Oversight hearing titled "Beneath the Surface: Earth MRI and America's Resource Potential"

The subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will come to order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recess at the committee at any time. Under committee rule four F, any oral opening statements at hearings are limited to the chairman and the ranking minority member. I ask unanimous consent that the following members are allowed to participate in today's hearing from the dais. The gentleman from Colorado, Mister Evans, and the gentleman from Alabama, Mister Palmer. Without objection, so ordered. And I'll recognize myself for an opening statement. Thank you all for being here today to discuss this important topic. Today's hearing will examine the US Geological Survey's Earth Mapping Resources Initiative commonly known as Earth MRI. As we all know, critical minerals are essential to our daily lives. with applications ranging from technological innovation to national defense. This Congress, House Republicans have made it a priority to enact policies that will help us unlock our domestic mineral wealth, and secure our mineral supply chains. Thankfully, the United States is blessed with an abundance of natural resources from oil and gas on the outer continental shelf, to critical minerals in Minnesota's vast Duluth complex. So it keeps us from responsibly developing these resources and achieving national energy dominance. In part, it's our failure to take a full accounting and inventory of our domestic natural resource wealth. As the rest of the world has raced ahead to identify and collect data on their resources, the United States has lagged behind. We must modernize mapping of our nation's surface and subsurface if we wish to secure America's supply chains and reduce our dangerous over-reliance. on foreign adversaries. The Earth MRI program helps us solve our dependency problem by providing valuable data that help shape our understanding of the critical mineral potential across our great nation, as well as informing decisions about land use, resource management, hazard hazard assessment, and our infrastructure. Through Earth MRI, USGS partners with state geological surveys, federal agencies, private industry, tribes, and universities to achieve this goal and collect this invaluable data. What's unique about Earth MRI is that data from other USGS programs are integrated to form a more complete picture of United States' natural landscape. Earth MRI was conceived in the first Trump administration as a result of an executive order which instituted a policy of identifying new sources of critical minerals. Then, in twenty twenty-one, Congress authorized and funded Earth MRI. And this authorization is set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year, making this hearing a timely opportunity to discuss the importance of mapping and the many benefits from Earth MRI brings to our nation. This year's reauthorization of the Earth MRI will also provide us with an opportunity to strengthen the program and expand upon the progress we've made, over the past five years. Prior to Earth MRI, only seven percent of the US was covered by high-quality, geophysical data. As of twenty twenty four, that percentage has tripled. Since Earth MRI's inception, USGS has partnered with forty six states and territories for data collection, investing one hundred and ninety nine million on data acquisition across this nation. These collaborations are invaluable, leveraging national capabilities alongside local and private sector expertise. The public and the public and industry benefit. exponentially from having earth MRI data publicly accessible. Tribes and local communities are implementing earth MRI data into their decision-making process for infrastructure and resource management. Industry uses this to de-risk exploration which shortens project timelines and reduces cost. State geological surveys are being revitalized through earth MRI finding, which helps to rebuild a skilled geoscience workforce in collaboration with our universities. For example, in my home state of Minnesota, Earth MRI has collaborated with the Minnesota Geological Survey, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to reveal new insights on historic resources across Minnesota's iron range. If we want to mine in America, as Secretary Burgum says, we must first map, baby, map. We must meet the moment. And now is the time to examine how Congress can position the United States, United States to unleash technological innovation, enable domestic mining, and secure resilient American mineral supply chains. I look forward to our hearing from, I would look forward rather to hearing from our witnesses on this topic, and will now yield to the ranking member for her opening statement. Representative Ansari.

Good morning. Thank you, Chair Stauber. I appreciate the opportunity with you all today about a program that is at the forefront of scientific and industrial progress, the United States Geological Survey's Earth Mapping Resource Initiative or Earth MRI. Earth MRI is a critical investment in American science, competitiveness and our communities, and I am pleased to say it enjoys strong bipartisan support. Earth MRI was established in twenty nineteen in response to a twenty seventeen executive order on critical mineral supply chains. Recognizing the value of the program, Congress expanded it significantly through the bipartisan infrastructure law, providing three hundred and twenty million dollars over five years to accelerate mapping and data collection efforts across the country. Since its inception, Earth MRI has established itself as an incredibly important and productive federal science program. It is producing strategic, comprehensive, and publicly accessible data that supports decision-making across multiple sectors of the economy. Earth MRI uses modern and emerging technologies, including airborne geological surveys, high-resolution topographic mapping, and geochemical sampling, to build a more complete picture of what lies beneath our feet. Most of the United States remains poorly mapped at the level needed for modern resource management. Earth MRI is helping to fill those gaps. Importantly, the information generated by Earth MRI is publicly available. That means it can be used not only by federal agencies, but also by state and local governments, researchers, communities, landowners, and private industry. The benefits of this program extend well beyond identifying critical mineral resources, though of course that is an important one. Earth MRI data supports groundwater management and the assessment of the risks of landslides and earthquakes for community safety. It supports both conventional and enhanced geothermal exploration, infrastructure planning, and environmental restoration. For the mining sector, Earth MRI helps identify areas with mineral potential before companies invest significant resources in exploration. This lowers private sector risk while also reducing unnecessary disturbance to communities and the environment. The program is also helping to identify opportunities to recover valuable mineral by-products from existing mines and historic mine waste, reducing the need for new land disturbance while strengthening domestic production. For geothermal, better geologic information lowers exploration risk and can help unlock domestic energy resources that might otherwise remain underdeveloped. And keeping all of this information in the public domain incentivizes innovation. Earth MRI has already partnered with forty states and territories, tripling national coverage of high-resolution geophysical surveys and by twenty twenty four, It had achieved twenty-three percent geophysical data coverage of the United States. Now, as bipartisan infrastructure funding expires at the end of this year, Congress faces important decisions about the future of the program. The question will be whether we will continue to build on the successful investment or allow progress to stall, just as the benefits are becoming increasingly apparent. I hope today's hearing demonstrates the far-reaching benefits of this program, and the strong return on investment that it provides for the taxpayers. And while I'm glad to see support for this program on both sides of the aisle, I must add that Earth MRI does not exist in a vacuum. It relies on a scientific ecosystem made up of the state geological surveys, universities, and research institutions, entities that are currently under serious threat from this administration's cuts to federal staff grants cooperative agreements and federal-state partnerships. These are the partners that collect, analyze, and apply Earth MRI data. When those institutions are weakened, Earth MRI is weakened too. We should not be selectively investing in one program's specific priorities while dismantling the infrastructure it depends on. Democrats support a strong Earth MRI program because we support science, public data, and evidence-based decision-making across the board. We support the scientists, the universities, and state partners who make it happen. I look forward to further discussing how continued federal support can strengthen a well-funded, balanced scientific initiative and the broader scientific ecosystem. Thank you and I yield back.

Thank you, Representative Ansari. We will now begin our first panel, which is comprised of one witness. Uh, let me remind the witness that under committee rules, they must limit their oral statement to five minutes, but their entire statement will appear in the hearing record. To begin your testimony, please press the on button on the micro

