|  |  | A Publication ofThe Federal Geographic Data Committee
July 1995N E W S L E T T E RNational GeoData ForumMore than 400 representatives of local, regional, State and Federal agencies, utilities, the private sector, and academia gathered to discuss future directionsof the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) at the National GeoData Forum,May 7-10 in Crystal City, Virginia.
In the opening session Bruce Babbitt, the Secretary of the Interior, stressedthe importance of developing the NSDI to ensure that geospatial data be availableto respond to national issues. Global and local perspectives on geospatial datawere provided  by Dr. Nay Htun from the United Nations Development Programme andDaniel Kemmis the mayor of Missoula, Montana. The balance between econom rightsand the common good of shared data was one of the major themes of the two daysof sector and panel discussions that followed.
The forum concluded with a "town meeting"  in whh representatives from the varioussectors presented the results of their discussions. There was general agreementthat progress has been made in developing a Metadata standard, a data clearinghouse,and a vision of framework data for the Nation, but that there is much to be donein the following areas: implementing the Metadata standard and the framework dataplan, expanding the clearinghouse and providing access to data, developing strategiesfor community involvement and changing institutional structures to take betteradvantage of the NSDI. Many atttendees are already active partipants in the NSDIand expressed a willingness to do more.
Recipients of the FGDC's 1994  Competitive Cooperative Agreements awards demonstratedtheir projects at the GeoData Forum by partipating in workshops and exhibits.Representatives of the Wisconsin NSDI Clearinghouse Initiative, the AlexandriaTechnal College and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the New MexoResource Geographic Information System described their experiences implementingthe FGDC's Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata and providing trainingon the standard.
National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse UpdateNSDI NodeSeveral informative and innovative links have been added recently to the FederalGeograph Data Committee NSDI server. This list can be accessed by World Wide Webbrowsers such as Mosa or Netscape and with such text-based browsers as Lynx. TheUniversal Resource Locator (URL) of the NSDI home page is http://www.fgdc.gov. Suggestions for improvement are welcome. Please emailcomments to the address above. Use of the server continues to grow. An averageof over 500 files are downloaded daily from the NSDI home page.
State ClearinghousesThe involvement of all levels of government and all sectors of society are vitalto building a robust National Spatial Data Infrastructure. The NSDI ExecutiveOrder directs the FGDC to "involve State, local, and tribal governments in thedevelopment and implementation of the initiatives contained in this order. "TheApril FGDC Newsletter featured a description of the Montana Natural Resource InformationSystem Node. In this issue are featured two more of the many geograph data clearinghouseinitiatives underway in the States. Take a look at the NSDI home page athttp://www.fgdc.gov for links to all State Clearinghousesthat form nodes in the National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse.
To become part of the Clearinghouse, notify the FGDC that you have establishedan Internet node for geospatial data by sending email to [email protected] or[email protected]
Southern California Distributed GIS ProjectThe Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Distributed GIS Projectwill link together 184 jurisdtions with desktop GIS throughout Southern California.The systems will include hardware and software specifally designed to promotedata sharing and communications among local governments. The publ domain GIS applicationswill be available for downloading from the SCAG server after the project is completed.For more information contact
      Terry Bills      (213) 236-1807[email protected]
-------or-------
      Craig Gooch[email protected]      (Source: CGIA News, Vol. 2 No.1, Spring 1995).Louisiana Coastal GIS NetworkThe Louisiana Coastal GIS Network (LCGISN) is a cooperative project between theUSGS National Coastal Geology Program and the Coastal Studies Institute of LouisianaState University. The primary objective of LCGISN has been to create a frameworkfor an electron spatially indexed catalog of different data types (e.g., maps,aerial photography, imagery, geotechnal data, literature, and audiovisual materials)for Louisiana's coastal zone.
This objective has been accomplished with the development of two LCGISN softwarepackages that enable users not only to search for geospatial data but also tocatalog their geospatial data for inclusion in the LCGISN data base. These LCGISNsoftware packages, known as the GeoSpatial Search Program and the GeoSpatial CatalogingProgram, respectively, have been developed based on the Content Standard for DigitalGeospatial Metadata and the U.S. Machine Readable Cataloging format. The GeoSpatialSearch Program will be available via a telnet link through the LCGISN, WWW homepage (http://gisnet.cadgis.lsu.edu/lcgisn/lcghome.html) at the end of July.
For additional information contact :
Linda Wayne
(504) 388-3479
-------or-------
  Joel Register 
 (504) 388-8358 
(Source: Louisiana Coastal GIS Network Newsletter, Vol. 4 No. 2, December 1994).
  Wisconsin Launches WISCLINCWisconsin Land Information Program recently announced the establishment of theirClearinghouse node in the NSDI network. WISCLINC (WISConsin Land INformation Clearinghouse)is available via anonymous FTP at ftp://wisclinc.geography.wisc.edu/ and via the WWW at http://wisclinc.geography.wisc.edu/wisclinc.html. The Wisconsin State Cartographer'sOffe home page is currently "under construction" at http://wisclinc.geography.wisc.edu/sco.html. For more information contactDiann Danielsen
 (608) 262-8776
dkdaniel @facstaff.wisc.edu
  (Source: Wisconsin Mapping Bulletin, Vol. 21 No. 2, April 1995).
FGDC-Endorsed StandardsSDTS Goes ANSIThe Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) was approved in 1992 as a Federal InformationProcessing Standard (FIPS). Last year the first implementation profile for theSDTS was finished and the first commercial implementations began to appear. SDTSis now about to reach another standards milestone. Over the last 18 months SDTShas been under review with the Ameran National Standards Institute (ANSI) committeeon GIS Standards (designated X3L1). Several ANSI drafts have been distributedwithin the committee and the final ANSI version of SDTS is expected to be readyfor publ review by the July 16 ANSI X3L1 meeting at the Urban and Regional InformationSystem Association (URISA) meeting in San Antonio, Texas.  The ANSI version ofthe SDTS matches the current FIPS version (FIPS 173-1, Parts 1 - 4) except forraster data. The ANSI version has substantial revisions to the raster specifationsand includes a raster profile (Part 5).  The raster revisions and profile willbe presented to the FIPS program at the same time.  The goal is to keep the ANSI and FIPS versions of SDTS idental.
Content Standards for DigitalGeospatial MetadataThe FGDC Secretariat staff are available for workshops and presentations to introducemanagers and technal personnel to the Metadata standard. To schedule a workshopor presentation call the FGDC Secretariat at (703) 648-5514. Upcoming Metadatatraining sessions are scheduled for the URISA Conference in San Antonio, the NSGICConference in Burlington, Vermont, and the Midwest/Great Lakes ArcInfo Users Conferencein Champaign, Illinois. Contact conference organizers  to register for one ofthe workshops. See page 12 for conference dates and points-of-contact. A workbookto help managers of digital geospatial data document their data using the Metadatastandard has been published in both book form (available upon request from theFGDC Secretariat) and as a hypertext document on the NSDI home pagehttp://www.fgdc.gov/.
Wetlands Classifation StandardThe FGDC is sponsoring a publ review of an existing wetlands classification system."Classifation of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United states," by Cowardinet al., USFWS, FWS/OBS-79/31, is being considered for adoption as an FGDC-endorsedstandard. If adopted, the standard must be followed by all Federal agencies fordata collected directly or indirectly (through grants, partnerships, or contracts).In its assigned leadership role for developing the National Spatial Data Infrastructure(NSDI), the FGDC recognizes that optimal standards will also help meet the needsof State and local governments, academia, industry, and the publ. The FGDC invitesthe geospatial data community to review, test, and evaluate this classifation system and provide comments about its content, completeness, and usability as a standard. Comments must be received by October 15, 1995.  For classifation purposes,wetlands are defined as:  lands that are transitional between terrestrial andaquat systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the landis covered by shallow water, and that have one or more of the following attributes:
  (1) at least periodally, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes.
  (2) the substrate is predominantly undrained hydr soil.
  (3) the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow     water at some time during the growing season of each year.
Areas of deepwater, traditionally not considered wetlands, are included in thisclassifation system as Deepwater Habitats. Deepwater Habitats are defined as:permanently flooded lands lying below the deepwater boundary of wetlands, includingenvironments where surface water is permanent and often deep, with water, ratherthan air, the principal medium within whh the dominant organisms live. Specifimplementation details for particular technologies or procedures (for instance,photointerpretation and cartograph design) are not addressed in the classifationsystem. Additional documents exist that provide an example of the implementationof the proposed wetlands classifation standard, but are not a part of the standard.These documents are: (1) Photo-interpretation Conventions (updated 1995), (2)Cartograph Conventions (updated 1994), and (3) Digitizing Conventions (updated1994). These documents may be obtained on request through the FGDC Secretariat.Other documents that provide increased detail to support the classifation arethe "National List of Plant Species That Occur In Wetlands," USFWS, Biologal Report88(24) and "Hydr Soils of the United States," Natural Resources Conservation Serve,Misc. Publication. #1491. The plant list may be accessed through the NationalWetlands Inventory Home Page (Ecology Section). Ordering Information: Requestsfor written copies of the classifation system being proposed as a standard, andreviewer comments concerning this standard, should be sent by mail to WetlandsStandards Review, FGDC Secretariat (attn: Jennifer Fox). (The FGDC Secretariataddress is on page 11). The proposed standard may also be purchased from the GovernmentPrinting Offe/Superintendent of Documents at 202-512-1800, Doc. No. 024-010-00665-0, or the National Technal Information Service (NTIS) at 703-487-4650. The proposedstandard is also available on the National Wetlands Inventory home page athttp://www.nwi.fws.gov
National Digital Geospatial Data FrameworkPilot ProjectsAs a part of the strategy to implement the framework, the FGDC is in the initialstages of tracking a series of short (4 to 6 month) "proof-of-concept" pilot projectsto test and critique the concepts outlined in the report "Development of a NationalDigital Geospatial Data Framework" (April, 1995). To receive a copy of the frameworkreport send a request to the FGDC Secretariat. Prospective pilot partipants havebeen identified representing Federal, State and local governments as well as privateindustry. Transportation, hydrography, orthoimagery and cadastral themes willbe emphasized in the pilots.  Other framework themes include boundaries, geodetcontrol, and elevation. Data updating, street address integration and applationof river reach schemes will be investigated in the currently identified pilots.During publ review and discussions of the framework concept, additional themeswere proposed, such as soils, land cover, wetlands, utilities, census data andZIP codes, for inclusion in the framework. These data themes are important tomany GIS applations, but they don't meet the criteria established for frameworkdata. Framework data are conceived to be the limited, bas, consistent set of geospatialdata that many organizations use as a landscape upon whh to link other themesfor display and analysis. These are the data required to collect or display otherdata. Partipants in the pilot projects will explore the organizational relationshipsnecessary for the success of framework.  A key role is that of the "area integrator."The area integrator will incorporate new data into the framework, coordinate datacreation and maintenance, implement certifation policies, implement the technalstandards describing the characteristics of the theme data, and provide guidanceto other data producers.  As the projects are completed, the FGDC will work withthe project partipants and others to use the experience gained from the pilotsto refine the framework concept and chart the next steps in developing the framework.
Invitation to partipateIf your organization is building what you think are framework data sets and/orfunctions as an area integrator and you wish to partipate in a framework pilotproject, please send a brief (one-page) summary to the FGDC Secretariat.
The summary should include: project description, data themes collected or coordinated,geograph area of interest, current funding, project time frames and a point ofcontact.
1995 Competitive CooperativeAgreements Awards AnnouncedIn July 1995, the FGDC completed granting awards for the second year of the program.The twenty-three awards totaled $625,000. These awards support the developmentand implementation of the National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse, implementationof FGDC-endorsed standards, and development of software tools or techniques toaid in the evaluation of geospatial metadata or data through the Clearinghouse.The lead agency or institution for each of the twenty-three projects is listedbelow. A summary of each project proposal, including a complete list of projectcollaborators, has been posted on the FGDC home page.
 Adams County, Illinois / Illinois Highway Department
     Montana State University, Geograph Information and Analysis              Center
     Hunter College - CUNY, Spatial  Analysis & Remote Sensing              Laboratory
     Champaign County, Illinois    Chamber of Commerce
     Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Marine              Research Institute
     Tri County Council for Western Maryland
     Louisiana State University Center for Coastal, Energy, and          Environmental Protection
     Barren River Area Development Distrt (Kentucky)
     Sierra Planning Organization  (California)
     State of Utah, Automated Geograph  Reference Center
     Nebraska Library Commission
     Idaho Department of Water Resources
     Oklahoma State University, The Environmental Institute
     Washington State Geograph Information Council
     Oregon State Serve Center for GIS
     University of Texas at Dallas, Bruton Center for Development Studies 
     Massachusetts Institute of Technology
     University of Massachusetts (New England States)
     University of Maryland
     National States Geograph Information Council
     Geograph Designs Inc.
