Chapter 11. Department of the Interior

• United States Geological Survey
• Minerals Management Service
• National Park Service
• Bureau of Reclamation
• Bureau of Land Management

Overview

The Department of the Interior is responsible for most federal public lands and natural resources. The Department's mission is:

(1) to encourage and provide for the appropriate management, preservation, and operation of the Nation's public lands and natural resources for use and enjoyment both now and in the future;
(2) to carry out related scientific research and investigations in support of these objectives;
(3) to develop and use resources in an environmentally sound manner, and provide an equitable return on these resources to the American taxpayer; and
(4) to carry out trust responsibilities of the U.S. Government with respect to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

During the 1990s DOI underwent a major organizational change, which affected environmental R&D. In 1993, nearly all biological environmental research was moved out of existing bureaus (principally the Fish and Wildlife Service) and combined into a new National Biological Survey (later National Biological Service) with a mission to "to accomplish biological research and collect, analyze and disseminate biological information to meet responsibilities related [to natural resource management]." In 1996, the National Biological Service was moved into the U.S. Geological Survey, becoming Biological Resources Division. As a result of these changes the U.S. Geological Survey accounts for ~87% of all environmental R&D at the Department of Interior.

Because of the Department's mission to manage and conserve natural resources on public lands, about 85% of its R&D is classified as applied research, another ~10% in classified as basic research. Approximately 98% of DOI basic research is carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey.