WASHINGTON  -  U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) this afternoon met with
incoming Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Mark Myers.

 

“I felt it was important for Director Myers and I to get acquainted and for him to know up front that the Rolla Mid-Continent Mapping Center is a chief interest in our congressional district.  I appreciate USGS’s willingness to extend the timeline for the privatization studies.  This will enable Rolla’s representatives in the A-76 process to put their best proposal on the table and compete for the consolidated center they are more than capable of hosting, given their cost competitiveness and excellent skilled professionals on staff,” said Emerson.

 

Emerson and Myers also discussed the need for mapping infrastructure near the New Madrid Seismic Zone in the case of a catastrophic earthquake, similar to USGS facilities in California.

 

“The risk of a severe earthquake in Missouri is very similar to the risks faced in California, only our fears are compounded by the fact that the structures in our region were rarely built to withstand the effects of any significant seismic activity.  The reaction of a well-integrated mapping facility will be essential to the first responders we would call upon in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake emergency.  USGS should be well-equipped to address that need in Rolla,” Emerson added.