The American Geological Institute's (AGI) National Geoscience Data Repository System (NGDRS) was initiated in response to the fact that billions of dollars worth of domestic geoscience data are in jeopardy of being irrevocably lost or destroyed as a consequence of the ongoing downsizing of the U.S. energy and minerals industry. Preservation and access to domestic geological and geophysical data are critical to the energy security and economic prosperity of the nation. There is a narrow window of opportunity to act before valuable data are destroyed. The data truly represent a national treasure and immediate steps must be taken to assure their preservation.