GEOLOGY FOR THE EMPIRE STATE

The New York State Geological Survey (NYSGS) was established in 1836 and has operated continuously since then. It is unique among state geological surveys in that it is the geological research arm of the New York State Museum, said museum having originated from the collections of the 1836 Survey. The Survey's mission is to conduct geologic research, evaluate mineral resources and geologic hazards of the State of New York, and make the results available to governmental agencies, the public, industry, and the academic community. The purpose of these activities is to enhance the health, safety, and economic welfare of the citizens of the State. The NYSGS currently has active programs in bedrock and surficial geological mapping, glacial geology, paleontology, Proterozoic geology, Devonian geology, hydrocarbon reservoir characterization, carbon sequestration, advisory services and educational outreach. The NYSGS participates in the cooperative StateMap program to produce 1:24,000 scale geologic maps. Investigations in the glacial geology program focus on the de-glacial history of New York and water quality issues involving erosion of glacial sediments. The Hydrocarbon Reservoir group studies the unusual natural gas traps in the largest gas play in the state in a century. In conjunction with these studies, logs for 34,000 oil and gas wells have been made available online, along with information such as production data, formation tops and borehole temperatures. The Survey is initiating studies of rocks that would permit the sequestration of carbon dioxide in New York in support of integrated gasification combined cycle power plants envisioned by the New York State Power Authority. Studies of Devonian rocks included high resolution event stratigraphy, biostratigraphy and volcanism. The latter investigation expands the record of Lower to Middle Devonian bentonites and tuffs in New York to the northern Appalachian Basin. The core of the education outreach program is a competitive, residential, five-day Earth Science Teachers Workshop focused on secondary schools. This program is designed to address the New York State Learning Standards in the Regent's curriculum. Both classroom and field-based experiences provide 45 contact hours of professional development credits through various New York Teachers Centers.