Minerals Information Team Aims to Restore Funding

Reston, VA – The U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Information Team (MIT), NFFE Local 1957, is lobbying Congress to restore funding for the Mineral Resource Program, which received a 42% cut in the President’s FY07 budget.

Like many other federal programs, the MIT has experienced numerous budget cuts over the last several years.  While no single reduction was significant enough to sound the alarms in Congress, the successive reductions have affected the ability of MIT employees to carry out their critical mission.

MIT employees are tasked with gathering information on non-fuel mineral supplies throughout the United States and the world.  The U.S. relies heavily on foreign countries to provide essential mineral commodities.  In fact, there are 16 minerals for which the U.S. relies entirely on imports.  Graphite is a good example.  While the U.S. uses graphite in the manufacturing of countless items, including military aircraft and missiles, we rely exclusively on imports for this material.  Without the MIT’s international information function, the U.S. would have no data regarding the global supply of graphite and numerous other minerals.

Since 1996, employment at MIT has fallen from 158 full time equivalent employees (FTEs) to 124.  The President’s proposed budget cut for FY07 would be the greatest blow to the MIT budget yet, forcing the elimination of an additional 35 FTEs, including the entire international information function.