Chairman Stelber, Ranking Member Ansari, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on the US Geological Survey's Earth Mapping Resources Initiative or Earth MRI. The public lands and minerals stewarded by the Department of the Interior include more than four hundred and eighty million acres of surface land, seven hundred and fifty million acres of subsurface and mineral estate, and more than three point two billion acres offshore. Non-energy minerals produced from public lands generate billions of dollars for the economy and support tens of thousands of jobs. Recognizing that mineral development is a national security priority, the department is committed to ensuring that the United States is a leading producer and processor of critical minerals to create jobs and prosperity at home strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce the influence of adversarial states. The Organic Act of eighteen seventy-nine charged the USGS with examining the nation's geological structure and mineral resources. Our data show that over the last sixty years, demand for critical and other essential minerals has increased dramatic dramatically while US production has declined precipitously. Reversing that trend and renewing domestic mineral production depends on collecting and delivering modern geoscience data. The USGS launched Earth MRI in twenty nineteen in response to President Trump's executive order one three eight one seven, a federal strategy to ensure secure and reliable supplies of critical minerals. which called for modernizing geological, geophysical, and topographic mapping in areas with potential for critical minerals. The USGS conceived Earth MRI as a partnership with state geological surveys, other federal agencies, universities, tribes, and the private sector. This partnering led to the first national map of areas with critical mineral potential which helps USGS prioritize data collection and provides stakeholders with an understanding of the potential distribution of critical minerals. At the start of Earth MRI, less than seven percent of the nation was covered by magnetic and radiometric geophysical surveys at a resolution suited to characterize the mineral resource potential. Today, Earth MRI has nearly quadrupled this coverage, and is on track to collect data for over half of the areas in the US, with critical mineral potential by the end of this year. Earth MRI surveys have covered the Minnesota Iron Range, Alabama Graphite Belt, Idaho Cobalt Belt, Colorado mineral belt, and a region of Nebraska which may be the largest niobium deposit in the United States. Earth MRI has also studied lithium in Nevada and Oregon, and California's mountain past rare earth element mines. Mine. However, much of the country still lacks the geoscience data necessary to locate and quantify critical mineral resources. Earth MRI is already accelerating the nation's mineral economy. Since twenty nineteen, Earth MRI has contributed to a surge of about one hundred thousand, new mineral claims on federal lands. Earth MRI impacts include detection of potential for Niobe and the rare earth elements in Maine, data on graphite and rare earth elements in Wyoming, Salireby's mountains, and mapping in the Yukatana uplands in Alaska that has prompted accelerated exploration in the area. Data from Earth MRI has increased interest in re-mining legacy mine waste, a potentially important source of critical minerals. Earth MRI has launched the National Mine Waste Inventory, worked with states in characterizing minerals and mine waste, and collaborated with NASA on the world's largest airport hyperspectral survey, to examine critical minerals in mine waste, as well as undiscovered mineral deposits. Earth MRI also has broader applications. Earth MRI geophysical data is revealing buried fault systems across Arkansas and many other states, as well as geothermal energy potential in California and Nevada. Earth MRI has also supported the Arizona Geological Surveys, establishment of a new core repository that has sparked industry partnerships and is helping to train the next generation of economic geologists. Moving forward, the USGS will maintain our thermorized collaborative approach, coordinating with state geological surveys and other partners, as we modernize the nation's geologic, geochemical and geophysical mapping. We are investing in innovative geophysical techniques and tools, and as the list of critical minerals has expanded, we are evaluating additional areas of the country for ore deposit research, and discovery. The USGS will advance data delivery and develop new products to make Earth MRI data immediately useful to stakeholders. We will also apply our official intelligence tools developed in collaboration with the departments of War and Energy to accelerate mineral resource assessments and help users interpret Earth MRI results. As Earth MRI continues to modernize our mapping of the nation's minerals, it is providing insights essential to securing our mineral supply chains, strengthening our economic and national security, and making science-based decisions for responsible resource management. The USGS appreciates the subcommittee's interest in Earth MRI, and looks forward to future collaboration on this important issue.

You ended right on time. Perfect, thank you. You practiced it. Thank you, Dr. Williams. Uh, thank you for your testimony. Uh, the chair will now recognize members for five minutes of questions. Uh, I'm gonna now recognize myself for five minutes, so, Dr. Williams, uh, we know the Duluth complex in northern Minnesota. is one of the most significant deposits of critical minerals, copper, nickel, cobalt, and the other platinum group metals. Uh, and uh, uh, with estimates suggesting the resource value could reach into the trillions of dollars. What additional mapping and higher resolution geophysical data are needed to better define and characterize these deposits and accelerate responsible development?

Uh, th thank you for the question. We have been uh, active in that part of the world. actually the usgs for some time but with earth MRI we're collecting uh modern data that help resolve um many of the uh structures that are favorable for mineral deposits in the vicinity um some of those are actually quite small and you need the high resolution data to be able to tell you more accurately where that potential may be

right i i think that um we have the opportunity and i'll just speak uh for the total complex i mean we have the the helium deposit that was accidentally found by a a a test drill and uh there's also a a a really intense titanium find uh in there so the the development of this technology and uh furthering the map is is only gonna accelerate and find more of these so uh uh next question what if anything uh doctor willms is holding back the usgs from utilizing these new technologies. Does Congress need to provide further direction to the agency in the Earth MRI reauthorization to help make this possible?

Um, well of course we're we're always welcome uh more stability and longevity in the authorization of our programs um but we're very uh happy with how Earth MRI has gone so far. Um, we're really value the partnerships and the support that has come from Congress and the administrations. And uh, as as far as we're concerned, uh, as long as we continue to have a path forward, we will continue to deliver uh, impactful results.

