---
kind: "section"
citation: "43 U.S.C. § 3104"
title: "43"
title_heading: "Public Lands"
number: "3104"
heading: "3D elevation program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/43/3104"
units:
  - "Chapter 49 — National Landslide Preparedness"
---

# §3104. 3D elevation program

- (a) **Establishment of 3D Elevation Program—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) shall establish a program, to be known as the “[3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3)”—
    - (A) to provide [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) coverage for the United States;
    - (B) to coordinate and facilitate the collection, dissemination, and use of [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) among Federal departments and agencies and non-Federal entities;
    - (C) to produce standard, publicly accessible [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) products for the United States; and
    - (D) to promote the collection, dissemination, and use of [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) among Federal, [State](/usc/43/3101.md?p=9), local, and Tribal governments, communities, institutions of higher education, and the private sector through—
      - (i) cooperative agreements;
      - (ii) the development and maintenance of spatial data infrastructure to provide quality control and deliver to the public [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) products;
      - (iii) in coordination with the [3D](/usc/43/3101.md?p=1) Elevation Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee established under [subsection (b)](#b), [States](/usc/43/3101.md?p=9), and industry and standards bodies, the development of standards and guidelines for [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) acquisition to increase accessibility to [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) in a standard, easy-to-use format; and
      - (iv) the identification, assessment, and adoption of emerging technologies to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3).
  - (2) **Management—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) shall manage the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3)—
      - (i) to ensure efficiency with respect to related activities of the Department of the Interior and other participating Federal departments and agencies; and
      - (ii) to meet the needs of Department of the Interior programs, stakeholders, and the public.
    - (B) **Other Federal departments and agencies—** The head of each Federal department and agency involved in the acquisition, production, distribution, or application of [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) shall—
      - (i) coordinate with the [3D](/usc/43/3101.md?p=1) Elevation Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee established under [subsection (b)](#b) to acquire additional, enhanced [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A);
      - (ii) submit to the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) a description of priority areas of interest for [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) collection for use in providing grants and cooperative agreements under [subsection (d)](#d);
      - (iii) implement policies and procedures for data acquisition and sharing that are consistent with standards and guidelines developed under the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3);
      - (iv) participate in, and share the results and benefits of, the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3), in accordance with standards and guidelines developed under the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3); and
      - (v) ensure that any [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) acquired with Federal grant funding—
        - (I) meets [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3) standards; and
        - (II) is included in the national holdings of those data.
- (b) **3D Elevation Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8), in coordination with the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) of Commerce and the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) of Homeland Security, shall establish an interagency coordinating committee, to be known as the “[3D](/usc/43/3101.md?p=1) Elevation Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee” (referred to in this subsection as the “Committee”), to better coordinate [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A) management across the Federal Government.
  - (2) **Membership—** The Committee shall be composed of the following members (or their designees):
    - (A) The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8), who shall serve as Chairperson of the Committee.
    - (B) The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) of Agriculture.
    - (C) The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) of Commerce.
    - (D) The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) of Homeland Security.
    - (E) The [Director](/usc/43/31b.md?p=3) of the National Science Foundation.
    - (F) The [Director](/usc/43/31b.md?p=3) of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
    - (G) The [Director](/usc/43/31b.md?p=3) of the Office of Management and Budget.
    - (H) The head of any other Federal department or agency, at the request of the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8).
  - (3) **Coordination—** The Committee shall coordinate, as appropriate, with the existing activities of—
    - (A) the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3) Executive Forum;
    - (B) the Alaska Mapping Executive Committee;
    - (C) the [3D](/usc/43/3101.md?p=1) Elevation Working Group;
    - (D) the [3D](/usc/43/3101.md?p=1) National Elevation Subcommittee; and
    - (E) [State offices](/usc/43/3101.md?p=10).
  - (4) **Meetings—** The Committee shall meet at the call of the Chairperson.
  - (5) **Duties—** The Committee shall—
    - (A) oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3); and
    - (B) develop, by not later than 1 year after January 5, 2021, and update periodically thereafter—
      - (i) a strategic plan that establishes goals and priorities for activities carried out under the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3); and
      - (ii) a detailed management plan to implement the strategic plan.
- (c) **Subcommittee of National Geospatial Advisory Committee—**
  - (1) **Establishment—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) shall establish, within the National Geospatial [Advisory Committee](/usc/43/31b.md?p=1), a subcommittee (referred to in this subsection as the “Subcommittee”).
    - (B) **Membership—** The Subcommittee shall—
      - (i) consist of not fewer than 11 members, of whom none may be a Federal officer or employee; and
      - (ii) include representatives of—
        - (I) research and academic institutions;
        - (II) industry standards development organizations;
        - (III) units of [State](/usc/43/3101.md?p=9) and local government; and
        - (IV) the private sector.
  - (2) **Duties—**
    - (A) **Assessment—** The Subcommittee shall conduct an assessment of—
      - (i) trends and developments in—
        - (I) the collection, dissemination, and use of [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A); and
        - (II) science and technology relating to [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A);
      - (ii) the effectiveness of the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3) in carrying out the activities described in [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1);
      - (iii) the need to revise or reorganize the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3); and
      - (iv) the management, coordination, implementation, and activities of the [3D Elevation Program](/usc/43/3101.md?p=3).
    - (B) **Report—** Not later than 1 year after January 5, 2021, and every 2 years thereafter, the Subcommittee shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) and the [3D](/usc/43/3101.md?p=1) Elevation Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee established under [subsection (b)](#b) a report that includes—
      - (i) the findings of the assessment under [subparagraph (A)](#c-2-A); and
      - (ii) recommendations of the Subcommittee based on those findings, if any.
- (d) **Grants and cooperative agreements—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) may make grants and enter into cooperative agreements with other Federal departments and agencies, units of [State](/usc/43/3101.md?p=9), local, or Tribal government, institutions of higher education, nonprofit research institutions, or other organizations to facilitate the improvement of nationwide coverage of [3D elevation data](/usc/43/3101.md?p=2-A).
  - (2) **Applications—** To be eligible to receive a grant or enter into a cooperative agreement under this subsection, an entity described in [paragraph (1)](#d-1) shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) may require.
  - (3) **Terms and conditions—** A grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) determines to be appropriate, including making data publically available and interoperable with other Federal datasets.
- (e) **Funding—** For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024, there is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) $40,000,000 to carry out this section.
- (f) **Derivation of funds—** Funds to carry out the activities under this section shall be derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/43/3101.md?p=8) that are enacted after January 5, 2021.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–323, § 5, Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5081.)