Development of the U.S. Integrated Earth 

Observation System: Progress and 

Recommendations for the Way Forward

Progress Report of the U.S. Group on Earth Observations

March 2007
Table of Contents 

1. LETTER FROM THE CO-CHAIRS .............................................. 3

2. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................... 4

2.1 THE IDEA...............................................................................................4

2.2 THE CHALLENGE.................................................................................4

2.3 THE GLOBAL EARTH OBSERVATION SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS........4

2.4 THE UNITED STATES INTEGRATED EARTH OBSERVATION 

SYSTEM.................................................................................................5

3. PROGRESS................................................................................. 6

3.1 NEAR-TERM OPPORTUNITY PLANS DEVELOPED ...........................6

3.2 ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS .............................................................9

3.3 INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS..................................................11

4. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE WAY FORWARD................ 13

APPENDIX A: REFERENCES......................................................... 15

APPENDIX B: ABOUT THE U.S. GROUP ON EARTH 

OBSERVATIONS (USGEO) ............................................................ 16

APPENDIX C: ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS..................... 18

 
1. LETTER FROM THE CO-CHAIRS 

As co-chairs of the U.S. Group on Earth Observations (USGEO),1 we present the 

following report outlining progress in coordinating our national and international Earth 

observations efforts to benefit society by reducing the loss of life and property from 

disasters; understanding the environmental factors affecting human health; effectively 

manage energy resources; understand, predict, mitigate and adapt to climate variability 

and change; improve water management; protect and manage terrestrial, coastal and 

marine resources; support sustainable agriculture; and understand, monitor and conserve 

biodiversity. In 2005, the ad hoc Interagency Group on Earth Observations, now the U.S. 

Group on Earth Observations (USGEO), became a standing subcommittee under the 

National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on Environment and Natural 

Resources. Concurrent with this designation, USGEO published the Strategic Plan for a 

U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System (IEOS) and developed an interagency structure 

to facilitate implementation of that plan. 

USGEO has already made progress toward realizing the goals set forth in the IEOS 

Strategic Plan. Its accomplishments include the development of plans for air quality, 

disaster reduction, and drought integrated observing systems. Implementing these nearterm opportunity plans will deliver the benefits of integration to many sectors of society 

in a five-year timeframe with tangible results. In addition, progress has been made in 

identifying requirements and developing plans for data management and architecture, sea 

level observing, and land imaging. On the international front, USGEO continues to be a 

leader in and major contributor to the intergovernmental Global Earth Observation 

System of Systems (GEOSS). 

Though USGEO has made great progress to date, we must be mindful as we move into 

the future that the longevity and effectiveness of USGEO and the intergovernmental 

Group on Earth Observations (GEO) are critically dependent on successfully 

transitioning from planning to implementation. USGEO will focus on meeting the IEOS 

goals by facilitating the implementation of all six Near-Term Opportunity plans, 

developing mid- and long-term opportunity plans, continue to forge successful federal 

collaborations, strengthening partnerships with industry and academia, and strengthening 

the links between USGEO and GEO. 

We are grateful to the many federal scientists and managers who have worked so 

diligently and enthusiastically on this important effort and are very encouraged by 

USGEO’s progress. We look forward to the continued collaboration of all 15 agencies in 

USGEO in order to realize the full potential of our Nation’s investment in Earth 

observations. 

___________________ ___________________ ____________________ 

Teresa Fryberger, NASA Gene Whitney, OSTP Helen Wood, NOAA 
2. INTRODUCTION 

2.1 THE IDEA 

On February 16, 2005, 55 countries endorsed a 10-year plan to develop and implement 

the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) for the purpose of achieving 

comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained observations of the Earth system. GEOSS will 

allow scientists and policy makers in many different countries to design, implement and 

operate integrated Earth observing systems in a compatible, value-enhanced way. It will 

link existing satellites, buoys, weather stations, and other observing instruments that are 

already demonstrating value around the globe and support the development of new 

observational capabilities where required. 

The U.S. contribution to GEOSS is the Integrated Earth Observation System (IEOS). 

