Mailing Address: 180 Main Street, Orono Maine USA
E-mail Address: onsrud@spatial.maine.edu
Telephone Number: 207-581-2175
Fax Number: 207-581-2206

YES

Agency/Organization Name: Federal Geographic Data Committee
Mailing Address: U.S. Geological Survey, 590 National Center, Reston, Virginia 20192 USA
E-mail Address: GDC@USGS.GOV
Telephone Number: 703-648-5514  
Fax Number: 703-648-5755
Name of Agency Head or Primary Contact Person: John Moeller, Staff Director, FGDC

The US vision of the NSDI uses the concept of framework spatial data themes to which other   data may be referenced. In the US the core framework data themes being developed are geodetic control, elevation and bathymetry, digital imagery, government boundaries, land ownership, transportation and hydrography (rivers and lakes). The vision is that these widely available data sets will provide a current base on which to collect, register, or integrate other information. Thus, not only framework data sets but a wide range of other thematic spatial data sets are being made available through the NSDI.

Access to spatial data is being provided primarily through the establishment of NSDI clearinghouse nodes. The clearinghouse is a distributed electronic network that provides a means for finding spatial data, determining its fitness for use, and obtaining it or ordering it as economically as possible. While government agencies at federal, state, and local levels are establishing nodes, other data producers are encouraged to create nodes as well. All nodes are linked to the Internet. Using the data elements defined in the Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata, governmental, non-profit, and commercial participants worldwide can make their collections of spatial data searchable and accessible on the Internet using free reference sofware developed by the FGDC.

Almost all digital spatial data collected by national government agencies in support of government needs are available in the public domain with no restrictions attached to subsequent use of the data by any party (whether for non-profit or profit seeking uses) and the data is typically supplied by government agencies at the cost of dissemination in most instances. Most state and local governments follow similar open access approaches for their NSDI nodes to the greatest extent possible. The possibility exists for local and state governments as well as the private sector to provide on their NSDI nodes offerings of spatial data for sale and the imposition of use restrictions.

Ideally, framework data for a geographic area will be developed, maintained, and integrated by organizations that produce and make use of data for that area. Virtually all spatial data producers are invited to join the effort and provide a National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse node.

The vision is not typically one of supplying coast to coast data sets for the nation but of encouraging those acquiring data sets for some explicit purpose to make those data sets available such that islands of spatial data meeting NSDI metadata and data standards will grow, expand, and be maintained over time by those with the greatest interests in the datasets. Thus coordination is primarily provided through creation of a networked system or infrastructure that governments, businesses and individuals may tie into and through provision of standards.

Federal agencies continue to collect spatial data in support of their missions as defined by legislative mandates and are making more of that data accessible through clearinghouse nodes. The FGDC in collaboration with Federal agencies has coordinated the NSDI Competitive Cooperative Agreements Program to help start collaborative projects among local governments, state governments, academic institutions, non-profit groups and others willing to collect and make spatial data available through NSDI clearinghouse nodes. The government provides a critical mass of nodes and the more nodes that are added over time the more useful the system becomes to everyone.

By the most common US definition, spatial data sets sold or licensed over the net, even if they meet NSDI metadata and data standards, are not part of the NSDI but are simply part of the electronic commerce in spatial data (see item 10 below). The commercial sector is free to establish any conditions and prices it chooses for the spatial data it sells or licenses.

Spatial data supplied by federal agencies is made available at the cost of dissemination or less. The cost of dissemination may often approach zero when internet delivery mechanisms are used. The law or policies of many local and state governments in the US are the same but some local and state governments are charging at higher than the cost of dissemination.

The goal is that responsibility for generating, maintaining, and distributing spatial data will be widely shared by different levels of government and the private sector. By one definition, government provides the base and the framework (i.e. the NSDI) while non-profit groups, citizens and the commercial sector are free to use this base as they see fit ranging from public goods to profit generation purposes. By another definition, the spatial data and services supplied by government, commercial, and citizen sectors are all part of the NSDI.

A. Commercial Data: Certainly many FGDC/NSDI standards and principles are being supported by the current vendor community and thus the commercial sector is contributing to the building the NSDI in this manner. However there are no current clearinghouse nodes in which a private commercial company is making framework data sets available without any ownership claims in the data such that others may freely build on that framework data without entering into data sale or licensing agreements ... and such nodes may never arise. Commercial data sets meeting NSDI standards made available for sale or licensing over the web are probably not considered by most persons in the US to be part of the NSDI by formal definition but such data sets are certainly supportive of the NSDI.

