OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 10, 2001

Laura Funderburk 202/208-6416 (DOI
Trudy Harlow 202/208-4196 (USGS)

Secretary Norton Announces Chip Groat Will Continue
As Director of the U.S. Geological Survey

(WASHINGTON) - Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton announced this week that Dr. Charles "Chip" Groat, will continue to serve as director of the U.S. Geological Survey. Secretary Norton made the announcement during a USGS all-employee meeting in Reston, Va., Aug. 6.

"The President has accepted my recommendation that Dr. Groat continue to serve as USGS director," Secretary Norton said. "Chip has an outstanding science management background and is the perfect director for USGS[,] and for this Administration. He has always been my choice, and he will continue to be an important member of our leadership team."

Groat has served as director of USGS since November 1998. He has more than 25 years experience in geological studies and has been directly involved in energy and minerals resource assessment, groundwater occurrence and protection, geomorphic processes and landform evolution in desert areas, and coastal studies. He served as associate vice president for research and sponsored projects at the University of Texas in El Paso, following three years as director of the Center for Environmental Resource Management. Groat was also director of the University's Environmental Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program and a professor of geological sciences.

Prior to joining the University of Texas, Dr. Groat served as executive director for the Center for Coastal Energy and Environmental Resources at Louisiana State University. He was executive director for the American Geological Institute. He also served as Louisiana state geologist and assistant to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, where he administered the Coastal Zone Management Program and the Coastal Protection Program.

Groat is a member of the Geological Society of America, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Geophysical Union, and the

American Association of Petroleum Geologists. He has contributed to numerous publications and articles on major issues involving Earth resources and the environment.

The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

-DOI-