IEOS will meet our country’s need for high-quality, global, sustained information on the 

state of the Earth as a basis for policy and decision making in every sector of our society. 

In many areas, observations are already being collected. In others, observational gaps will 

be identified and assessed to determine if their value outweighs the investment required 

to fill them. 

2.2 THE CHALLENGE 

Right now, thousands of individual technological instruments are gathering Earth 

observations around the globe. There are thousands of moored and free floating data 

buoys in the world’s oceans, thousands of land-based environmental stations, and over 50 

environmental satellites in orbit providing millions of observations. Despite advances in 

the availability and specificity of Earth observations, our current system of collecting, 

coordinating, storing, analyzing and sharing those observations is fragmented and 

incomplete because most of these technologies are single-use and are not integrated. 

For example, due to the current lag time in receiving data (sometimes as long as 45 days), 

the severity of drought can be significantly under- or overestimated, placing stress on 

agriculture, utilities, energy, transportation, tourism, and health care systems, among 

others. When individual technologies are connected as one comprehensive system of 

systems, integrated data sets can be used to address complex interdisciplinary problems, 

like drought, air quality, effective disaster warnings, understanding climate variability 

and others. 

2.3 THE GLOBAL EARTH OBSERVATION SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS 

The United States is one of many entities 

spearheading development of the Global Earth 

Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) to meet this 

need for integrated, global Earth observations. 

GEOSS will link existing space, ocean, and terrestrial 

technologies that are already demonstrating value 

around the globe and support new observation 

capacities where required. It will provide a planning 

framework for systems, data, and vital information 

that will enable scientists and policy makers in many 

GEO is an organization 

dedicated to developing and 

instituting a Global Earth 

Observation System of 

Systems, or GEOSS. 

Conrad C. Lautenbacher, GEO CoChair for the United States, U.S. 

Under Secretary of Commerce for 

Oceans and Atmosphere 
different countries to design, implement, and operate Earth observing systems in a 

compatible way. 

This effort was launched at the first-ever global Earth Observation Summit, held on July 

31, 2003, in Washington, DC. It aims to cover nine societal benefit areas: disasters, 

health, energy, climate, water, weather, ecosystems, agriculture, and biodiversity. Less 

than two years after that meeting, a 10-Year Implementation Plan outlining the intent, 

operating principles, and institutions relating to GEOSS was endorsed by GEO, whose 

membership now includes 66 countries, the European Commission, and 43 participating 

international organizations. For more information about GEO and GEOSS, visit 

http://www.earthobservations.org. 

2.4 THE UNITED STATES INTEGRATED EARTH OBSERVATION SYSTEM 

In an effort parallel to the international activities described 

above, fifteen Federal agencies, with primary leadership from 

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 

and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy 

(OSTP), are planning for a national Integrated Earth 

Observation System (IEOS) under the auspices of the U.S. 

Group on Earth Observations (USGEO). They published the 

Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System

(available online at 

http://usgeo.gov/docs/EOCStrategic_Plan.pdf) in April 2005. 

This plan sets forth the goals and requirements for U.S. observing systems and 

contributions to GEOSS. Further, it offers a vision for enabling a healthy public, 

economy, and planet through an integrated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth 

observation system. Consistent with the strategic plan, USGEO focused activity in three 

areas this year: 

 Identified and developed near-term opportunities that provide a framework for 

prioritizing actions and addressing critical Earth observation gaps; 

 Expanded existing governmental partnerships at all levels and developed new 

long-term partnerships with industry, academia, non-governmental organizations, 

and international organizations; and 

 Participated in the work of GEO on the development of GEOSS. 
3. PROGRESS 

3.1 NEAR-TERM OPPORTUNITY PLANS DEVELOPED 

Near-term opportunities identified in the Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth 

Observation System highlight five observing systems and an initiative in architecture and 

data management that meet high priority national needs, are compatible with agency 

missions, can be implemented within five years, benefit society in multiple ways, and 

have easily-identified, tangible results. The following near-term opportunity plans 

provide a framework for prioritizing actions and addressing critical gaps that will 

maximize the return on investment: 

 Architecture and Data Management (in 

development); 

 Improved Observations for Disaster 

Reduction (published September 2006); 

 National Integrated Drought Information 

System (published September 2006); 

 Air Quality Assessment and Forecast 

System (published September 2006); 

 Global Land Observation System (in 

development); and 

 Sea Level Observation System (in 

development). 

By developing the plans described below, USGEO 

is recommending priorities for investment, 

including new requirements, and establishing U.S. 

policies for Earth observations and data 

management. These goals are identified in the IEOS Strategic Plan and emphasized in 

the Office of Management and Budget/Office of Science and Technology Policy FY 2008 

Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities Memo. 

Architecture and Data Management. A comprehensive and integrated data 

management and communications strategy to effectively integrate the wide variety of 

Earth observations across disciplines, institutions, and temporal and spatial scales is 

needed. Data management is a key enabler for the mission-oriented near-term 

opportunities described above as well as for all other benefits of Earth observations. 

USGEO is building a conceptual architecture of principles and guidelines for data 

management that will be available in 2007. 

Improved Observations for Disaster Reduction. To fully 

realize the benefits gained from the observation systems, 

information must be disseminated through effective warning 

systems and networks with products tailored to the needs of the 

end users and the public. In order to emphasize the need for 

Earth observation systems that fit within an integrated, end-toend, disaster reduction framework, the Improved Observations 

Global earth observations support 

research in a wide range of sciences 

important for society. The U.S. Strategic 

Plan for an Integrated Earth Observations 

System provides guidance for agencies 

contributing to these efforts and 

establishes six Near-Term Opportunities 

that serve as the focal point of U.S. R&D 

activities. Agencies are encouraged to 

align their R&D programs in this area 

with the recommendations in the U.S 

Group on Earth Observations’ annual 

report, Development of the U.S. Integrated 

Earth Observations System: Progress and 

Recommendations for the Way Forward. 

Office of Management and Budget/Office 

of Science and Technology Policy FY 

2008 Administration Research and 

Development Budget Priorities Memo 
for Disaster Reduction Near-Term Opportunity Plan focuses on multi-hazard 

demonstration projects for two high-risk regions: the Pacific states and the Gulf of 

Mexico coast. These projects are a means to show rapid progress with modest 

investments, thereby demonstrating proof of concept with benchmarks for success in 

areas vulnerable to catastrophic natural hazard events. 

Societal benefits in the disasters and weather areas realized from these successful 

demonstration projects include real-time earthquake information delivery for targeting 

rapid emergency response; improved tsunami and coastal inundation forecast and 

warning capabilities; safer aviation travel due to rapid detection of volcanic eruptions; 

and a prototype early warning system for debris flows and landslides in wildfire-impacted 

areas. In addition to the multi-hazard demonstration projects, the plan emphasizes the 

need for integrated earthquake and coastal inundation observation systems to close key 

gaps nationwide in ground-based monitoring networks and high-resolution digital 

topography to provide all-weather day/night imaging, monitor surface deformation, and 

determine inundation extent. 

National Integrated Drought Information System. To 

adequately address drought disasters, in 2004 the Western 

Governors’ Association (WGA) formed a task force and 

produced Creating a Drought Early Warning System for the 21st

Century – The National Integrated Drought Information System 

(NIDIS).

2

 The NIDIS Near-Term Opportunity Plan builds on the 

business requirements outlined in the WGA document and 

focuses on critical gaps that can be quickly and effectively 

closed, including: 

 Improved drought monitoring, assessment, and 

prediction through observational frequency, timeliness, 

and density of essential environmental variables already in place; 

 A U.S. drought portal that gives the NIDIS user communities the ability to easily 

integrate drought related data and information across Federal, state, local 

agencies, and non-Federal entities; 

 A NIDIS operations office to coordinate the development, implementation, and 

maintenance of NIDIS-related work inside and outside the Federal agencies. 

It benefits society in all areas: disasters, health, energy, climate, water, weather, 

ecosystems, agriculture and biodiversity. 

