Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
september 2015

The Monthly Review is part of a continuing effort to improve communications about the role of geoscience in policy.
Current and archived monthly reviews are available online.

Subscribe to receive the Monthly Review directly.

congress

New bill would draw on citizen science, crowdsourcing to solve national problems

September 30, 2015

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) has introduced a bill that would authorize and promote federal agencies to use citizen science and crowdsourcing to help solve problems within the federal government. The Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act of 2015 (S. 2113) will allow citizens to offer their innovation and expertise voluntarily to federal agencies in order to reduce the use of federal resources.

If passed, members of the public would be able to voluntarily participate in the federal scientific process and open calls would be issued for voluntary assistance from large groups of individuals. According to Sen. Coons, the bill would make larger amounts of scientific research available to the federal government.

As Sen. Coons stated, “Open innovation tools like crowdsourcing and citizen science can present solutions to real challenges by drawing on the knowledge, creativity, and expertise of citizens, but it's an approach that is too often underutilized in government.”   

Sources: eenews, senate.gov

Land Water Conservation Fund expired September 30

September 30, 2015

The Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a conservation program annually funded by royalties from offshore oil and gas production, expired on September 30, 2015. The LWCF provides funding for federal, state, and local governments to purchase land and water and provides funding for conservation projects throughout the United States.

The 50-year-old law was originally authorized for $900 million in 1965 and was last reauthorized in 1990. As of October 1, which marked the beginning of the 2016 fiscal year, appropriators will still be able to draw money from the fund until the continuing resolution runs out on December 11.  As of now, oil and gas companies do not have to pay into the fund due to the program’s expiration.

Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) have introduced a bill to permanently reauthorize the LWCF. The bill, S. 338, was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders in February of 2015.

Sources: congress.gov, eenews, lwcfcoalition.org

Hearing Oct 20 to consider the nomination of Dr. Suzette Kimball to be Director of the USGS

September 30, 2015

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee announced that it will hold a hearing on October 20 to consider the nomination of Dr. Suzette Kimball to be Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Dr. Kimball has served as Acting Director for the USGS since 2013. Prior to becoming Acting Director, Dr. Kimball served as Deputy Director of the USGS.

Source: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee