43 U.S.C. § 31e: Geologic mapping program 5-year plan

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. overall priorities for the geologic mapping program; and 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; 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; Federal mission requirements for geologic map information; critical scientific problems that require geologic maps for their resolution; and shared Federal and State needs for geologic maps, in which joint Federal-State geologic mapping projects are in the national interest; specific intrastate needs for geologic map information; and interstate needs shared by adjacent States that have common requirements; and 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; ensure uniformity of cartographic and scientific conventions; and provide a basis for assessing the comparability and quality of map products; and a mechanism for monitoring the inventory of published and current mapping investigations nationwide to facilitate planning and information exchange and to avoid redundancy.