Air Quality Assessment and Forecast System. Technical and 

scientific advancements, including new observing and 

information technologies and insights into atmospheric 

processes, have created opportunities to effectively address air 

quality issues. The Air Quality Assessment and Forecast System 

Near-Term Opportunity Plan identifies several areas where 

agencies can leverage existing and planned systems to develop 

integrated data and modeling products and services, including 

routine production of air quality fields that integrate information 
from multiple types of observing systems and from models. The plan also proposes 

pursuing approaches for assimilating air quality observations into models that will enable 

air quality decision-makers and planners to more effectively prevent future problems 

while also maintaining a vital economy. In addition, air quality forecasters will be able to 

issue more accurate warnings and alerts to initiate community actions. This will reduce 

the severity of episodes of poor air quality and personal actions and reduce adverse health 

effects. This plan’s products and services also provide secondary benefits to most 

societal benefit areas including improvements to weather forecasting and understanding 

climate change, more effective management of agriculture and energy sectors, and better 

protection of oceans and ecosystems. 

 

Global Land Observation System. Land observations, particularly space-based, 

moderate resolution data, such as those provided by the Landsat satellites, are used by 

government, commercial, industrial, civilian, military, and educational communities 

throughout the United States and around the world. Among other societal benefits, these 

reduce life and property losses from disasters and increase understanding the impact of 

environmental factors on human health. These types of data provide a historical record 

of land-use change and the impact of natural and anthropogenic events. The thirty-four 

year archive of global Landsat observations is an invaluable record for the scientific 

community, providing insight into the relationship between land cover/land use change 

and global climate change, and to the broader 

applications community. 

USGEO is leading the effort to develop a longterm plan to achieve technical, financial, and 

managerial stability for operational, moderate 

resolution land imaging in accord with the goals 

and objectives of the U.S. Integrated Earth 

Observation System. The plan will be available 

in February 2007. (See text box.) 

USGEO is supporting activities that will extend 

the use and enhance the benefits of moderate 

resolution observations from space. These 

activities include the acquisition and distribution 

of a mid-decadal global, orthorectified satelliteimage data set derived primarily from Landsat 

data with other land-imaging satellites; the 

development of a prototype, moderate 

resolution, land cover database; and the land 

cover database for an agricultural land mask at 

30m resolution. The mid-decadal, global data 

set will provide a baseline for measuring change 

when compared to a similar data set derived 

from Landsat 7 data in 2000. Completion of a 

global land cover product is a multi-year effort. 

It remains the goal of the U.S. 

Government to transition the 

Landsat program from a series of 

independently planned missions to 

a sustained operational program 

funded and managed by a U.S. 

Government operational agency or 

agencies, international consortium, 

and/or commercial partnership. 

Concurrent with the actions cited 

above, the National Science and 

Technology Council, in 

coordination with NASA, 

DOI/USGS, and other agencies and 

EOP offices as appropriate, will 

lead an effort to develop a longterm plan to achieve technical, 

financial, and managerial stability 

for operational land imaging in 

accord with the goals and 

objectives of the U.S. Integrated 

Earth Observation System. 

Dr. John H. Marburger, III, Director, 

White House Office of Science and 

Technology Policy on December 23, 2005 
The near term activity will focus first on the U.S. development of an agricultural land 

mask. The classification and the agricultural land mask can serve as the models for 

extending the products worldwide. As part of these tasks, the participants in the global 

land observation system will seek to improve access to existing moderate resolution data 

sets and the new data sets that emerge from USGEO actions in 2007. 

Sea Level Observation System. An integrated sea level observation system will provide 

accurate and timely observations of sea-level variability critical for forecasting and 

mitigating natural hazards as well as monitoring and understanding sea level and climate 

variability at global and regional scales. Further, the observing system coupled with a 

robust modeling strategy will provide information on all known contributors to sea level 

change, i.e. ocean thermal expansion and contraction, glacier and ice sheet growth and 

shrinkage, terrestrial impoundment of water, and movement (uplift and subsidence) of 

land in coastal regions. That information is all part of a larger ocean observation 

strategy. In collaboration with National Science and Technology Council Committees 

and Subcommittees, the Climate Change Science Program and the Interagency 

Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration, USGEO will 

provide an ocean observation plan in 2007. 

