Recovery.gov - Track the Money

USGS plans to use Recovery Act funds to address eight program areas:

1) Deferred Maintenance-Facilities (DM); +$29.4 million: USGS will address the highest priority deferred maintenance projects at its owned facilities.

2) Construction (C); +$17.8 million: The USGS Investment Review Board (IRB) has reviewed projects where construction is the preferred alternative to eliminate deferred maintenance and address other health and safety issues. Three construction projects were approved by the IRB as the most cost effective way to address the issues at research centers. Recovery Act funding will make it possible to begin work on these projects immediately.

3) Deferred Maintenance – Streamgages, Cableways, and Wells (ER); +$14.6 million: USGS operates streamgages and wells with state and local funding partners; when partners no longer co-fund the streamgages and wells, sites are usually closed and remediated. Over the past decades, funds were not available to remediate some of these sites or to adequately maintain some currently operated sites.

4) Upgrades to Streamgages (SG); +$14.6 million: The USGS national streamgage network (NSN) (7,500 sites) is dependent on a NOAA-operated satellite, which is scheduled for conversion to new high-data rate radio (HDR) technology in 2013. USGS will use Recovery Act funding to upgrade to HDR technology and upgrade streamgages with new technologies for streamflow measurement. The HDR radios will provide improved data quality to data users through more timely data transmissions This is particularly important during periods of flooding when emergency and water managers critically need timely information to warn surrounding communities affected by water surge.

5) Earthquake Monitoring (SV);+$29.4 million: USGS will use Recovery Act funding to make a substantial impact on the modernization component of the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) by doubling the number of ANSS-quality stations and upgrading seismic networks nationwide, to bring the total from approximately 800 to 1600. These improved networks will deliver faster, more reliable and more accurate information – helping to save lives by providing better situational awareness in the wake of the damaging earthquakes that can strike this nation at any time. Earthquakes are one of the most costly natural hazards faced by the Nation, posing a significant threat to 75 million Americans in 39 states.

6) Volcano Monitoring (SV); +$15.2 million: USGS will use Recovery Act funding to modernize equipment in the National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS) through modernization of monitoring equipment at all USGS volcano observatories. The U.S. and its territories are one of the most volcanically-active regions in the world, with 169 active volcanoes. As many as 54 of these potentially dangerous volcanoes need improved monitoring. Volcano monitoring can protect lives and avoid significant economic losses.

7) Imagery and Elevation Data for Mapping (NM); +$14.6 million: USGS maps are used in myriad ways: hazard response, vegetation change, land cover assessment, coastal erosion change, and determining boundaries. Recovery Act funding will allow USGS to improve mapping data, which will then be made available for multiple uses including flood mapping, emergency operations, and natural resource management. The highest priority areas that need elevation data are over coastal areas of the United States that are most susceptible to storm and hurricane flooding, earthquake damage, and coastal erosion.

8) Data Preservation (DP); +$448,000: Researchers and resource managers across the country utilize bird banding information to track the populations, flight patterns and resting areas of migratory birds. Recovery Act funding will make it possible to digitize and make available to the public via the Internet, the historical banding recovery and bird banding records.

The USGS has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The USGS Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php

Additional information about USGS’ Recovery Act program and projects is available at:
http://recovery.doi.gov/usgs

The establishment of meaningful and measurable outcomes is an important component of Interior’s Recovery Act reporting. Performance monitoring and oversight efforts are designed to ensure that the Department meets the accountability objectives of the Recovery Act.

These efforts include tracking the progress of key goals. The Department is defining a suite of performance measurements to monitor progress made in accomplishing stated work goals and to ensure financial and procurement practices are executed responsibly. In addition, the Department’s Recovery Act Coordinator is collaborating with senior Departmental officials, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Inspector General to ensure oversight of the program from the first phase of project selection, through implementation and execution. The Coordinator, with the assistance of the Recovery Act Board, will be evaluating processes to ensure that adequate mechanisms are in place and identify and share best practices to promote:

o Maximized use of competitive awards
o Timely and transparent award of dollars
o Timely and appropriate expenditure of dollars
o Verification and timely completion of planned work
o Minimized cost overruns
o Minimized improper payments

Measurement and reporting is a crucial component of Interior’s oversight strategy. The information received will serve as an indicator of progress enabling the Department’s governance entities to manage risk and ensure successful implementation of the Recovery Act. Department-wide, consistent guidance will guide efforts in this regard, including for example, development of a risk management program.

Reporting requirements related to major contract actions and financial status, including obligations and outlays, are being instituted. Periodic reviews of implementation progress at both the Bureau and Departmental levels will identify the need to realign resources to expedite projects, to modify project plans, or to select contingency projects to ensure funds are obligated within the time limitation. The selection of contingency projects will be included as part of regular reporting through recovery.gov.

The Recovery Coordinator will oversee Bureau implementation to ensure projects address the Department’s high priority goals and objectives, while also working to ensure that department-wide performance objectives, including timeliness and cost and risk management are met throughout the process.

The Office of Inspector General will be working closely with the Department from the
start to review and propose effective processes to manage risks, monitor progress, and to improve overall performance and accountability.

As part of routine reporting, the Department is also carefully tracking all projects subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). During the project selection phase the Department identified which projects had already completed NEPA planning, which are in progress, and which ones still need to begin the NEPA process. The Department will track the status of all NEPA compliance activities associated with projects or activities and report quarterly to the Council on Environmental Quality.

The USGS has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The USGS Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php

Additional information about USGS’ Recovery Act program and projects is available at:
http://recovery.doi.gov/usgs


USGS recently implemented the USGS Sustainable Buildings Implementation Plan (SBIP). The SBIP will be followed for all ARRA projects. The SBIP incorporates the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings. The Guiding Principles employ integrated design principles, optimize energy performance and renewable energy, protect and conserve water, enhance indoor air quality, and reduce environmental impact of materials. Regardless of size, all construction and building renovation projects shall be as sustainable and energy efficient as possible. As outlined in Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, USGS will implement renewable energy generation technology when life cycle costs determine that it is cost effective.

In addition to renewable and energy efficient technology for facilities, streamgages and seismic monitoring equipment for earthquakes and volcanoes will utilize solar energy technology and the newer technologies in the sensors will also provide more efficient and timely transfer rates and better accuracy in measurements.