43 USC § 31e - Geologic mapping program 5-year plan

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t43/s31e"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "43 USC § 31e - Geologic mapping program 5-year plan"
title_number: 43
title_name: "PUBLIC LANDS"
section_number: "31e"
section_name: "Geologic mapping program 5-year plan"
chapter_number: 2
chapter_name: "UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 102–285, § 6, as added Pub. L. 106–148, § 6, Dec. 9, 1999, 113 Stat. 1722.)"
---


# § 31e. Geologic mapping program 5-year plan

**(a)** **In general** The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall, with the advice and review of the advisory committee, prepare a 5-year plan for the geologic mapping program.

**(b)** **Requirements** The 5-year plan shall identify—

**(1)** overall priorities for the geologic mapping program; and

**(2)** implementation of the overall management structure and operation of the geologic mapping program, including—

**(A)** the role of the Survey in the capacity of overall management lead, including the responsibility for developing the national geologic mapping program that meets Federal needs while fostering State needs;

**(B)** the responsibilities of the State geological surveys, with emphasis on mechanisms that incorporate the needs, missions, capabilities, and requirements of the State geological surveys, into the nationwide geologic mapping program;

**(C)** mechanisms for identifying short- and long-term priorities for each component of the geologic mapping program, including—

**(i)** for the Federal component, a priority-setting mechanism that responds to—

**(I)** Federal mission requirements for geologic map information;

**(II)** critical scientific problems that require geologic maps for their resolution; and

**(III)** shared Federal and State needs for geologic maps, in which joint Federal-State geologic mapping projects are in the national interest;

**(ii)** for the State component, a priority-setting mechanism that responds to—

**(I)** specific intrastate needs for geologic map information; and

**(II)** interstate needs shared by adjacent States that have common requirements; and

**(iii)** for the education component, a priority-setting mechanism that responds to requirements for geologic map information that are dictated by Federal and State mission requirements;

**(D)** a mechanism for adopting scientific and technical mapping standards for preparing and publishing general- and special-purpose geologic maps to—

**(i)** ensure uniformity of cartographic and scientific conventions; and

**(ii)** provide a basis for assessing the comparability and quality of map products; and

**(E)** a mechanism for monitoring the inventory of published and current mapping investigations nationwide to facilitate planning and information exchange and to avoid redundancy.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 102–285, § 6, as added Pub. L. 106–148, § 6, Dec. 9, 1999, 113 Stat. 1722.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 31e, , , ; , , , provided for the preparation of a geologic mapping program implementation plan, prior to repeal by , , .