3.2 ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS 

To realize the IEOS Strategic Plan goals, this year USGEO expanded existing 

governmental partnerships at all levels and developed new long-term partnerships with 

industry, academia, and non-governmental and international organizations. A partial 

listing of those diverse endeavors is below. 

Workshop on Integrated Earth Observations: Applications to Air Quality 

and Human Health. On August 1-2, 2005, the National Institute of Environmental 

Health Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency brought together data 

producers, data organizers, and data users to identify Earth observation data and data 

products related to air quality and climate that could be used effectively in public health 

research, planning, and decision making. 

Public Engagement Workshop. During a public workshop, held on May 9-10, 2005, in 

Washington, DC, 360 representatives from industry, academia, nongovernmental 

organizations, and Federal agencies provided input on ways to move toward 

implementation of the nine societal benefit areas and the six Near-Term Opportunities 

outlined in the Strategic Plan. Workshop participants represented a range of sectors, 

including research, agriculture, energy, public health, conservation, information 

technology, transportation, and data integration. The workshop provided a forum for 

cross-sector, multidisciplinary input on the implementation of the Strategic Plan and 

further aided in the development of the near-term opportunity planning. 

Integrated Ocean Observing System Implementation Conference. The second 

Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Implementation Conference in May 2005 

focused on multi-hazard forecasting relating to coastal inundation. IOOS is a system of 

systems that routinely and continuously provides quality-controlled data and information 
on current and future conditions of the oceans and Great Lakes. This scope of this 

information ranges from global (e.g., ocean basins) to local (e.g., coastal ecosystems). 

IOOS is the oceans and coasts component of the IEOS, the U.S. contribution to the 

Global Ocean Observing System, and the U.S. contribution to the oceans and coasts 

component of GEOSS. 

International Workshop on Seismological Networks and GEOSS. In August 2005, 

the U.S. Geological Survey, National Science Foundation, and IRIS Consortium cosponsored an International Workshop on the Utilization of Seismographic Networks 

within GEOSS in Washington, DC. Participants included more than 50 delegates from 

14 nations, representing a broad spectrum of disciplines, scientific agencies, and 

networks. The workshop focused on network, data, and products—topics emphasized in 

the GEOSS Implementation Plan—with each topic focused on canvassing existing 

capabilities, exploring synergies catalyzed by open international sharing, and enhancing 

the role of diverse scientific disciplines to GEOSS. 

Earth Observation System Architecture Workshop: Enabling an Entrepreneurial 

Environment. A technical architecture approach for the IEOS with appropriate linkages 

to GEOSS was developed through this USGEO-sponsored workshop held on October 27-

28, 2005, in Washington, DC. The workshop involved 65 representatives from industry, 

academia, nongovernmental organizations, and Federal agencies with expertise in 

information technology, data management, and enterprise architecture. USGEO provided 

updates on IEOS, GEOSS, the current approach to the architectures of IEOS and GEOSS, 

and the national Geospatial Profile of the Federal Enterprise Architecture. (For more 

information on the Federal Enterprise Architecture, see 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/egov/a-1-fea.html.) This workshop provided USGEO 

with private sector input for evaluating the next steps to leverage efforts in spatially 

enabled search portals, geo-referenced emergency alerting, modeling and data 

assimilation, and decision support tools. 

Forum on Earth Observations: Managing Risk in the 21st Century. This two-day 

USGEO-sponsored forum in La Jolla, California on February 15-16, 2006, convened 

business, academic, non-government, and government leaders to address key issues in the 

planning and implementation of a global Earth observation system. Members of the 

private and public sectors learned about the latest developments in Earth observation 

efforts, examined the needs and interests of both sectors, and discussed the types of 

business models that enable an entrepreneurial environment. 

IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium: Remote Sensing – 

A Natural Global Partnership. Reflecting the interconnected nature of understanding 

and managing the global environment, this five-day forum held in Denver, Colorado on 

July 31 - August 4, 2006, brought together industry, government, and academia to discuss 

user applications of remotely sensed data. 

Biodiversity and Human Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Examining the 

Links. This forum of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was co-sponsored by 
Yale’s Center for EcoEpidemiology, the Smithsonian Institution, and the World 

Conservation Union and is part of a series on contemporary issues related to environment 

and health sponsored by the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Center for 

EcoEpidemiology. The forum, held on September 14, 2006, was coordinated 

internationally through GEO in cooperation with the European Commission, Canada, 

Uruguay, and Brazil. 

3.3 INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS 

The United States continues to actively participate in GEO on the development of 

GEOSS. Throughout 2005 and 2006, USGEO coordinated and formulated the U.S. 

contributions to the development of international documents that have had major impacts 

on the continued development of GEOSS, including the GEO Rules of Procedure, Terms 

of Reference for Committees and Working Groups, and GEO multi-year work plan with 

more than 70 individual tasks. USGEO members have provided strong leadership to the 

Group on Earth Observations Committees (Architecture and Data Management, Capacity 

Building, Science and Technology, and User Interface) and the Working Group on 

Tsunami Activities. These GEO organizations address the necessary aspects of GEOSS 

implementation. This leadership is guided by the principles of the 96 Task Groups from 

the 2006 GEO Work Plan. Some results of this leadership are: 

 Significant progress toward attaining 

the vision of a fully operational 

GEONetCast; 

 A development process by which 

members and participating 

organizations contribute their 

components (necessary data building 

blocks of GEO); 

 Obtaining hosting proposals for 

component, service, and 

interoperability registries that allow 

GEO members and participating 

organizations to discover, access, and 

share data and information that enable 

societal benefits. 

These accomplishments will be briefed to the 

GEO Plenary, which meets in Bonn, Germany 

in late November 2006, for discussion and 

adoption. 

Also, USGEO coordinates U.S. participation 

in the development and outcome of GEO 

meetings3

 and contributes to coordination with 

existing efforts and systems, on which GEOSS is being built. In particular, the United 

States, through the USGEO, works to enhance interactions and to explore mechanisms 

GEONETCast 

GEONETCast is an information 

dissemination system under 

development by which environmental 

remotely-sensed and in situ data and 

products will be transmitted to users 

through communication satellites 

using standard (or widely available) 

broadcast capabilities. It is 

anticipated that this capability would 

be especially useful in parts of the 

world where high-speed internet 

access is expensive or not available. 
for harmonization of GEO activities with the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites 

(CEOS), Integrated Global Observing Strategy-Partners (IGOS-P), Global Climate 

Observing System (GCOS) Steering Committee, World Climate Research Program 

(WCRP), International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), and Global 

Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 
4. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE WAY 

FORWARD 

It is clear from the progress of these past three years, that the ideas behind GEOSS and 

IEOS have struck a cord in the scientific community, industry, and the governments of 66 

countries. In a short period of time, 15 domestic Federal agencies have begun 

collaborating in much the same way as those 66 countries internationally. Governance 

structures, strategic plans, and implementation plans also have been developed, but the 

real work has just begun. GEOSS and IEOS are at a critical transition point—those 

involved must now move beyond the promotion and planning stages and begin the 

difficult work of implementation. The longevity and effectiveness of USGEO and the 

intergovernmental GEO are critically dependent on this successful transition. 

Recommendations for near-term activities will ensure success in making this transition 

and lead to an effective and enduring IEOS and GEOSS follow: 

Enhance Links Between USGEO and Intergovernmental GEO Activities. The 

United States is committed to the intergovernmental GEO effort, the tasks on which it 

will contribute and the tasks on which it will lead. USGEO, through the U.S. 

representatives on the Architecture and Data Management, User Interface, Capacity 

Building, and Science and Technology Committees, will track these tasks to see that they 

are accomplished in context of the mission and on time. 

