The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
Identifying the Nation’s Surface and Subsurface Resources
The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS’s) Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is an effort to modernize mapping of the nation’s surface and subsurface resources. Earth MRI collects geologic, geophysical, geochemical and topographic data to provide a three-dimensional understanding of the nation’s geology, in part to identify energy, mineral and water resources; hazards (e.g., landslides, earthquakes); mine waste; abandoned wells; and other natural and human-engineered features. In 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which established and authorized Earth MRI and required an initial comprehensive national modern surface and subsurface map and data integration by Nov. 15, 2031….
