerships; Secretary is very supportive. Moderate interest in mafic rock reservoirs; a small injection test into basalt in eastern Washington was successful.

From the Oil and Gas office (Elena): Focus has been on unconventional resources, primarily shale gas reservoirs, at full Technology Readiness Level. DOE is performing tests before, during, and after hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus, Permian shales, and soon in the Utica. In the Permian Basin, they’ve been coring through the stimulated horizon. They’re injecting tracers at the nano-scale, then trying to detect them. Testing well-bore integrity and experimenting with foam cements, which are hard to make uniform. Examining cements with industrial CT scanners. Writing standards with API.

ACTION ITEMS:

1) Watch for Funding Opportunity Announcement if we want to pursue.

REP. GWEN GRAHAM, D-FL

Rep. Attendees: Rep. Graham; Hill Thomas, Legislative Director

AASG Attendees: Arthur, Tew, Buchanan, Masterman, Parrish, White (GSA)

Attendees briefed Rep. Graham on hydraulic fracturing, specifically as related to a proposed bill in Florida. Discussion with Hill Thomas continued after Rep. Graham departed, mainly providing background on hydraulic fracturing regulation in other states and issues related to Florida geology.

ACTION ITEMS: None.

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

Staff Attendee: Kathy Benedetto

AASG Attendees: Ratchford, Spears, Gillman, Price

Kathy Benedetto is leaving the staff of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Joshua Hoffman, Ph.D. in mining engineering and last year's SME Congressional Science Fellow, is on the staff.

ACTION ITEM:

1) Add Joshua Hoffman to the list for regular liaison visits. His contact information: Josh.Hoffman@mail.house.gov

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS, INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES, MINORITY STAFF

Staff Attendees: Rebecca Taylor, Sr. Legislative Assistant for Congresswomen Betty McCollum

AASG Attendees: Thorleifson, Wunsch, Bradbury, Gale, Ortt

This was a very effective meeting at getting information to the Senator's office.  Discussions of the Cooperative Mapping Program, Data Preservation Program, and groundwater monitoring were held. Ms. Taylor will attempt to put language in the appropriation report to include support of our programs.

ACTION ITEM:

1) Follow up with a letter documenting our funding requests related to these programs.

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET OMB Staff: Aaron Ray, Program Examiner

AASG Attendees: Berry, Buchanan, Parrish

Discussed major AASG priorities and associations with USGS and its budget.  Noted that USGS was happy with its proposed $106 million increase; however, AASG noted that the StateMap program was sadly omitted from any piece of that increase.  Discussed need to review and revise StateMap dollar allocations. AASG noted need for increases to the Data Preservation funding.

Ray noted that the 2017 budget would likely go through in some form but is still questionable, as usual.  The 2018 budget was anyone’s guess and would remain a mystery. He noted that the OMB was concerned with the Earthquake Early Warning Program for the Pacific Region, mostly because of California’s apparent inability to provide mutual funding and some type of management program. Ray appeared to be well versed in the budgets and the issues..

ACTION ITEMS:

1) Provide Ray information about NCGMP productivity.

 

NASA

NASA Attendees: Gerald Bawden, Program Manager, Earth’s Surface and Interior; Craig Dobson, Program Scientist; and Lawrence Friedl, Marketing

AASG Attendees: Price, Bradbury

Items discussed:

MOU with AASG. This is a long-standing relationship but “more could be done” according to Craig Dobson. Some suggestions:

o Landslides: potential for focused AASG/NASA workshops; need more interaction with NASA researchers on opportunities and access to data

o Opportunities to “piggyback” projects for data collection if there was better coordination with state survey needs. Example: airborne mapping happens in Alaska but planes are based in California and have to fly over other states during the mission; possibly data could be collected during these flights.

Various sensor technologies and applications (NSAR, P-Band, photon-counting LiDAR) applied to landslides, subsidence, sinkhole detection, etc.

The Decadal Survey (see http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/esas2017/DEPS_170397). NASA and The National Academies are seeking input for planning the 2017 Decadal Survey for Earth Science. Information should be submitted by April 30; see the website above for details.

We discussed opportunities for collaboration between NASA and the state surveys. NASA needs ways to validate its remote sensing data (for example lake levels, groundwater fluctuations), and they think state surveys could assist with this.

NASA would like to run a workshop at a future AASG meeting (Missouri?) to present opportunities for geoscience in upcoming missions. This would be a chance for AASG to learn what NASA has available and to potentially influence the science done on future missions. This workshop would focus on geological applications.

ACTION ITEMS:

1) AASG should explore the workshop idea with NASA; this sounds like a good opportunity for building collaboration.

AMERICAN GEOSCIENCES INSTITUTE

AGI Attendees: Pat Leahy, Abigail Saedler, Ed Robeck, Cassandra Rose

AASG Attendees: Thorleifson, Bradbury, Price, Ortt, Gillman, Prewett

Pat Leahy announced that he is retiring from AGI and that a job announcement is out now. Targeting an Oct. 2016–Jan. 2017 hire. Scott Tinker and Nick Tew are on the search committee. Pat announced that “The Geoscience Handbook” will be available soon (replacing the old AGI data sheets). This is a major revision; AASG could possibly purchase copies at a reduced price.

Ed Robeck discussed Earth Science Week and related AGI activities. It was suggested that AASG might want to have someone on the ESW planning committee. AGI is looking for new locations for citywide celebrations. Ed also discussed the Center for Geoscience and Society, which has a redesigned website (http://www.americangeosciences.org/center-for-geo/about-us), and the Critical Issues Program. They are working to raise $6.5 million for the Center and so far have $1.4 million.

Cassandra Rose described the Critical Issues Program. The program website likely is pushing web traffic to state surveys through various links. The research database largely consists of state survey publications, and they are looking for more.

Abigail Saedler discussed budgetary issues. This has been a tough year for geoscience budgets, although there is a 10% proposed increase for the USGS. There have been no budget hearings related to geoscience this year; AGI is working to get hearings scheduled.

ACTION ITEM:

1) AASG should consider membership on the Earth Science Week planning committee.

CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE

CRS Attendees: Peter Folger

AASG Attendees: Thorleifson, Prewett, Andrews, Faulds, Ratchford, White

Peter Folger allowed the state geologists’ to start by discussing top priorities in our states. Meeting topics included CO2 capture and sequestration, water, natural hazards and landslide language, hydraulic fracturing on federal and state lands, and LiDAR and database issues.

Peter spoke about interests using brackish waters for use as drinking water supply and spoke of a USGS Brackish Water Assessment that will come out later this year. He spoke of landslides and how we can increase awareness and safety. He talked of the value of satellite data and geologic mapping and recommended we find someone to champion that in congress. Peter mentioned FGDC and geographic data as supported by Senator Orrin Hatch, Utah.

ACTION ITEMS: None.