Strengthen USGEO Governance Structure. Improved observations has been identified 

as a top priority by nearly every sector of the environmental research community in 

recent years. Meeting this need and achieving the ambitious goals of IEOS will require 

increased support for USGEO interagency coordination activities. An Earth observations 

program coordination office may be established and supported by the agencies on a 

cooperative basis to support observations and associated needs across the NSTC 

Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. 

Strengthen Private Sector Partnerships. USGEO will build stronger links to the 

academic and industrial sectors by creating formal processes for obtaining private sector 

input. Stronger partnerships to industry will ensure that USGEO utilizes and leverages 

the latest capabilities in such areas as spatially-enabled search portals, geo-referenced 

emergency alerting, modeling and data assimilation, and decision support tools. 

Likewise, stronger ties to the academic community will ensure that: 

 The best available science and technology is utilized in implementing the U.S. 

Integrated Earth Observation Strategic Plan; 

 Research community needs are incorporated in USGEO plans and implementation 

actions; and 

 The scientific community is poised to take advantage of new information available 

from observation integration for research and model development. 

Forge Successful Federal Collaborations. USGEO will strengthen its role in 

coordinating efforts focused on observations, particularly in support of climate change 
and oceans research and development. Observing systems in these areas are being 

planned through the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) and the Interagency 

Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI). The 

CCSP Observation Interagency Working Group is developing a process to define and 

evolve rigorous climate observing system requirements through regularly updated Earth 

system reanalysis, metrics for GEOSS that incorporate climate observing principles, 

continued development of decision support tools, and improved mechanisms to transmit 

user feedback to the climate observing system. 

At the direction of the U.S. Ocean Action Plan, the NSTC Joint Subcommittee for 

Oceans Science and Technology (JSOST) is currently drafting the Ocean Research 

Priorities Plan, which will determine the Nation’s ocean research priorities for the next 

ten years. It is anticipated that ocean observations will be one of a few top priorities that 

this plan addresses. 

Given the importance and broad implications of these systems, it is imperative that 

USGEO play a support their development. USGEO will collaborate with other NSTC 

subcommittees to identify observation needs and requirements, support and promote the 

implementation of these systems, and assess how these systems or components of these 

systems should be integrated with and incorporated into other observing systems to 

ensure optimum use of observations. 

Facilitate Stronger Links Between In Situ and Remote Sensing Observations. To 

address specific, high priority scientific questions across disciplines and at the 

appropriate local, state, regional, continental and global scales, USGEO will coordinate 

with 17 Federal agencies and work with GEO members to optimize the links between in 

situ and satellite observations to achieve credible forecasting and prediction benefiting all 

areas of society. 

Promote Agency Collaboration for Effective Data Management. Effective data 

management is the keystone of an effective earth observations system. New observation 

systems coming online will yield a 100-fold increase in the amount of Earth observation 

data at a time when individual agencies’ data management systems are challenged to 

adequately process current data streams. USGEO will produce a conceptual architecture 

of principles and guidelines for data management that will be available in 2007. Further, 

agencies are strongly encouraged to collaborate and upgrade or produce data 

management systems that are well-linked to support the full information cycle from 

observation acquisition to information delivery. Consistent with the IEOS Strategic Plan, 

Data products will be made readily available and easily accessible by 

applying data management systems. This activity will include 

standardizing vocabularies across agencies and developing browsing and 

visualization systems. Interoperability is achieved through protocols and 

standards agreed upon by the member agencies. These tools will enable 

users to effectively locate data and information relevant to their needs. 
APPENDIX A: REFERENCES 

1

 A subcommittee reporting to the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) 

Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) 

2

 http://www/westgov.org/wga/publicat/NIDIS.pdf 

3

 http://www.earthobservations.org/meetings/meetings.html 
APPENDIX B: ABOUT THE U.S. GROUP ON 

EARTH OBSERVATIONS (USGEO) 

The United States Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) was established in March 

2005 as a standing subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council 

Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Primary goals of the subcommittee 

are: 

 To continue development and coordination of the U.S. Integrated Earth 

Observation System (IEOS), and 

 To formulate the U.S. position and coordinate participation in the 

intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) as formed at the third 

Earth Observation Summit on February 16, 2005. 