Perfect. Uh, technologies such as uh full tensor gravity FTG can provide significantly greater subservice detail than many traditional mapping approaches and have been widely used in mineral exploration around the world. What is the USGS doing to evaluate whether advanced technologies like ftg should play a larger role in the program as it evolves from broad regional mapping towards identifying specific critical uh mineral bearing formations.

yes so uh of course within our thermory we connect uh this foundational modern high-resolution data variety of data types uh but we're always on the lookout for new and innovative technologies that are uh developed in the industry and academia, and i think that's one of the areas in which our partnerships with the academic community, really, and, and of course industry, coming to forward because, um, they're, uh, often, uh, the ones who are coming to us with new and innovative ideas, uh, technologies that they would like to try out. And since we have that, um, basic framework data we get from the, main measurements of Earth MRI, that gives us an opportunity to, uh, see how these new technologies can help advance our subsurface understanding.

Doctor Williams, as we move forward uh with our mapping and the new technology, from your experience, can you just give us an estimate of the uh of the economic uh uh potential, the economic value uh that could bring to this nation? I'm talking about uh uh under uh you know, unheard of deposits at the moment et cetera, or the Duluth complex.

Yeah, um, well our colleagues at the Association of American State Geologists recently did a survey uh to study the economic benefits of geologic mapping, which of course is just one of the it's very important part, but it's one of the parts that we uh conduct through Earth MRI. And they found that the economic benefits are at least five to seven times, and perhaps as much as thirty-five times the investment in the mapping itself. Uh, and we believe from the experience in other countries that have invested in what they refer to as pre-competitive data like Earth MRI, countries like Australia and Canada, they see similar payback from the geophysical surveys, uh, and, uh, other other data collection efforts.

Up to thirty-five times, uh, the benefit.

Yes.

Wow. Impressive. Thank you very much. I will now turn, uh, it over for questioning to, uh, Ranking Member Ansari for five minutes.

Thank you so much. Doctor Williams, thank you for your many, many years of service to the federal government and particularly in the United States. Geological Survey. I'm glad to see good t- good scientists in these essential roles like yours in the federal government. As you know, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act set a twenty thirty-one deadline for a nationwide comprehensive surface and subsurface mapping initiative, and data integration for critical minerals. Doctor Williams, is that deadline achievable at the current pace of work?

It's it's a deadline we're committed to it at the current. pace of work we're working under with the supplemental funding from the IIJA, uh, we expect to meet that deadline.

OK. Great. Um, can you also share what the most significant remaining gaps are in our national geologic data?

Uh, well, as I mentioned, we're making tremendous progress. Um, we will have about fifty percent of the areas, uh, for which there is identified potential for critical minerals. done by the end of this year, but of course that leaves the other fifty percent, a little less than fifty percent. And as we learn more and work with our state partners, academic partners and industry partners, um, we're also learning more about resource potential and identifying new areas we should look at. So, uh, those those are the big immediate gaps is is filling in the parts of the map and, uh, looking at those areas of significant potential we haven't looked at yet. Uh, but uh, we're proceeding as as we have resources to do.

Thank you. Congress provided the Earth MRI program with a significant funding increase through the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act three hundred and twenty million over five years that supplemental funding is set to expire at the end of this fiscal year. Right now, Earth MRI gets about seventy-four million dollars per year in combined IIJA funding and annual appropriations. Doctor Williams, can you briefly describe what USGS was able to achieve with that increase in funds? How was the Earth MRI program able to accelerate?

Um, with with the additional funding we not only increased the uh rate of data collection for the types of data we were already collecting, increased the funding we could provide uh to the Geo state geological surveys, and support their work, we could also diversify uh some of the data types we were collecting. Um, I mentioned aerom uh, aeromagnetic and radiometric data, we've also started collecting uh, airborne electromagnetic data which gives us a different look at the subsurface. Uh, and that was also our opportunity to really launch our our mine waste inventory, and start looking systematically in collaboration with the States, uh, the potential for recovering critical minerals that have been left behind in legacy mine waste.

Next year when the IIJ funds run out, Earth MRI looks on track to get around sixteen million dollars in annual appropriations, which is of course a fifty eight million dollar drop. What will that drop in funding mean for Earth MRI's work? How much faster could USGS do this critical mapping if the current funding levels were expected?

Um, Earth Earth MRI fortunately is a very scalable program. Um, we were very fortunate that we We had the two years of start before the supplemental funding came in and we were able to scale up very effectively and efficiently. And, and basically, uh, you know, we defer to Congress or the administration of what the appropriate funding level is. And we will do our best effort, whatever funding level we end up with, and continue to move forward.

Thank you again for your service. I yield back.

Thank you very much. The chair now recognizes Representative Whitman from the great state of Virginia for five minutes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Dr. Williams, thanks so much. Thanks for all that you do with the mineral resource program there at the Department of Interior, incredibly important work. You know, as we address what we see as supply chain issues here in the United States, making sure we re-shore those domestic supply chains, understanding too the sustainability of what has to go along with that, and making sure too we're doing that all based on good scientific data. Being the scientist myself working for years there, I understand how critically important, that is, both for decision making, but also in responsibly developing those resources. And we know modern technology allows us to do some incredible things. That's why Earth MRI, I think, is is so important to the future of the United States, both economically and and and strategically. Uh, we know that, uh, the better mapping we have, the better decisions we make. I was just in in, uh, Alaska uh last August with my colleagues and we saw there what was happening with new mapping. We saw too uh decisions that uh were looked at in the past and not made, but with new data they looked at and said, well there's a different way we can do things or more resources in places where we didn't realize there were resources. So all kinds of new avenues open up when you have that up to date data, and especially too when you're using scientific technology like Earth MRI. So that that to me is is the great potential there. If you'll let us know, and you spoke a little bit about this, um why is the reauthorization for Earth MRI so critically important within your program but also for the nation?

Um, I think I think it sends the message um that whatever the funding level, whether we go back to that appropriated uh request of approximately eleven billion dollars a year or something greater than that, Uh, that the USGS is committed to, uh, advancing our understanding of domestic mineral resources in a transformational way,

Yeah.

uh, in the long run. And, uh, I think that, uh, as, as much as we all recognize that the situation with our critical mineral supply chains is an immediate threat um it also is true that it takes time and effort to, uh, fundamentally change that situation and, uh, long-term commitment, and we would appreciate of that endorsement of a long-term commitment.

Yeah, I think it's important to note, you know, the data that we need to make those uh decisions, but also what comes in the development of science to make us even more accurate in determining where these mineral resources are, which makes us more efficient in how we develop them. Uh, give me a scenario too of what would happen if the program lapsed. Where where would we find ourselves not just marking time, but where would we uh regress if this program wasn't reauthorized.

Um, one of one of the things I think I would be most concerned about, obviously there would be uh an impact on the USGS. But uh one of the best aspects of Earth MRI has been our relationship and our work with the state geological surveys. And through the funding from Earth MRI, many of these state surveys have uh re- uh regrown and invested in their mineral resource sections. Um, they brought on students who are now um, uh, from a few years ago now, they're working in industry or the geological surveys, the USGS on mineral resources. And I think there would be, uh, an immediate impact of retrenchment in those, in those states and state geological surveys, who've been such tremendous partners for us.

Are there any gaps or frustrations that you may have with the current program, things that Congress can address to to help you to to enable you to do the things that you know need to be done.

Uh, well, at the USGS we're known for grumbling and complaining about bureaucracy. But uh, to to be honest, I think this uh we're we're very pleased with the support we've seen to date, uh across the executive branch and and Congress. And uh uh, you know, I've been at the USGS a long time and I I think uh Earth MRI has been one of the outstanding examples of how well a program can work. Um, and uh, we're very happy with it.

Well, that's great. And listen, the places we visited in working with uh uh, you know, the state officials as you do, in both places like Minnesota that we visited, but also in Alaska, they've been highly complimentary of what you're doing to work with states. And many times too, you're enhancing their ability to have those databases necessary for their state agencies to make thoughtful and timely decisions.

Thank you very much, Chair Knopf, who recognises Representative uh Elfrath for five minutes.

