09/24/2008 16:12 FAX > Valerie Leonard @oo6

Approval

The Associate Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior and the Administrator,
Office of E-Government and Information Technology of the Office of Management and
Budget have been designated as the Chair and Vice-Chair of the FGDC Steering
Committee

This Charter will remain in effect until amended or replaced. Any amendments or
revisions to the Charter will be posted on the FGDC website (www. fgdc.zov).

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‘ames E. Cason, Chair Date Karen S. Evans, Vice-Chair Date
DC Steering Committee FGDC Steering Committee
Associate Deputy Secretary Administrator, Office of E-Government
U.S. Department of the Interior and Information Technology

Office of Management and Fudget


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Committee vote is tied or it is unable to reach consensus. the issue will be decided by the
option of the Chair. Member agencies shall strive to implement Stecring Committee
decisions consistent with the intent of OMB Circular A-16 guidance for “Agency
Responsibilities and Reporting Requirements.”

In the case of an electronic ballot, a decision wil) be considered valid and a quorum
achieved when two-thirds of the voting members have cast their votes by the stated
deadline. A simple majority of ballots cast will determine the outcome

FGDC Secretariat

The Department of the Interior provides administrative support to the FGDC. FGDC
Secretariat Staff will be assigned to support the Stcering Committee to maximize
productivity at meetings. Secretariat staff responsibilities in support of the Steering
Committee include:
« Developing and vetting meeting agendas
© Consolidating and distributing materials for Steering Committee member review
e Taking and distributing meeting minutes
* Managing al) administrative requirements associated with scheduling and
conducting meetings
e Undertaking staff analysis, technical development and other activities on behalf of
the Coordination Group
* Providing notification and read-ahead materials on issues requiring a vote.
Advance materials on issues requiring a vote should be provided one month in
advance of meetings. if possible
e Maintaining up-to-date membership lists for the 'GDC Stecring Committee,
Coordination Group, subcommittees, and working groups on the FGDC website.


09/24/2008 16:11 FAX » Valerie Leonard oo2

Federal Geographic Data Committee
Steering Committee
Charter

Purpose

This Charter establishes the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Steering
Committce as the policy-level interagency group responsible for providing leadership and
direction in support of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16
related activities and the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).
The Steering Committee’s central focus is to provide the executive leadership for the
coordination of federal geospatial activities between, armong. and within agencies. The
FGDC shall also seek to involve state, focal and tribal governments. academ ia, the private
sector, professional societies, and others to aid in the development and implementation of
the NSDI. Such involvement will be conducted in compliance with the applicable
requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Coordination of geospatial
investments and activities is essential in order to eliminate duplication of effort and data,
avoid redundant expenditures, reduce resources spent on unfunded mandates, leverage
geospatial investments, accelerate the development of electronic go. cmment to meet the
nceds and expectations of citizens and agency programmatic mandates. and improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of public management.

Authority

This Steering Committee is created pursuant to the authority granted to the FGDC by
OMB Circular A-16 and Executive Order 12906.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Steering Committee is responsible for policy-levet recommendations for guidance of
federal geospatial activities and interagency coordination and providing direction for the
implementation of the NSDI, in accordance with existing law, statute. and policy. The F-
Government Act of 2002 and the subsequent OMB implementation guidance provide
additional responsibilities to the FGDC to foster and guide the dev clopment of common
protocols for geographic information.

The Steering Committee’s Chair is the Secretary of the Department of the Interior. The
Deputy Director for Management, OMB, serves as Vice-Chair. ‘Ihe Chair and Vice-
Chair may select designees to serve on their behalf. All agencies responsible for NSDI
spatial data themes are required to be members of the FGDC. Per OMB Memorandum
M-06-07. “Designation of a Senior Agency Official tor Geospatial Information” (March
3, 2006). Steering Committee members shall be the policy-level oficial designated as
Senior Agency Official for Geospatial Information for cach member agency


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The responsibilities of the Steering Committee members include:

¢ Overseeing coordination of the member agency's acquisition, management.
development, maintenance, documentation, and dissemination of geaspatial data
using the National Spatial Data Clearinghouse and Geospatial One-Stop portal

© Overseeing coordination of geospatial investment management

« Attending all FGDC Steering Committee meetings (or sending a designated
alternate)

* Voting on the adoption of FGDC standards and decisions

« Promoting agency compliance with FGDC standards and responsibilities

© Promoting the allocation of agency resources to fulfill the responsibilities of
effective spatial data collection, production, and stewardship

«Ensuring the communication of key national geospatial activities within the
agency and with the greater FGDC Community

¢ Appointing an agency representative and alternate to serve on the Coordination
Group of the FGDC, one vote per agency

« Appointing representatives to lead or serve on FGDC subcommittees and/or
working groups

« Promoting the benefits of coordinating and partnering among /cderal agencies in
the development of the NSD] within the larger agency

* Serving as a champion for the use, value, and bencfits of geospatial information in
decision making and in the business of government

© Collaborating with the agency Chief Information Officer to cnsure the agency
leverages its cumulative geospatial information investments to bene tit agency-
wide business processes and support information technology programs.

Membership

Steering Committee membership is designed to facilitate coordination among federal
agencies that produce, maintain or use spatial data cither directly or indirectly in the
fulfillment of their missions. AJ] agencies listed in Appendix E of OMB Circular A-16
are required to be members of the Steering Committee. The current member agencies are:

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce

Department of Defense

Department of Energy

Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of the Interior

Department of Justice

Department of State

Department of Transportation
Environmental} Protection Agency

te


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Federal Communications Commission*
Genera} Services Administration

Library of Congress

National Archives and Records Administration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Nationa) Capital Planning Commission*
National Science Foundation

Office of Management and Budget

Tennessee Valley Authority

(*Non-voting members)

Federal departments or agencies that are not members of the FGDC but have significant
activities in geographic information or spatial data collection or use may request
membership in writing to the Chair of the FGDC. Upon acceptance, they assume the
same responsibilities and privileges as other members of the FGDC. In some cases
apencies may serve as non-voting members.

Meetings and Decision Making

The FGDC Steering Committee meets three to four times per yeur, as agenda items
requiring action arise. Meetings are open to al! interested parties. At the discretion of the
Chair and Vice-chair, additional meetings may be called for emergencies and/or to
address immediate issues of national significance requiring special gcuspatial support and
coordination. The FGDC Secretariat will arrange the mectings. Minutes documenting
action items and responsibilities are circulated to a]) members follewing the mectings.
Meeting announcements and minutes will be posted on the FGDC website
(www. fgde.gov). A quorum is not required for meetings to take place. Members unable
to attend will send the agencies’ designated alternates to vote their proxies. Altemates
must be able to make commitments for their organizations.

Decisions will be made at scheduled Steering Committee mectings. during
teleconferences, and by electronic ballot, as appropriate. Mectings and teleconferences
will be announced in advance and conducted in accordance with a published agenda. For
decisions made at scheduled meetings and teleconferences, a quorum of members must
be present. A quorum consists of two-thirds of the voting members. }f a quorum is not
present, decisions will be tabled or another method for reaching them will be
implemented. Options may include decisions by the Chair and Vice-C hair, by an
appuinted team, or by electronic ballot. Any decisions made without a quorum present
may be reviewed by the Steering Committee at subsequent mectings.

The preferred process for decision-making regarding policy recommendations,
controversial issues and commitment of agency resources is by member roll call, with a
written record of votes. Each member is entitled to one vote. As deemed appropriate by
the Chair or Vice-Chair, consensus may be used as a non-binding method to provide a
sense of group opinion or a qualitative measure on minor issues. If the Steering