What's New: To receive these updates and announcements by email, manage your subscription, or review the mailing list archive, go to the NCSE List User Form. NCSE Helps Launch U.S. Geological Survey Coalition Washington, D.C., July 9, 2003 - The National Council for Science and the Environment has joined with 37 scientific organizations to launch a new coalition to support the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).  "The USGS Coalition is an alliance of organizations united by a commitment to the continued vitality of the unique combination of biological, geological, hydrological and mapping programs of the U.S. Geological Survey," according to the coalition's mission statement.     Despite its new role in homeland security and other growing responsibilities, funding for the U.S. Geological Survey has been nearly flat for the past eight years (Figure 1).  "The Coalition supports increased federal investment in USGS programs that underpin responsible natural resource stewardship, improve resilience to natural and human-induced hazards, and contribute to the long-term health, security and prosperity of the nation," the mission statement says.   With the USGS facing budget cuts again this year, the immediate goal of the coalition is to demonstrate the breadth of USGS's constituency and provide a mechanism for coordinated action, uniting organizations concerned with the health and effectiveness of the agency.  Through statements, briefings, visits and supporting materials, the Coalition will help make the case for USGS within the administration and on Capitol Hill.  The Coalition will also serve as a nexus for information sharing among the member organizations, thus increasing their own effectiveness. The Coalition will emphasize that the USGS has a national mission that extends beyond the boundaries of the nation's public lands to encompass the needs of all citizens.  The USGS plays a critical role in providing impartial scientific understanding of natural hazards, natural resources, and the environment.  Since the addition of the Biological Resources Division in 1996, the USGS has significantly enhanced its ability to conduct multidisciplinary scientific investigations that address environmental and resource challenges.  This approach supports the mission of NCSE to improve the scientific basis for environmental decisionmaking.   NCSE played an active role in the formation of the USGS Coalition and hosted two meetings of its organizing committee.  Senior Scientist Craig Schiffries, who represented NCSE on the coalition's organizing committee, said, "The USGS Coalition has tremendous potential to build a broader base of support for the agency.  Last year, a similar coalition played a key role in passage of legislation to double the budget of the National Science Foundation."   A list of the charter members of the USGS Coalition is provided below. For further information, please contact Dr. Craig Schiffries (E-mail: schiffries@NCSEonline.org).    Charter Members of USGS Coalition  American Congress on Surveying and Mapping  American Fisheries Society  American Geological Institute  American Geophysical Union  American Institute of Biological Sciences  American Institute of Professional Geologists  American Society for Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing  American Society of Civil Engineers  American Water Resources Association  Association of American Geographers  Association of Engineering Geologists  Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies  Association of State Floodplain Managers  Council of Science Editors  Earthquake Engineering Research Institute  Ecological Society of America  Geological Society of America  Geoscience Information Society  The Groundwater Foundation  International Association of Emergency Managers  Interstate Council on Water Policy  National Association of State Universities & Land Grant Colleges  National Council for Science and the Environment  National Flood Determination Association  National Geographic Society  National Ground Water Association  National Institutes for Water Resources  Natural Science Collections Alliance  North American Benthological Society  Ornithological Council  Phycological Society of America  Seismological Society of America  Society of Economic Geologists  Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry - N. America  Universities' Council on Water Resources  University Consortium for Geographic Information Science  Western States Seismic Policy Council  The Wildlife Society                                        Figure 1. USGS Funding in Constant Dollars for FY 1996 - FY 2004  NCSE playe  d an a cti                           v             (Thousands) Source: USGS Coalition, 2003                        osted two meetings of its organizing committee.  Senior Scientist Craig Schiffries, who

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