Thank you, Mister Chair, Doctor Williams, thank you for being here, I wanna follow up briefly on the line of questioning from the ranking member, and from Representative Whitman, and I think we all share a universal anxiety about the fact that China is just eating our lunch when it comes to critical minerals, and that this program, Earth MRI, really has the potential to um, rebalance that, uh, as a national security concern. I think it also proves that a little bit of good science goes a whole long way. And I'm curious, Mister Whitman asked you about what happens if, happens if the program lapsed. The ranking member asked you how much further this could go over your need, and I know you have political constraints in telling us that. But I'm curious though, what is the return on the investment here? A dollar for a dollar of if we increase this program, what is the output going to mean for the American people?

Well, thank you, thank you for the question. As As I mentioned with uh our surveys indicate with geologic mapping alone, there's at least a seven times uh return on investment, possibly much higher. And I think across the whole portfolio, uh, we are seeing something similar. Uh, we're seeing a lot of activity by industry, of course, that takes time to play out and s and see where the resources are developed and all, but um, uh, we uh, definitely have seen um uh growth in the US uh geophysical surveying industry that wasn't there before. Um partly from our uh contracting with geophysical surveys, but also from increased work with industry. Uh we're seeing um other other economic effects across uh states that are making plans around uh you know vertical integration of material that might come from future mines that could play into factories and manufacturing. So uh And and we're going through right now we're uh uh in the process of developing a request for information to develop a broader survey of Earth MRI impacts. Now we've been at this for a few years. Uh, we believe we could go out and actually get uh more detailed information on how we're we're changing things. But looking around the world it's it's it's very clear that this kind of work does have significant payback.

And and just briefly, because we're we're also working on this from a DOD perspective as well, talking about national security concerns. I am curious your, your professional assessment of our workforce and our, our mining schools and are we producing enough scientists to achieve the goal we're seeking here?

Um, I, there's a broad consensus within the, uh, you know, minerals, uh, enterprise that, uh, you know, we have a shrinking and aging workforce. That's not a surprise. And, um, in, in particular many of the, uh, traditional mining schools have been uh working very hard in recent years to keep their programs afloat and to graduate uh enough uh um new students to work in the industry and uh we've we've actually in the last uh year uh launched a pilot program uh for external grants to universities to help uh uh support uh education and workforce development in the geosciences and you see that uh interest and investment across the federal government Um, and with many of the professional societies, because it is a tremendous concern.

Yeah. I think it's something we need to work on more though. I, I appreciate that assessment. I wanna switch gears to, to geothermal and I think one of the, another bipartisan priority for this committee, and I wanna thank everybody involved, has been the fact that we all agree there's an energy affordability crisis. We sometimes disagree on how to solve it, but we agree on, on geothermal. Um, being an, uh, an east coast state, uh, the opportunities are more limited just because of depth. challenges than out west. But I do understand that the flagship program Geodon has some real promise, and especially in Nevada it sounds like it it was able to discover uh a site that was just a hundred and fifty meters in depth, which I think is an opportunity. I think Congresswoman Lee is gonna talk about this in a minute as well. But I I look at that as real potential for East Coast opportunities. Can you give me any insight into how we can utilize the Geodon program to find uh, geothermal opportunities on the east coast.

Oh, abs- absolutely. So, yeah, when we're looking at mineral resources, we're essentially looking at ancient earthquake faults, ancient volcanoes, um, ancient geothermal systems that were active in in the past. And, uh, their uh, geological, geophysical signatures in some ways are very similar to active faults and active volcanoes. And and, uh, we learn a lot by cross uh, communicating. And uh, in fact, we were just at a meeting of the Association of American State Geologists last week, looking at uh geothermal systems in Virginia. And uh, they were associated with fault zones that can be imaged through brand new Earth MRI geophysical data.

I would appreciate that. My remaining seconds. Could I possibly ask you for a one-on-one meeting to talk about that East Coast opportunity moving forward?

Absolutely.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I yield back.

Thank you very much, Chair, and now I'll recognize as a representative, Crank, for five minutes.

