Geological Surveys facing challenges in economy, security, policy

Nick Tew, the State Geologist of Alabama, is the incoming president of the Association of American State Geologists, and this morning he sent out a letter to AASG members outlining his goals and priorities for the next year. Below are a few excerpts from that letter:

"Our country and the world face many challenges over the coming years and the nation’s geological surveys have a huge role to play in addressing a number of these challenges. Among these are energy, mineral, and water resources and supplies; natural hazards; and climate change, but there are also many others.

"...there has been no other time in the history of this nation, save perhaps in the early days when our predecessors were engaged in the initial delineation and development of our natural resources, that the work of the geological surveys was more important than it is today. We are uniquely positioned to make significant contributions as we seek to provide for the long term societal well-being, economic viability, and overall security of the United States.

"...the collective voice of the State Geologists is indeed powerful. Our voice and perspectives are unique and we enjoy great respect as providers of unbiased scientific information that can inform and influence the development of sound public policy. Our challenge, however, is to make our voice heard in an authoritative and effective way and, as we know, this is an area where we can improve. It is critically important, especially during this time of significant transition in the body politic, that we carefully and thoughtfully craft our message and organize in a way that assures that this message is delivered effectively and efficiently."