The National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP) is "the primary source of funds for the production of geologic maps in the United States." The NCGMP was created by the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992 and its work includes producing surficial and bedrock geologic map coverage for the entire country. The program has partnered with a range of educational institutions, and this site provides access to many of the fruits of this partnership, along with educational materials. The place to start here is the What's a Geologic Map? area. Here visitors can read a helpful article on this subject, authored by David R. Soller of the U.S. Geological Survey. Moving on, visitors can click on the National Geologic Map Database link. The database contains over 88,000 maps, along with a lexicon of geologic names, and material on the NCGMP's upcoming mapping initiatives. Those persons with an interest in the organization of the NCGMP should look at the Program Components area. Finally, the Products-Standards area contains basic information on the technical standards and expectations for the mapping work.