GOLDEN, Colo. - Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Colorado leaders today announced $167 million in President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been allocated to replace deteriorating laboratories used by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey working on critical energy and mineral programs.
Secretary Haaland, Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter, and Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo visited the Colorado School of Mines campus in Golden, Colo. to tour existing facilities.
The new state-of-the-art research and teaching facility, to be built on the campus, will allow USGS energy and minerals researchers to work alongside the university's geoscience and energy professors. This colocation will provide the opportunity to establish a center of excellence in minerals and energy that will leverage USGS science, support the development of STEM talent by engaging students and help expand the diversity of the USGS workforce.
"Science is at the heart of Interior's mission, and we are committed to empowering the agency's scientific and technical experts to use the best available technology to guide our work. This investment from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help maintain and enhance the necessary infrastructure to provide unique research and operational capabilities in critical minerals research, energy resource evaluation and other essential energy and mineral program priorities for the USGS," said Secretary Haaland.
"The USGS is pleased to expand our more than 40-year partnership with Colorado School of Mines through the construction of this new world-class facility," said David Applegate, Associate Director for Natural Hazards Exercising the Delegated Authority of the USGS Director. "Now, in addition to collaborating on natural hazards research, USGS and Mines staff will work together to address the nation's energy and mineral resource challenges."
Estimated to be completed within five years, the Energy and Minerals Research Building will house the USGS Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center, as well as the Central Energy Resources Science Center.