     The Lower Colorado River Authority (Texas)         
FGDC SUBCOMMITTEES
Each subcommittee of the FGDC is responsible for coordinating the activities related to a theme of geospatial data.  These activities include establishing and implementing standards for data content and data exchange, encouraging datasharing, and organizing data collection to minimize duplation. The subcommitteesare composed primarily of representatives of Federal organizations, although mostare currently in the process of expanding membership to include other sectors.Contact the FGDC Secretariat if you have an interest in a specif theme of data.Following are highlights of current subcommittee activities.
Base Cartograph Data SubcommitteeDepartment of the InteriorU.S. Geologal SurveyJim Plasker, ChairThe Subcommittee on Base Cartograph Data is responsible for coordinating Federalactivities related to digital orthophoto and elevation data, both of who have been identified by the FGDC as key framework components of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.  The concept of a national digital orthophotoprogram was proposed in 1990 by the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Serveand the USDI-U.S. Geological Survey.
After 3 years of development and testing, production of digital orthophoto quadrangles(DOQs) began. To provide program oversight and technal leadership for a nationalprogram, the National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP) Steering Committee waschartered in July, 1993. The goal of NDOP is to ensure the availability of DOQcoverage of the conterminous US by 2001 through cooperative partnerships withFederal, State and local agencies. The Steering Committee members currently representthe following agencies and organizations.
-  Farm Serve Agency       National States Geograph Information Council (NSGIC)      Natural Resources Conservation Serve     
-  U.S. Forest Serve       U.S. Geologal SurveyThe Subcommittee on Base Cartograph Data supports the NDOP primarily throughstandards definition efforts.  With the addition of NSGIC to the NDOP SteeringCommittee, non-Federal partipation in NDOP oversight and policy has been broadened,enhancing relevance for all partipants. For more information on the NDOP, pleasejoin the Steering Committee at URISA's NDOP Forum in San Antonio on Tuesday, July18, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.
Framework elevation data are computer compatible digital records of terrain elevationsfor ground positions at regularly spaced horizontal intervals. These data aredesigned to meet the increasing requirements for digital terrain data for a broadbase of systems to conduct automated analyses for a wide range of land managementand scientif applications. These data provide the capability to display slope,aspect, and terrain profiles between selected points. Elevation data are alsoan essential production component of digital orthophoto quadrangles (DOQs).
The U.S. Geologal Survey is working with the Subcommittee on Base Cartograph Datato expand USGS's  Digital Elevation Program to be a national elevation programthat will support the geospatial data framework concepts as described by the FGDC.The USGS is actively seeking partnerships to accelerate national digital elevationdata coverage and availability for the nation. A session on this national initiativeis scheduled for GIS/LIS, Nashville, Tennessee the week of November 13, 1995.
Please join us there!
Bathymetr SubcommitteeDepartment of CommerceNational Ocean ServeFrank Maloney, ChairOn April 1, 1995, Mr. Frank Maloney replaced Capt. Thomas Rhards as Chief of theNational Ocean Serve Nautical Chart Division and Chair of the Bathymetr Subcommittee.Captain Richards is now coordinating a multi-agency San Francisco Bay demonstrationproject that will serve as a "proof of concept" of the regional aspects of theNSDI. The subcommittee is currently reviewing the revision to the InternationalHydrograph Office Standard for Hydrograph and Bathymetric Surveying entitled S-44.The significance of this new standard is that it provides for inclusion of bathymetrdata with various orders of accuracy in a national data base. The subcommitteeis also developing a Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) profile for hydrograph and related data.
Cadastral Data SubcommitteeDepartment of the InteriorBureau of Land ManagementJohn Moeller, ChairThe Cadastral Subcommittee has completed the development of draft content, collection,and quality control standards, and a metadata profile for cadastral data. Thestandards were circulated for national review and the subcommittee's technal advisorygroup has recently evaluated all comments. The standards are expected to be transmittedto the FGDC Coordination Group for final review and approval as FGDC standardsin October 1995. The subcommittee is currently developing educational materialto assist in the implementation of the standards after their adoption. Self-studyworkbooks, sample data sets, and on-site training programs are in the planningstages, and will be developed as resources permit.
A Cadastral Data Transfer Standard was partly developed in 1993-94, but placedon hold until completion of the data content standard. Development of this transferstandard, to be used as a profile to supplement SDTS will continue.
Control standards are also being developed that will provide the standards foruse and storage of survey control utilized in the collection of cadastral data.These control standards are being developed in cooperation with the Federal GeodetControl Subcommittee.
Cultural and Demograph SubcommitteeDepartment of Commerce Bureau of the CensusFred Broome, ChairThe FGDC's Subcommittee on Cultural and Demograph Data has submitted its draft"Content Standards for Cultural and Demograph Data Metadata" to the FGDC's StandardsWorking Group to begin the internal and national review process required for adoptionas an FGDC standard.
The subcommittee sponsored a Cultural and Demograph Data Security Conference inApril that offered representatives from 25 Federal agencies an opportunity tolearn about data confidentiality and security issues from leaders in the fieldand to exchange information on problems and solutions with other Federal personnel.The conference was held at the National Archives and Records Administrations conferencefacility in College Park, Maryland. Keynote addresses were delivered by Mr. RobVeeder, Internal Revenue Service, on "An Overview of Privacy Issues," and by Mr.Scott Charney, Department of Justice, on "Current Issues in Computer Security."Panels addressed confidentiality and data security issues faced by Federal agencies.The subcommittee plans to sponsor future events that will be open to the generalpubl.
Geodet Control SubcommitteeDepartment of Commerce National Geodet SurveyCaptain Lewis Lapine, ChairThe Federal Geodet Control Subcommittee (FGCS) of the FGDC exercises governmentwideleadership in coordinating the planning and execution of geodet surveys, in developingstandards and specifications for these surveys, and in the exchange of geodetsurvey data and technical information. Information about the activities of thesubcommittee and a list of member agencies is available through the FGCS homepage at http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/FGCS/fgcs.html FGCS member agencies also work togetherthrough the subcommittee to ensure that the Global Positioning System (GPS) willcontinue to meet the positioning needs of the Federal civilian community and tostrengthen the ties between the GPS positioning and navigation communities.
Geolog Data SubcommitteeDepartment of the InteriorU.S. Geologal SurveyJohn Sutter, ChairIn May, the Geolog Data Subcommittee reconvened under new leadership to discussthe role of the subcommittee. Working groups are being formed to resolve standards-relatedissues for the various scientif disciplines and information types within the subcommittee'spurview, such as surfial geology, and oil and gas. These working groups will includerepresentatives of the non-Federal community. The draft document on digital cartographand geolog map standards prepared by the USGS in cooperation with the Associationof Ameran State Geologists will be released as a Progress Report from the subcommitteeafter modifations to the document have been completed this summer.
Ground Transportation Subcommittee Department of TransportationBureau of Transportation StatistsBruce Spear, ChairThe Ground Transportation Subcommittee is developing a Transportation Network Profile (TNP) under the Spatial Data Transfer Standard to exchange geospatial data bases depting transportation networks such as roads or railroads. These networkdata bases have certain unique requirements that are not fully satisfied by theexisting Topologal Vector or Raster Profiles. For example, links comprising atransportation network should have the ability to cross another link without explitlyintersecting it (e.g., a highway overpass). Also, since many transportation featuresand events are located by means of a linear referencing system associated witha given transportation network, the TNP should provide a way for exchanging theinformation needed to anchor the linear referencing system to the network.
A draft version of the TNP was developed at the Volpe National TransportationSystems Center last Fall, and has been circulated for comment at major GIS andtransportation conferences during the past year. Based on comments received todate, the original draft TNP has been modified to allow the exchange of pointand area features as separate layers from the network, and to permit graph objectsas an option to the basic profile. Copies of the current draft TNP will be availableat the Bureau of Transportation Statists (BTS) exhibit at the URISA annual meetingin San Antonio, or can be downloaded from the BTS World Wide Web sitehttp://www.bts.gov.
An important issue that has not yet been resolved is how to incorporate the attributesfor a linear referencing system into the Transportation Network Profile. LastDecember, the Ground Transportation Subcommittee made available its recommendationsfor linear referencing systems through a note in the Federal Register, and requestedcomments from interested parties in State and local governments, the transportationindustry, and the publ. Approximately 15 individuals and organizations submittedwritten comments before the close of the comment period. Most of the commentsfocused on objections to the establishment of a national highway linear referencing system under the control of a central organization. None of the commentors providedrecommendations on how to incorporate linear referencing into the TransportationNetwork Profile. The Ground Transportation Subcommittee hopes to resolve the issuethis summer so that a revised draft Transportation Network Profile can be formallysubmitted to the SDTS Task Force by the end of this calendar year.
International Boundaries and Sovereignty SubcommitteeDepartment of StateOffe of the Geographer andGlobal IssuesBradford Thomas, ChairThe Subcommittee on International Boundaries and Sovereignty is sponsoring creation of a digital database of international boundaries. The database will be comprised of international boundaries and shorelines at different scales, including the most precise boundary data available,  as well as superseded boundaries.
The Digital International Boundary Database Working Group (DIBDWG), a subgroup of the subcommittee,  is adapting the specifations of DMA's World Vector Shoreline Plus (WVSPlus) for this database. Boundary scales range from 1:250,000 to 1:120,000,000; it is hoped that the base scale of land boundarieswill be 1:250,000 as a result of DMA development efforts.  The horizontal datum for the data is the World Geodet System 84 (WGS84).
International boundary data are perhaps the most inconsistent singlefeature geospatial data in the world, ranging from very precise to vague textual descriptions.  These data will never be uniform in precision, and a uniform, comprehensive boundary data layer at scales larger than 1:250,000 will probably never be possible.  It is planned that the best data available will be stored in the "precise" layer, and that such data will be used to revise and/or improve the data in the uniform scale layers. Data to be enteredthat are not on WGS84 will have to be transformed to that datum.  The DIBDWG has identified changes to be made to the feature and attribute codes of WVSPlus and is addressing the issue of harmonizing the existing DIGEST data exchange standard to the Spatial Data Transfer Standard.
Vegetation SubcommitteeDepartment of AgrultureU.S. Forest Serve Fred Kaiser, ChairThe Vegetation Subcommittee, in cooperation with the Nature Conservancy, is in the final stages of development of a draft vegetation classifation standard.  Watch this space in the fall for an announcement that this draft standard is available for publ review.
Wetlands SubcommitteeDepartment of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServeBill Wilen, ChairThe Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD-DNR) is working with the FGDC Wetlands Subcommittee to compare new and existing techniques for identifying wetlands.  National inventories of land use and land cover include data on wetlands; however, wetland definitions vary depending on the mandate and programmat needs of the agencies that collect the data. These variations result in signifantly  different estimates of wetland acreage in each inventory.  During recent studies, maps were developed that delineated areas in whh (1) all participating agencies agreed that there were wetlands.
(2) all agencies agreed there were no wetlands.
 (3) agencies disagreed on the presence of wetlands.

     Research on the potential usefulness of these data to wetlands regulators led to an MD-DNR workshop in November 1994 to examine the issues, field verify prototype regulatory map products, and develop a consensus on issues relating to regulatory maps through the use of questionnaires and discussions before and after field work.  Workshop partipants recommended against producing regulatory maps for wetlands. The two principal concerns about suchmaps were that (1) wetlands are over-mapped by including too much upland. 
 (2) wetlands are under-mapped in areas ranging from vegetated ditches to wooded "swamps."
  Current data sources do not appear to provide the consistent,reliable data needed for regulatory purposes.
The results of the workshop are provided in an MD-DNR report, "RegulatoryWetlands Map Workshop, A Report of Activities and Findings" (March 1995).  This report may be of interest to jurisdtions or agencies that are considering the use of regulatory maps in wetland protection programs.  For further information about this report, contact William S. Burgess, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, (410) 974-2721. 
Clearinghouse Working GroupDepartment of the InteriorU. S. Geologal Survey Nancy Tosta, ChairThe Clearinghouse Working Group promotes the use of the FGDC metadata standard,Internet connectivity for geospatial data sharing, and development of search and query tools in the Internet environment.  Several of the agencies in the group are addressing the development of metadata creation tools and implementation of Z39.50 compliant search and query mechanisms.  The group will oversee an evaluation of current metadata tools and is supporting the expansion of geospatial search capabilities on the Internet.
Facilities Working GroupDepartment of DefenseArmy Corps of EngineersM.K. Miles, ChairThis working group was formed in January 1995 to work within the FGDC and with non-Federal communities to coordinate spatial data activities related to facilities management.  A facilities database might describe a factory, a military base, a college, a hospital, a power plant, a fishery, a national park, an offe building, or a prison.  The working group has responsibility for addressing issues for facilities data not currently represented by other FGDC subcommittees, such as data about the location of utilities, environmental hazards, and firing ranges.  The working group will coordinate with other FGDC entities to develop standards for the more detailed, larger scale, and higher resolution data required by the facilities community.  Since facility management can involve integrating high and low resolution data, and large and small scale data, the Facilities Working Group has an opportunity to be a link between the FGDC and other organizations such as the National Institute for Building Sciences and the Ameran Public Works Association.  A significant facilities related standards development is the Tri-Serve Spatial Data Standard (TSSDS) whh is available for review through the Defense Tri-Service CADD/GIS Technology Center. (To request a copy of the standard call Harold Smith (601) 634-2945).  The Center is working with FGDC subcommittees and other entities to make the TSSDS a comprehensive data standard for the facilities community. 
Standards Working GroupDepartment of the InteriorU.S. Geologal SurveyRhard Hogan, Chair The Standards Working Group (SWG) of the FGDC has taken on a new, more active role in the coordination of FGDC standards activities. As part of its new functions, the SWG will review and approve new standards proposals, provide guidance on FGDC standards poly and procedures, facilitate coordination among subcommittees with overlapping standards activities, review standards for compliance with FGDC polies and procedures, and make recommendations to the Coordination Group as to the readiness of a standard for other necessary actions toward endorsement.  A subgroup of the SWG is currently working on theformulation of standards poly and procedures. The Charter of the SWG and the FGDCStandards Review Process are being updated to reflect the new role of the workinggroup.
FGDC Contact Information The FGDC Newsletter describes activities of the geospatial data community and the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. Subscriptions are free of charge. Correspondence or contributions may be directed to the FGDC Secretariat as indated below:
    FGDC Secretariat
    590 National Center
    Reston, VA  22092
    Voe (703) 648-5514
    Fax (703) 648-5755
    Email 
[email protected]
FGDC Information and DocumentsFTP via InternetAddress: www.fgdc.gov (130.11.52.153)User name: ftpPassword : (your email address)After connecting: cd pubREADME file has current information on the files in each subdirectory.FGDC PublationsTo subscribe to the newsletter or request the FGDC's publation list, please completethe information below and return it to the FGDC Secretariat by facsimile or mail.Be sure to provide the information requested below in your message.
Name/Position:
Organization:
Street Address:
City/State/Zip (Postal Code)/Country:
Telephone/FAX:
Email
Please add me to the newsletter mailing list.
Please FAX me the FGDC publation list.
.....(Be sure to include fax number above).

I am currently on this mailing list. This is a new address.
EUROGIEUROGI Directories Now On-LineEUROGI, the European Umbrella Organization for Geographal Information and NexpRI,The Netherlands Expertise Centre for Geographal Information Processing createda prototype WWW link to databases of European Geographal Information research,training and education courses.
Take a look at  http://www.frw.ruu.nl/eurogi/eurogi.html.
---------Upcoming Conferences----------

Aug 14-15 MAGIC '95 (Arizona statewide GIS Conference) Scottsdale, ArizonaContact: AGIC (602) 542-4061
Sept 16-20     National States Geograph Information CouncilBurlington, Vermont Annual Conference.Contact: Catherine Beinhauer (603) 643-1600
Sept 17-19  International City Management Association  Denver, Colorado
Sept 25 National Association of State Information Resource Executives San Antonia,Texas
Sept 27-29 1995 Midwest/Great Lakes ARC/INFO User Conference. Champaign, IllinoisContact: Rob Krumm (217) 333-4085
Sept 28-29 Sixth Annual Virginia GIS Conference Roanoke, Virginia Contact: MattMiller (703) 343-4417
Oct 4 Joseph F. Poland Symposium on Land Subsidence, Sacramento, California
Nov 8-11 18th Annual Applied Geography Conference Arlington, Virginia
Nov 14-16 GIS/LIS '95 Nashville, Tennessee
Feedback!We'd like to hear from you! Please share your thoughts. Send youremail to [email protected] |
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