Well, thank you, Mister Chairman. I appreciate it and thank you, uh, Doctor Williams for for all you do. Uh, the United States is blessed with very abundant energy and mineral resources, but we can't get at them unless we know uh and have them fully identified and mapped. Uh, and that better geological mapping gives us the certainty to make better land use decisions and energy and mineral development decisions. Sanborn Mapping Company, which is in my district, is one of the prime contractors that USGS uses to fulfill its mapping requirements under several of the programs like uh three DEP, three DHP and Earth MRI. Uh, they have the capacity to not only go out and get the data needed to better understand where our resources are, but to process the data. And one of the key tenants of USGS's uh mapping programs is that this data is publicly available. Um, can you share how much of the US has been mapped? under earth MRI and what percentage of that data has been made publicly available

yes so um as i mentioned when we started um our foundational uh data collection of magnetic and radiometric data um we were started uh with coverage of the united states of seven percent uh we've increased that by more than a factor of of four so we're getting up toward thirty percent um when we contract for a survey Uh, the mobilization, the actual acquisition of the data, uh, takes a certain amount of time. It depends on, on weather, other schedules. And then when we get the data, our geophysicists have to work on the quality control and analysis, before we can publish it. So there, there is a bit of a lag of a few months to,

Mm-hmm.

sometimes many months, uh, from when the survey is completed to when the data are public. But all that data is in the pipeline we just released. Uh, I believe it's four separate data sets, just in the last few weeks. And, uh, we're working very hard at trying to accelerate that pace.

So, j- from your answer, I've heard from stakeholders in the geospatial and mining industry that USGS faces resource constraints in processing the data in a timely manner. Do you agree with that statement?

Well, there always are limitations, but we're doing our best to,

Sure.

to meet those challenges.

Yeah, as this committee considers reauthorization of the Earth MRI program, Uh, I think it's important to find creative solutions, uh, to accelerate not only the data collection but its processing timeline. And, uh, from from your perspective, if Congress clarified that USGS has the authority to enter into agreements with companies like Sanborn to process Earth MRI data would that lead to data being made available? Or or or used faster?

In in some ways, yes. One of the things we've been looking at, um, for example, Uh, if, if you're what we call a potential field geophysicist, you get the raw data from the survey, you're in heaven, it's wonderful, you work with it. Many other, even uh geologists don't necessarily know how to work with that kind of data. So there are derivative products you could get, produce that help uh people who aren't uh experts, work with that data. And we've been working with uh contractors to build in more of those derivative products as part of the contract. so that we don't need to slow down that process of generating them ourselves.

OK. And then finally, I I submitted this question to the record for the secretary, because while I believe it's important that this data is made public, I do have concerns about adversaries' access to potentially sensitive data. So I wanna ask you, as as Interior expands efforts to map the United States' resources with programs like uh Earth MRI, is it important that we both strengthen domestic technical uh capacity and safeguard sensitive geospatial information. How is USGS approaching contractor selection and data management to insure Earth MRI supports US based capabilities and protects the integrity of these uh strategic assets and data sets?

Well, uh, thank you for the question. First and foremost, we are always careful to follow all the rules and laws and regulations about contracting and data collection. aspects is data integrity and making sure that uh, until that data is ready ready to be released, it is not accidentally released or accidentally accessed. Uh, we're also focusing more than we did in the past on making sure there are no vulnerabilities to say having that data tampered with or uh, have to worry about the chain of custody. But once, once we've got to a certain point, um, as has been mentioned here, we think it's very important to put it out in the public domain, so it has the greatest value.

Great. Uh, thank you, Doctor. Thanks for all you do. I appreciate it. And I I yield back to Mister Chairman.

Thank you very much. The chair now recognizes Representative Grijalvo for five minutes.

Thank you, Mister Chairman. Um, in southern Arizona, my constituents understand that we need to accelerate a transition to clean energy. They also understand the impact that mining has left behind, oftentimes to the community's detriment. From abandoned mines and contaminated lands, ongoing conflicts over sacred tribal sites and water resources, many communities in Arizona are still living with the consequences of past and present mining decisions. Given the long-standing environmental and public health impacts of mining, we have a responsibility to uphold our values by protecting the health safety and well-being of our communities, prioritizing robust research and sound science, helps ensure that our decisions are informed and responsible. Throughout the process, we must respect tribal sovereignty and protect sensitive cultural and natural resources and ensure local communities have meaningful voice in decisions that affect their future. While we need certain materials for clean energy's transition, it's just as important to understand where development may not be appropriate. Good geological information helps us identify opportunities, but it can also help identify groundwater resources, geologic hazards, and other areas where extra caution is needed. As stated today, Earth MRI data is not just for mining, it's for land managers, groundwater research, and preparing earthquakes for preparing for earthquakes and landslides, anything that has to do with the geology of the United States. Um, Doctor Williams, can you explain how Earth MRI data can help agencies and land managers identify areas that might warrant conservation or groundwater protection or areas that might be at risk of an earthquake.

