Dear President Bush:
I am writing to ask that you support a strong, balanced investment in science in the Fiscal Year 2002 budget request. I especially urge you to seek an increased budget request for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS has been exemplary as our countryís foremost geoscience organization.
The main mission of the USGS is to provide objective Earth science data and analysis. The USGS is known for providing unbiased data to better manage the nation's resources. In order to offset previous declines, the USGS received an increase in FY 2001, which began to address the need to improve the Nation's streamgaging network, modernize its seismic networks, and expand the data available from the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. Please support a strong budget request so that this agency can fulfill its important mission.
Federal funding for the geosciences generates new knowledge about our home planet, helping us to responsibly develop our nation's resources, better protect the environment, and reduce our vulnerability to natural hazards. It is a vital investment in our future that, among other things, helps to train the next generation of scientists and to provide all citizens with a better understanding of their world. We cannot hope to have a sensible energy policy or make wise and fact-based decisions about energy, resources, and the environment without a strong and adequately funded USGS, because we canít make these decisions without an adequate understanding of the underlying issues. Geological consultants and geologically-informed academicians can tell you that the broad duties of the USGS cannot be privatized and farmed out to Universities.
I was profoundly disappointed to hear of a recent article in the Wall Street Journal that claimed you were going to reduce the USGS budget by 22 percent. I would like to know what the rationale is for this cut. It would surely be a major mistake. To me the funding of the USGS is something of a litmus test. It says "do we have a leadership that is scientifically literate and understands the complex nature and interconnectedness of Earth systems and of how valuable geology is in our daily lives". If we are taking our cues from those who are as misinformed as Mr. Barry of the Heritage Foundation is on this subject, then we surely do not understand the issues or the pivotal role of the science!
Thank you for your consideration of this letter, President Bush. If you would like additional information from me on how USGS programs are value to our Nation, I would be happy to be of assistance.
Respectfully yours,
Patrick Pringle
PS. For a particularly good essay about why geology matters so much
in the 21st century, I suggest:
http://www-geology.ucdavis.edu/www/alumni/newsletter98/emm.html
Geology and Culture: a call to action by Professor Eldridge Moores
http://www-geology.ucdavis.edu/www/Faculty/moores_gsa/index.html
Slides from Professor Moores 1998 GSA talk about ìWhy geology mattersî
PERSONAL HISTORY: I am a Research Geologist with a state geological survey. During my career, which began in 1970, I have worked in diverse subfields of geology (both private sector and as servant of the public) including offshore and land-based petroleum exploration, environmental studies related to solid-waste storage and mining, geological hazards analysis, consulting, teaching at the college level, and geological mapping. I have more than 70 publications including articles in Science, Earth Science, Geology, and the Geological Society of America Bulletin.
Member: Leaves this
site!
Geological Society of America
(http://www.geosociety.org)
American Geophysical Union (http://www.agu.org)
American Association of Engineering
Geologists (http://www.aegweb.org)
Northwest Geological Society (http://come.to/nwgs)