The USGEO is co-chaired by Teresa Fryberger (OSTP), Bryant Kramer (NASA), and 

Greg Withee (NOAA). The USGEO comprises representatives from 15 member 

agencies and three White House offices: 

 Department of Agriculture 

 Department of Commerce 

 Department of Defense 

 Department of Energy 

 Department of Health and Human Services 

 Department of Homeland Security 

 Department of Interior 

 Department of State 

 Department of Transportation 

 Environmental Protection Agency 

 National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

 National Science Foundation 

 Smithsonian Institution 

 Tennessee Valley Authority 

 U.S. Agency for International Development 

 White House Council on Environmental Quality 

 White House Office of Management and Budget 

 White House Office of Science and Technology Policy 

USGEO working groups include: 

 Architecture Management 

 Capacity Building and Outreach 

 Science and Technology 

 User Interface 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL 

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), a cabinet level council, is the 

principal means for the President to coordinate science and technology policies across the 

Federal Government. NSTC acts as a “virtual” agency for science and technology to 

coordinate the diverse parts of the Federal research and development enterprise. 
An important objective of the NSTC is the establishment of clear national goals for 

Federal science and technology investments in areas ranging from information 

technologies and health research to improving transportation systems and strengthening 

fundamental research. This council prepares research and development strategies that are 

coordinated across Federal agencies to form an investment package that is aimed at 

accomplishing multiple national goals. To obtain additional information regarding the 

NSTC, visit www.ostp.gov. 

ABOUT THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY 

Congress established OSTP in 1976 with a broad mandate to advise the President and 

others within the Executive Office of the President on the impacts of science and 

technology on domestic and international affairs. The 1976 Act also authorizes OSTP to 

lead an interagency effort to develop and to implement sound science and technology 

policies and budgets and to work with the private sector, state and local governments, the 

science and higher education communities, and other nations toward this end. The 

Director of OSTP serves as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science 

and Technology and oversees the National Science and Technology Council on behalf of 

the President. For more information, visit www.ostp.gov. 
APPENDIX C: ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 

ANSS Advanced National Seismic System 

CAM Constructed Area Mapping 

CCSP U.S. Climate Change Science Program 

CENR Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 

CEOS Committee on Earth Observation Satellites 

DoD Department of Defense 

DOI Department of the Interior 

EOP Executive Office of the President 

EPA Environmental Protection Agency 

EUMETSAT European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites 

FAA Federal Aviation Administration 

FAS Foreign Agricultural Service 

FEA Federal Enterprise Architecture 

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency 

GBIF Global Biodiversity Information Facility 

GCOS Global Climate Observing System 

GEO Group on Earth Observations (international) 

GEOSS Global Earth Observation System of Systems (intergovernmental) 

GITAN Global Integrated Trends Analysis Network 

GLAM Global Agricultural Monitoring 

GLOS Global Land Observation System 

GPS Global Positioning System 

GRACE Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment 

ICESat Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite 

IEOS Integrated Earth Observation System (national) 

IGBP International Geosphere Biosphere Programme 

IGOS-P Integrated Global Observing Strategy-Partners 

InSAR Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar 

IOOS Integrated Ocean Observing System 

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 

IWGOO Interagency Working Group on Ocean Observations 

LIDAR Light Detection and Ranging 

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

NIDIS National Integrated Drought Information System 

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

NSTC National Science and Technology Council 

NTO Near Term Opportunity 

NWLON National Water Level Observation Network 

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy 

SAR Synthetic Aperture Radar 

SDR Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction 

SLR Satellite Laser Ranging 

TOPEX Ocean Topography Experiment 

UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle 
USAID United States Agency for International Development 

USDA United States Department of Agriculture 

USGEO United States Group on Earth Observations 

USGS United States Geological Survey 

VLBI Very Long Baseline Interferometry 

WCRP World Climate Research Program 

WGA Western Governors’ Association 
National Science and Technology Council

A Report of the United States Group on Earth

Observations

March 2007