Oh, a- absolutely. So, uh, of course, uh, one of the things you learn when you collect this kind of data and interpret it is you learn which areas are most prospective for critical minerals and also those which are not necessarily very prospective for critical minerals and that allows uh land managers and other members of the stakeholder community to focus on on the areas that are uh you know going to be a focus of industry and consider what the implications of that are what other types of information might be needed we were talking earlier about the duluth complex one of the things we are doing with earth mri in that part of the world is working with tribes to collect uh what we have been collecting this airborne em data it's not only very useful for mineral resources it's also very useful for for ground water studies

mmm

And so the tribes in that area have information that will help them understand if there are any uh issues related to uh potential groundwater impacts. Um, they can, and they and the community at large can address those.

Yeah, and you, I mean, you know, groundwater is life, especially in Arizona. Um, can you tell us how Earth MRI helps increase transparency and what the benefits are of this data being publicly accessible?

Well, um, as, as I mentioned that I think it, uh, you know, it, it level, levels the playing field. It gives, um, industry, uh, opportunity to, um, decide where they would like to focus their efforts. And one of the things we're seeing with Earth MRI is, uh, going to meetings, we're running into, um, exploration companies from Canada and Australia coming over here, saying we never had this opportunity before, now with your data, we can, we can focus. and and do some some real work. Um, but also that, uh, you know, by by having it out there, we're not, uh, uh, privileging any part of the s- uh, interested community at all. We're simply supporting, um, um, it's informed, uh, decision making.

Yeah. Um, overall, you know, thank you so much. Overall, I will support this program and I do wanna make sure that the distinction is clear. Mapping is an important form of research, but it should not predetermine where mining should take place. It is an important tool, but it's not the only one. Community input, meaningful tribal consultation, and environmental review are essential and critical, and will tell you as much as not more, if not more, about whether a mine can succeed in a responsible way. Um, thank you so much. I yield back.

Thank you very much, Chair, and I'll recognize this representative Gosar for five minutes.

Thank you, Mister Chairman, and thank you, Doctor Williams, for joining us today. Since President Trump's inauguration, the US Geological Survey has worked tirelessly to unleash American energy and restore mineral dominance. The importance of our nation's critical mineral supply chains, from exploration and mapping to manufacturing, continues to grow. And that cannot be overstated. My home state of Arizona is blessed with abundant mineral critical mineral resources that can help advance this domestic production agenda. In fact, Arizona is rich in antimony, copper, lead, lithium, manganese, ma uh magnesium, silver, uranium, zinc, and many other critical minerals. In fact, I think it's fourteen of the top uh where there's twenty minerals are located there. The USGS M uh Earth Ma- Mapping Resource Initiative, or Earth MRI, is an outstanding federal-state partnership that helps to identify the valuable resources beneath our feet. As Secretary Burgum said, " We must map, baby, map." This is how America's strength in the supply chains reduces

Um, there are a number of uh areas in Arizona which um have been identified as having uh potential for rare earth elements, everything from uh uranium deposits with rare earth elements up on the colorado plateau toward uh ancient crest down in southern arizona uh and and what's been lacking is the information to uh enable us to go from ok we've we've got something interesting is is there really a resource and that's the role that uh earth MRI is playing to to fill in that gap to say uh ok we have some favorable geology what does the data really say about the resource potential, and is this something industry could build on to potentially uh develop.

And so this really helps us identify where these critical minerals are, right?

Yeah.

And and you know the test holes may become much more important, but for a few after that, right? Okay. Now what are federal agencies using MRI your three MRI data to evaluate and expedite project planning?

Uh, so uh we we work very closely of course with the bureau of land management. Um, we uh, support them as as needed for uh, decision making they need, uh, resource management plans, land management decisions permitting. Uh, especially on the question of critical minerals and mine waste. Uh, we work uh, informally informally with uh, not only uh, federal land management agencies across the board, but also the EPA, DOE and others. We're very interested in whether uh there's potential to recover uh critical minerals and address remediation efforts at the same time. And uh we're also extending a lot some of our work uh to support the Department of War in questions about uh whether there are um um critical mineral resources on some of the military lands that really haven't been looked at in many decades.