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The FGDC is working on a geospatial information one stop project that is part of the Office of Management and Budget's new E-government plan that will accelerate federal government improvements in effectiveness, efficiency, and customer service. The strategy, adopted by the President's Management Council (PMC) in October, implements the "Expanding Electronic Government" reform outlined in the President's Management Agenda. The FGDC has prepared a business case for this project that is available without budget information. This business case is in OMB exhibit 300 format.

July 3, 2001
U.S./Canadian Joint Framework Project Sponsored by: GeoConnections and FGDC

An international effort called the Transboundary Framework Dataset Project is making standardized geographic information from Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming to the Yukon Territory accessible to scientists, land managers, and the general public in the United States and Canada.

This international project is a collaborative demonstration that focused on creating seamless geospatial data sets across national boundaries in the U.S./Canadian region of the Rocky Mountains. In June 2000, twenty-two partners entered into a contract with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and Canada's GeoConnections (Natural Resources Canada) in a novel cooperative effort to compile framework datasets for the Crown of the Continent area of the Rockies from the best available sources.

The successful applicants to lead the first joint U.S./Canadian framework demonstration project are Geomar Consulting, Ltd. (Grand Forks, B.C.) and Mountain West GIS Coop (Bozeman, Mont.). Tony Thatcher and Craig Stewart were the project team leaders.

The project resulted in a set of nine vertically integrated framework data layers. These data were tested, documented with FGDC compliant metadata, made searchable through on-line clearinghouses, and made available (where licensing allowed) to the public.

In this project, additional complexities in compiling data occurred when attempting to perform analysis across jurisdictional boundaries. Differences in data models, source scale, and availability made compiling framework data a challenge. Often different branches of the same agency, different agencies, or different countries managed similar adjacent lands. Access to existing spatial data about these lands ranged from free and easily downloaded from the Internet, to a fee structure and that carried significant licensing and use restrictions.

In conclusion, the resulting framework data layers are a great improvement in comparison to previous datasets. The systematic compilation and review of each layer provided critical information on the quality of the data and what the user can reasonably use the data for. Additionally, the exercise identified significant shortcomings in the spatial accuracy, attribute quality, and physical extents of the data that were previously unknown or undervalued. This provides an important stepping-stone for developing strategies for improving the spatial data down the line. In the future the project team would like to maintain and improve the quality of the existing spatial data, as well as expanding the coverage to include the entire Yellowstone to Yukon geographic region.

FGDC and GeoConnections are continuing these collaborative projects and are commited to cooperate in the development of a common spatial data infrastructure. The second Joint US/Canadian Project was recently awarded to a team from the Red Riven Basin. If you are interested in developing a Joint US/Canadian Project please contact:

June 8, 2001
Spatial Data Infrastructure Implementation Guide Published by GSDI

Cartagena, Colombia -- May 21, 2001 -- An implementation guide for Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI), was released by the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) Secretariat today during the GSDI-5 conference in Cartagena, Colombia. Known as the "Cookbook," this 150-page dynamic document is designed to guide local, regional, national, and multi-national organizations in the common concepts and issues, policies, standards, and recommendations for implementing GIS within compatible geographic information infrastructures.

The Cookbook chapters are organized in a progressive manner to discuss topics of data, metadata, catalog, services (including web mapping), followed by case studies and capacity-building vignettes from different types of organizations from different parts of the world. Within each chapter, where appropriate, the information is organized into three sections: Context and Rationale, Organizational Approach, and Implementation Approach. These sections provide progressive detail from the general to the specific on how to establish compatible systems within and between organizations to facilitate information discovery, applications support, and exchange. The international authorship of the Cookbook chapters reflects a common interest in building compatible SDI activities around the world.

Navigation of relevant standards is a central focus of the Cookbook, as there are a myriad of standards emerging from the geospatial information and IT fields. Where possible, the Cookbook chapters identify, describe, and reference relevant standards and specifications from ISO, OGC, and the wider Web to assemble a coherent vision for their integration.

The Cookbook Version 1.1 is available in English, Spanish, and (soon) Chinese from the GSDI website at http://www.gsdi.org under the News and Publications link. Given that the technology and policies are always changing, this document will be periodically refreshed or updated by existing and new contributors. Any organization interested in contributing to this evolving document should contact the GSDI Secretariat at gsdisec@gsdi.org.

The GSDI is an advocacy group to promote awareness of globally-compatible geospatial information standards and policies in order to construct a common geospatial information infrastructure, with special consideration for the interaction of technical, policy, and legal issues. The GSDI Website: http://www.gsdi.org provides additional relevant background information on the organization.

The FGDC is collaborating with NSGIC, Tribal governments, and Tribal Universities to host a series of regional forums. These forums will begin a dialogue with State and Tribal Geographic Information coordinators to enhance the NSDI. The first meeting will be conducted this summer in partnership with the USGS EROS Data Center and Sinte Gleska University in Sioux Falls, SD. "The FGDC is committed to promoting partnerships," says John Moeller, FGDC Staff Director, "and we are excited to bring Tribes, States, and Federal entities together in this central region."

The FGDC is building upon a recently signed MOU with Sinte Gleska University to promote the NSDI. James Rattling Leaf of Sinte Gleska concurs. "This forum will open the door for more cooperative projects and training and education opportunities. We look forward to working with FGDC and the States to identify future projects for planning, natural resource protection and monitoring." As a result of the MOU, a Leadership Council has been established to serve as the governing body for future initiatives of the MOU. The Leadership Council will provide guidance, direction, and coordination to ensure that mutual benefits and interests are served.

For further information regarding ongoing FGDC activities with Tribal governments and Tribal Universities, contact Bonnie Gallahan (bgallahan@usgs.gov).

April 17, 2001
FGDC Releases Extensions for Remote Sensing Metadata for Public Review

The FGDC invites data users and producers and software vendors to comment on the standards to ensure that the standards meet the needs of their communities. Select the links above to learn about the standards and how to submit comments on the standards. Reviewers are strongly encouraged to use the template for sending comments that may be downloaded from Directive 2d, SWG Review Guidelines: Review Comment Template.

Public review comments that address specific issues/changes/additions may result in revisions that enhance the usefulness of the standards for their communities. After comments have been evaluated, reviewers will receive notification of how their comments were addressed. After formal endorsement of the standard by the FGDC, the standard and a summary analysis of the changes will be made available to the public via the FGDC Web site.

Make plans now to attend the 2001 National GeoData Forum. The Forum, sponsored by the GeoData Alliance (www.geoall.net), will be held on November 1-3, 2001 at the Westin Tabor Center in Denver, Colorado.

FGDC, USGS, 590 National Center, Reston, VA 20192
URL: http://www.fgdc.gov ///whatsnew/whatsnew01.html
Updated: Wednesday, 25-Jun-2003 20:49:20 GMT
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