B. Commercial Involvement in Producing Government Data: Federal government agencies use private companies to meet their spatial data needs where there is a capacity by the private sector to do so at competitive prices. Where private sector capabilities are able to respond at reasonable costs within timeframes required, federal agencies generally seek to take advantage of these efficiencies even if it means curtailing or dismantling existing government facilities over time. The extent of the government’s reliance on the private sector for data and services depends in part on the need to retain some in-house capacity for contracting and program management or for specific public goods purposes. (NAPA Report)

Many thousands of public domain spatial data sets are available. For instance, do a search for desired data at http://www.fgdc.gov/ or consult a web site such as http://www2.echo.lu/gi/en/intro/mapslist.html

In addition to public domain data, the free search software developed by FGDC by which all clearinghouse nodes on the Internet may be searched is a good example of a public good that benefits everyone that might want to search for spatial data. The standards creation activities of FGDC, its working groups and its subcommittees are further examples of services that benefit everyone without individuals being charged directly for the services.

All spatial data sets provided on the web are subject to the numerous privacy statutes and the common law of privacy of the United States and the various states. See http:// www.spatial.maine.edu/Privacy_in_GIS_.html for a description of some of these laws and how they are applied to the government and commercial sectors. For instance, the U.S. Federal Privacy Act applies to all collections of spatial data collected by federal agencies. In addition, the FGDC has recently endorsed a policy on access to public information and the protection of personal privacy in federal geospatial databases that applies to all federal geospatial databases from which personal information may be retrieved.

(http://www.fgdc.gov/Communications/policies/policies.html)

YES

If YES, please provide citations to those laws or orders.

If YES, to whom has authority been granted and for what tasks?

The FGDC was established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in its 1990 revision of Circular A-16, "Coordination of Surveying, Mapping, and Related Spatial Data Activities." FGDC is composed of representatives from 16 Cabinet level and independent Federal agencies. OMB assigned lead coordination responsibilities to specific Federal agencies based on themes while FGDC working groups play a crosscutting role.

Executive Order 12906, April 1994, signed by President Clinton called for the establishment of a coordinated National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) as part of the evolving National Information Infrastructure (NII) and FGDC was charged with coordinating the federal government’s development of the NSDI.

YES

If YES, please describe the purpose of the funds and the amounts.

Substantial funds have been spent internally by federal agencies in making their datasets, standards and approaches compatible with NSDI concepts. In addition the NSDI Competitive Cooperative Agreements Program (CCAP) has expended approximately $2 million per year on NSDI activities since 1994 that encourage others to make their spatial data available through the NSDI.

In Executive Order 12906, the FGDC was given a mandate to involve State, local and tribal governments, academia and the private sector in coordinating the development of the NSDI. The roles of various parties and their relationships in moving towards a common NSDI vision are being developed over time. Within the federal government itself, lead coordination responsibilities based on themes have been assigned to specific Federal agencies by the Office of Management of Budget.

A. METADATA YES
B. CLEARINGHOUSE YES
C. DATA STANDARDS YES
D. CORE DATA YES

YES

If YES, please describe the types of projects that have been funded.

In some of the projects mentioned in item 15 above, FGDC has provided funds for external research that has related to NSDI standards development, demonstration projects (metadata, framework and clearinghouse development projects) and discussion workshops.

Most current clearinghouse implementations make use of World Wide Web technology and standard commercial web browsers. Clearinghouse implementations must have the ability to search for geospatial data over the Internet and thus the communications protocol known as Z39.50 is typically used with servers. The NSDI standards working groups also stay abreast of ANSI and ISO standards activities (see http://www.fgdc.gov/SWG/swg.html) and the status of all FGDC Standards is available on the web site.

If YES, which datasets and how may access to these datasets be achieved?

(answer left blank due to lack of knowledge by survey respondent - need to do a search on the web site)

NO, only in informal ways.

If YES, which initiative(s)?

The U.S. FGDC staff has had informal communications with those involved with the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping, Permanent Committee on GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific, the European Geographic Information Infrastructure initiative of DG XIII and similar efforts. Standards affiliation efforts have been more formal such as with the ISO/IEC TC211 working groups.

YES

If YES, how may a copy be obtained?

The initial stategic plan for the NSDI was developed in 1994 setting out the vision for the NSDI. An updated "Strategy for the National Spatial Data Structure" was published in April 1997. A copy may be obtained from the address in item 4 or the web address in item 24.

Significant impediments must be overcome and workable incentives must be developed to allow the generation of compatible spatial data among local, state, and national agencies and organizations.