A Clear Vision of
the NSDI
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Figure 1 Organizations and stakeholders in the NSDI |
Figure 1 shows a simple conceptual model of the NSDI, in which organizations that serve as stewards of diverse geospatial data are linked together in a distributed, virtual network that allows information sharing to support decision-making.
The following sections describe the specific programmatic roles the three summit participants will play.
Figure 2 FGDC's organizational structure |
FGDC Ties It Together
FGDC has ongoing responsibility for coordinating geospatial activities. Its primary focus is on spatial data standards, policies, clearinghouse technology, education, and outreach (see Figure 2). The FGDC has grown into a 19-member interagency committee comprising representatives from the Executive Office of the President, cabinet-level offices, and independent agencies. The committee also has involvement from 32 state geographic information councils and 9 nonfederal organizations representing broad sector interests.
Since its inception, FGDC has worked to implement the six basic building blocks, or common elements, of the NSDI: metadata, clearinghouse, standards, framework, geospatial data, and partnerships. Each of these components serves as a cornerstone in establishing consistency and structure when it comes to documenting spatial data for everyday applications, as well as in building a distributed network of producers and users that facilitate data sharing.
Figure 3 The role of Geospatial One-Stop |
Geospatial One-Stop: Portal for Discovery
GOS is a Presidential Management Council initiative -- one of the 24 e-government priorities that the Office of Management and Budget oversees. This initiative makes it easier, faster, and less expensive for all levels of government and citizens to access geospatial information. GOS brings high-level visibility to the importance of geospatial information (see Figure 3). From a policy perspective, it adds three unique benefits to the implementation of the NSDI. These include raising the visibility of the strategic value of geographic information, increasing federal accountability for geospatial data stewardship, and establishing a collaborative model for an intergovernmental initiative. The priority status of the initiative also brings a sense of urgency to aggressive implementation. From a program perspective, GOS implements the basic elements of the NSDI by providing an Internet portal (www.geodata.gov) to facilitate data sharing in favor of decision support and by encouraging partnerships across organizations.
The National Map Forms the Base
The National Map provides integrated base geographic data in partnership with content producers at all levels. As a synthesizer of current, integrated, and accurate geospatial information, The National Map provides sufficient consistency to meet applications needs across federal, state, and regional jurisdictional levels. Users will find trusted content for base mapping operations, including orthoimagery (from Landsat and other high-resolution sensors), elevation, hydrography, boundaries, land cover, geographic names, transportation, and structures (buildings and select critical infrastructure). Users will also find they can share and contribute to all of this content. Since 2002, initial implementations have focused on locations where partnership opportunities have been strongest. However, future plans call for broader sharing of data applications. Additionally, in the relatively near future, the U.S. Geological Survey' s (USGS' s) topographic maps will be generated from this online geospatial data.
Cross-Agency Initiatives
What tangible activities or changes in programs can the community expect to see resulting from this agreement? First and foremost, those at the summit pledged to take a user perspective in evolving the NSDI. Our organizations intend to strive toward making it easier for users to access content and for data partners to participate in each program. For example, GOS and The National Map will employ a shared technology for Web-based interactions so that a user can move seamlessly across the two platforms. In other words, the content from each will be available as though it were being provided from a single activity.
Moreover, as the stewards of the NSDI, we will work together to develop an integrated registration process for data providers. When providers share data with the federal government, they will be asked to register only once. This will involve building on the decade of investment that the community has made in NSDI clearinghouses and metadata. The ability to harvest metadata directly from the clearinghouses is an appealing way to simplify the registration process for both GOS and The National Map.
One of the most important agreements that resulted from this summit involves focusing on making content provided by The National Map consistent with the type of information one expects to obtain from USGS. This includes content that has been depicted on USGS topographic quadrangle maps, other USGS scientific data that have a spatial component (such as the stream gauging network), and geographic applications of those data. This agreement will speed the implementation of The National Map across the landscape. Likewise, GOS would rely on The National Map as the underlying provider of base content for all other GOS-supplied datasets. Some technical developments will be needed to make this a seamless transition for users. In the meantime, no break in service will take place for any data currently being provided.
Figure 4 Benefits of The National Map |
Finally, participants at the summit agreed to work together to provide funding incentives for partner organizations working on the NSDI. This effort will augment the existing Cooperative Agreement Program that FGDC administers. The National Map, GOS, and FGDC will pilot an initiative in fiscal year 2004 to develop a single program announcement with common requirements that can leverage available grant funds. The goal of this initiative is to ensure sustainable participation from other federal, state, and local organizations and to encourage partnerships.
FGDC, GOS, and The National Map leaders acknowledge the concern that has been expressed regarding each program' s boundaries. We commit to focusing on those areas that are core to NSDI success:
Together, FGDC, GOS, and The National Map can spearhead the
development of a broader community that is focused on building the NSDI.
All three will work with federal, state, local, and tribal governments,
the private sector, academia, and the public to keep programs on track
and achieve the shared vision of a national spatial data infrastructure.