The US Experience in Establishing an NSDI: Federal Geographic Data Committee 6 September 2001

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The US Experience in Establishing an
NSDIFederal Geographic Data Committee6
September 2001

• Alan R. Stevens
• International Program Manager,
• Federal Geographic Data Committee
• GSDI Secretariat Member
• Astevens_at_gsdi.org
• [phone]

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Genesis of the US National Spatial Data
Infrastructure

• 1977 - Federal focus on coordination of mapping,
  surveying, and geodesy activities in government
• 1990 - Federal Geographic Data Committee Formed
• 1994 - National Spatial Data Infrastructure
  formed by Presidential Executive Order 12906
• 1996 - Emergence of Regional, and Global SDI
  initiatives

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A FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMMITTEE

• 1990 Federal Budget described the A-16
  responsibilities for FGDC
• Promote development, maintenance, management of
  nationally scoped data bases
• Encourage development implementation of
  standards and exchange formats

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A FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMMITTEE (2)

• 1990 Federal Budget described the A-16
  responsibilities for FGDC (continued)
• Promote technology development, transfer,
  exchange
• Interact with other federal coordinating bodies
  dealing with geospatial data
• Publish technical management reports

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A FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMITTEE (FGDC) The
Original Vision

• Reduce Duplication
• Increase Efficiency/Effectiveness
• Save Money
• Uniform Standards
• Agree on Base Data (Framework)
• Resources/Partnerships

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A FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMITTEE (FGDC)
Early Going

• Slow to start
• Obtain High level involvement
• Administratively assigned to the USGS National
  Mapping Division
• Represents the Secretary of the Interior
• Sell, sell, sell
• Buy-in

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A FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMITTEE (FGDC)
Early Issues (1)

• Everyone wants their data in their way
• Convince others that they play a role
• Internal USGS/Department of the Interior Politics
• Obtaining funding support
• Fencing funds for FGDC activities

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A FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMITTEE (FGDC)
Early Issues (2)

• To convince state and local organizations that
  they have role in NSDI
• Interoperability is critical

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A FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMITTEE (FGDC)Major
Windfall!!

• New Administration
• Focus on Government Right-Sizing
• Vice Presidential involvement
• Secretarial hands-on in FGDC
• Encourages other Cabinet Officers to play a role

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A FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMITTEE (FGDC)Major
Windfall!!

• 1994 - National Spatial Data Infrastructure
  formed by Presidential Executive Order 12906
• coordinating geographic data acquisition and
  access

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Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)

• Organisation and Operation

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Federal Geographic Data Steering Committee

• Cabinet Officers and Agencies
• Interior
• Agriculture
• Defense
• Energy
• Health and Human Resources
• Housing and Urban Development

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Federal Geographic Data Steering Committee

• Cabinet Officers and Agencies
• Justice
• State
• Transportation
• Environmental Protection
• Emergency Management
• Library of Congress

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Federal Geographic Data Steering Committee

• Cabinet Officers and Agencies
• Archives and Record Service
• NASA
• National Science Foundation
• Tennessee Valley Authority

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Spatial Data Infrastructure Components

• Geospatial Data
• Policy
• Technology
• Standards
• Organizational framework
• Resources / Partnerships

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Core Components of the NSDI
Partnerships
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FGDCWorking Groups (8)

• Metadata
• Clearinghouse
• Standards
• Historical Data

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FGDCWorking Groups (8)

• Biological Data
• Facilities
• Sustainable Forest Data
• Earth Cover

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FGDC Thematic Subcommittees(13)

• Base Cartographic Data
• Cadastral
• Cultural and Demographic Data
• Federal Geodetic Control
• Geologic
• Ground Transportation
• Marine Coastal Spatial Data

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FGDC Thematic Subcommittees(13)

• International Boundaries Sovereignty
• Soils
• Spatial Climate
• Spatial Water Data
• Vegetation
• Wetlands

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(No Transcript)
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FGDCStaff Support

• Staff Director (John Moeller)
• Deputy Staff Director
• Framework Cooperating Groups (1)
• Standards (1)
• Metadata (1)
• Clearinghouse (1)

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FGDCStaff Support

• International Program (1 ½)
• Education Training(1)
• Grant Programs (1)
• FGDC Secretariat Support (1)
• Geodata Alliance (1)

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FGDCStaff Support

• Implementation Teams (1)
• Administration and Finance (1)
• Staff Assistance (2 ½)
• Systems and Network (2)
• Communications (0)

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FGDCStaff Support

• Implementation Teams (1)
• Administration and Finance (1)
• Staff Assistance (2 ½)
• Systems and Network (2)
• Communications (0)

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NSDI In the United States

• Strong Federal Support
• FGDC 1990
• NSDI Presidential Executive Order 1994
• Extensive partnerships established with
  communities
• Standards Development nationally, internationally
• Clearinghouse network
• Open policy for federal spatial data

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A Network of NSDI Organizations
National League of Cities National Association
of Counties Intertribal GIS Council University
Consortium on GI Sciences Open GIS
Consortium FGDC National States Geographic
Information Council International City / County
Managers Association
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SDI Growth 1995 - 2000
Jan
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Global Spatial Data InfrastructureFocus Areas

• SDI Implementation Guide internationally
  developed document to help grow globally
  compatible SDIs

• Geodata Development
• Geodata Cataloging
• Visualization, and Access
• Metadata, Standards
• Supporting Case Studies
• Outreach and Capacity Building
• Other Services

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Developing Spatial Data Infrastructures The SDI
Cookbook       Version 1.0 6 July
2000       Release for Review at the Fourth
Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference,
Cape Town, South Africa         Disclaimer
This draft represents a work-in-progress that has
been compiled from numerous contributions and
available online documents contributing
organisations. Full acknowledgement of
contributions and citations will be provided in
the initial public draft.
Editor Douglas D. Nebert, Technical Working
Group Chair, GSDI
Document Available At
http//www.gsdi.org
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NSDI In the United States

• Insufficient engagement of private sector
• Data pricing and access policy varies at local
  levels
• New financing options needed for geo data
  development and maintenance
• Federal implementation of NSDI not complete

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Increased Focus on Community Applications

• FGDC Grants to Communities
• Community Demonstration Projects
• Open GIS Consortium Web Mapping Testbed
• Metadata tools
• SDI Clearinghouse support
• Global Spatial Data Infrastructure

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Global Spatial Data Infrastructure

• Technology initiatives provide opportunity for
  accelerating SDI
• Open GIS www based standards and catalog services
  (open geoprocessing)
• ISO TC 211 metadata standards
• Expansion of WWW connectivity
• Increased access to low cost web applications,
  global data

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United States NSDI A Geographic Information
Resource for the 21st Century

• Vision - Current and accurate geospatial data
  are
• Readily available
• locally
• nationally
• globally
• To contribute to
• economic growth
• environmental quality
• social progress

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Additional Information

• www.fgdc.gov Federal Geographic Data
  Committee
• www.gsdi.org Global Spatial Data
  Infrastructure
• www.fgdc.gov/clearinghouse/ US NSDI
  clearinghouse.html Clearinghouse
• www.opengis.org Open GIS Consortium
• http//.ceonet.ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca/ CEONet Canada
• www.auslig.gov.au/ AUSLIG
• www.permcom.apgis.gov.au/ PCGIAP