Newsgroups: comp.infosystems.gis
Date:         Tue, 14 Apr 1992 00:42:29 EDT
              <GIS-L@UBVM.BITNET>
From:         James P Love <LOVE%PUCC.BITNET@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU>
Subject:      LANDSAT UPDATE
X-To:         gis-l@UBVM.cc.buffalo.edu

Taxpayer Assets Project
Bulletin
April 13, 1992


          FIGHT CONTINUES OVER PRICES FOR LANDSAT DATA


IN BRIEF:

     -    Congress is considering two bills that would provide
          low cost access to Landsat data.

     -    House bill (HR 3614) would set up two tier pricing:
          limited data rights at marginal cost for some nonprofit
          organizations, and full commercial rates for everyone
          else.

     -    The Senate bill (S. 2297) would provide marginal cost
          pricing of data for all users.

     -    EOSAT (GE/Hughes) and other firms are fighting both
          bills.

     -    The House bill was substantially weakened in committee
          on April 7:  as amended, many state and local
          government, academic and nonprofit users must pay full
          commercial rates.

     -    The Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology and
          Space has scheduled hearings for May 6, 1992.


DISCUSSION

Congress is considering two bills that would change Landsat
pricing policies.  Prior to 1984 Landsat data were available for
approximately the costs of dissemination.  Since then Landsat has
been partially privatized.  That is, the government still pays
most of the costs of collecting the data, but EOSAT, a private
company owned by GE and Hughes, controls and owns the data.  The
costs of receiving the data have skyrocketed.  Landsat "scenes"
that once cost a few hundred dollars now cost nearly $5,000.
Academic use of Landsat data has plummeted, and many local
governments and environmental groups cannot afford to buy the
data.  EOSAT has also been criticized for a lack of archiving of
data, creating large gaps in the continuity of Landsat data.

According to Landsat critics, more than half of all EOSAT sales
are now paid for by the federal government, either directly by
agency purchases, or indirectly through government contracts or
grants.  Since Landsat was started in the early 1970s the federal
government has spent an estimated $4.8 billion on the program
(R&D, construction, launch and operation of Landsats 1-6).
EOSAT, which received a monopoly on Landsat data rights in 1984
for nothing, has reportedly contributed less than $50 million to
the system (due to cost overruns on Landsat 6).

On April 8th the House Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology marked up HR 3614.  The original bill would have
created a two tiered pricing scheme:  limited data rights to
nonprofit organizations at the marginal cost of dissemination,
and full commercial prices for everyone else.  The two tiered
pricing clause was retained, but limited to the "US and its
affiliated users,"  which were defined to include:

          1.   US government agencies,

          2.   researchers involved in the US Global Change
               Research Program and its international
               counterparts,

          3.   researchers which are financially supported by a
               US government agency for a project which utilizes
               Landsat data, and

          4.   international entities who have signed with the US
               government a cooperative agreement involving
               Landsat data for noncommercial applications.


The amended bill eliminates the absurd cases where the federal
government is spending millions of dollars to buy back data it
has already spend billions to collect, but it is too narrow to
address many local government, academic, environmental nonprofit
users.

The Senate bill (S 2297), introduced by Senator Larry Pressler
(R-SD), would provide marginal cost pricing of the data for
everyone.  Hearings are scheduled for May 6 before the Senate
Commerce, Subcommittee on Science, Space and Technology.  Senator
Al Gore, the subcommittee chairman, is expected to preside.

EOSAT is vigorously opposing both bills, and has reported
threatened to sue the federal government for $250 million in
damages if it is forced to sell data at dissemination costs
(based on lost profits from the current contract).

WHAT YOU CAN DO

These bills are extremely important for anyone who thinks Landsat
data should be available at the cost of dissemination.  Anyone
who supports marginal cost pricing of Landsat data should write
the members of the Senate committee.  Letters which give details
of how these data are used are particularly helpful.  Please
share copies of your letters (and the responses you receive) with
others working on this issue.  The principle group that is
organizing on this is Satellites for the Environment (SFTE),
which coordinates the work of many environmental groups and state
and local governments.  You can also send copies of
correspondence to Ralph Nader's Taxpayer Assets Project:

James Love                         Gueta Mezzetti
Taxpayer Assets Project            Satellites for the Environment
P.O. Box 19367                     3065 Porter St. NW
Washington, DC 20036               Washington, DC 20008
voice:  609/683-0534               voice:  202/244-6241
fax:    202/234-5176               fax:    202/966-3264
internet:  love@pucc.princeton.edu


The members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Technology are:

DEMOCRATS                               REPUBLICANS

Ernest F. Hollings, SC                  John C. Danforth, MO
Daniel K. Inouye, HI                    Bob Packwood, OR
Wendell H. Ford, KY                     Larry Pressler, SD
J. James Exon, NE                       Ted Stevens, AK
Al Gore, TN                             Robert Kasten, Jr., WI
John D. Rockefeller, IV, WV             John McCain, AZ
Lloyd Bentsen, TX                       Conrad Burns, MT
John F. Kerry, MA                       Slade Gorton, WA
John B. Breaux, LA                      Trent Lott, MI
Richard H. Bryan, NV
Charles S. Robb, VA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
James Love, Director               VOICE:    609-683-0534
Taxpayer Assets Project            FAX:      202-234-5176
7-Z Magie, Faculty Road            bitnet:   Love@pucc.bitnet
Princeton, NJ 08540                internet: Love@pucc.princeton.edu
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU