Texas Bureau Breaks Ground on New Core Research Building

The Texas Bureau of Economic Geology has begun construction on its new core research building, a project that will provide state-of-the-art facilities for scientists conducting research on cuttings and core samples in the Bureau’s Austin Core Research Center.

“Everything we do is built on rocks,” said Bureau director Scott W. Tinker during a groundbreaking ceremony on October 5. “It’s exciting to have this new building to show what we’re all about.”

http://www.beg.utexas.edu/node/3425

Pardee session on Geologic Mapping

One of the most prominent sessions at GSA in Seattle was an AASG-cosponsored keynote called ‘Earth Anatomy Revealed: Geologic Mapping for Our Future’. Sixteen prominent speakers in four panels over four hours examined three questions: 1. What is the Role of Geoscience as a Whole, of the Sectors of the Geoscience Community, and of Geological Mapping in Responding to the Needs of Society; 2. How is Geological Mapping Applied in Order to Deliver Benefits to Society; 3. How Are New Perspectives and New Technology Improving Our Ability to Deliver Benefits to Society; and 4. How Are We Organized to Ensure That Geological Mapping Will Bring the Greatest Benefits to Society in the Future? Organizers were Darcy McPhee of USGS, Cassy Rose and Danielle Woodring of AGI, and Harvey Thorleifson of AASG. Audience members typed questions into their phones, and were able to vote for the questions they liked, allowing the moderators to direct the most popular questions to the panel.

GSA is underway in Seattle!

The Geological Society of America annual meeting is underway in Seattle, with over 7000 in attendance. At the AASG Mid-Year meeting this morning, thoughtful remarks were presented by leadership of USGS, National Academies, NSF, NCGMP, AGI, and AIPG; the Frye and Mankin Awards went to Colorado and Maine; while Michael Bograd, Rex Buchanan, Bob Libra, and Jerry Weisenfluh were elected as Honoraries. The postcards are as popular as ever!

Bipartisan Congressional support for Geologic Mapping

Land use managers increasingly rely on geologic mapping that returns benefits, including lives saved, resources discovered, costs avoided, increased efficiency, and fundamental understanding.

The National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 therefore mandated the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, which allows partners to work together in building the National Geologic Map Database. The NGMA is, however, due for its fourth reauthorization.

In September, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska cosponsored, with Senator King of Maine, Senate Bill S-1787, whose role is to reauthorize the Act

This month, Colorado Representative Doug Lamborn and Maryland Representative Anthony Brown co-sponsored a corresponding bill, HR-4033.

In a statement, Senator Murkowski stated "We don't have a detailed geologic map for even one-third of the United States, yet it lays the foundation for minimizing risks from natural hazards and is the linchpin to reducing our nation's dependence on foreign minerals".