Global Spatial Data Infrastructure

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National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) in
the United States
Kenneth R. McDonald NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center ken.mcdonald_at_gsfc.nasa.gov from a
presentation by Mark Reichardt Federal
Geographic Data Committee mreichardt_at_usgs.gov
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Agenda

• History of NSDI in the U.S.
• Current Status
• Next Steps
• Towards a Global Infrastructure

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Genesis of the National Spatial Data
Infrastructure

• Since late 1950s federal emphasis to review
  spatial data functions across government (reduce
  cost, redundancy)
• OMB Circular A-16 created to address mapping,
  surveying and related activities across the
  federal government
• Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on
  Digital Cartographic created under OMB directive
  in 1983
• Federal Geographic Data Committee formalized in
  1990 to coordinate federal geospatial data
  activities throughout federal government and with
  other national interests (revision of OMB
  Circular A-16)
• National Performance Review endorses a more
  formal spatial data infrastructure initiative
  (1993)

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Federal Geographic Data Committee

• Created under a revision to OMB Circular A-16 to
  coordinate geospatial activities across
  government
• Representation
• 17 Cabinet and Executive Level Agencies
• Numerous Stakeholder Members
• Chaired by Secretary Babbitt
• FGDC Staff supports operations, administered
  through the USGS

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Genesis of Spatial Data Infrastructure in the
U.S.

• National Spatial Data Infrastructure formed by
  Presidential Executive Order 12906 (1994)
• Emergence of Regional, and Global SDI initiatives
  (1996 and on)

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The Vision of the NSDI

• Current and accurate geospatial data should be
• Readily available
• locally
• nationally
• globally
• To contribute to
• economic growth
• environmental quality
• social progress

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Core NSDI Components
Partnerships
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A Network of NSDI Organizations
National League of Cities National Association
of Counties Intertribal GIS Council University
Consortium on GI Sciences Open GIS
Consortium FGDC National States Geographic
Information Council International City / County
Managers Association
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NSDI ProgressMetadata
Metadata

• FGDC Metadata Standard in wide use at national,
  state, local levels
• ISO TC-211 working towards an International
  Metadata Standard (second draft is in review)
• FGDC endorses ISO metadata standard
• FGDC will develop an ISO metadata standard
  implementation strategy and training

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NSDI Clearinghouse Growth 1994 2000
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Z39.50 Geo / Metadata Compliant Sites
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Cooperative Agreements Program
Participants
State government Academic institutions Federal
agencies County city government Regional
organizations Tribal government Private business
Requirements
Cooperative Agreement Partnership/collaboration In
-kind funding match Sustainable projects Applied
projects
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CAP projects (1994-1999)

• clearinghouse implementations
• metadata training
• metadata thematic implementations
• metadata tool development
• educational outreach
• framework implementations
• standards development implementation
• establishment of coordination groups
• web mapping testbed software development
• U.S Canadian collaboration

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1999 Geodata ForumNational Assessment of the NSDI

• NSDI progress and future examined at recent
  Geodata Forum
• 460 industry, government, academia, international
  attendees
• Identified key recommendations to enhance the
  NSDI
• Growing Congressional support for NSDI, first
  formal hearing held on GIS Policy

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Expanding Emphasis Areas for NSDI
Community Applications
Increase Data Sharing / Discovery Through
Standards
Open Geoprocessing Interfaces
Resources
Education Outreach
Increased Emphasis For Decision Support Systems
Additional Federal Community Incentives
Establish Means For Sharing Best Practices
Through NSDI
Interoperability Integration Testbeds
Publish Funding Mechanisms and Options
Data Registry For Requirements
Educational Experiences At All Grade Levels
Document Case Studies
More Flexible, Broadly Represented Organization
Better Understand Economic Dynamics Of Private
and Federal Sectors
NSDI As A National Objective Through Legislation
Update NSDI Strategic Direction
Increase GI Sciences Training
Locally Independent, Regionally Coordinated
Processes
National Leadership
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Expanded Emphasis for NSDI
Community Applications
Education and Outreach
Expanded Resources
National Leadership / Global Partnerships
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Community Applications

• Increased focus on interoperability testbeds and
  community applications
• FGDC Cooperative Agreements Program
• Community Demonstration Projects
• Disaster mitigation, response, recovery
• Open GIS Consortium Web Mapping Testbed
• Digital Earth

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NSDI / Digital Earth Relationships

• Community End Use Applications
• Emphasis on focused research, funding, and
• collaborative partnerships to resolve gaps \
• issues
• Ensure a sustainable DE marketplace

Community Applications
National Leadership / Organization

• NSDI and GSDI to provide the core
• infrastructure
• NSDI DE establish collaborative environment
  for a complete delivery system

Outreach and Educations
SDI Resources

• Goal DE NSDI provide leadership for
• nationally consistent capability for new
• multi-dimensional representations of our planet

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Exploring Next Steps for Digital Earth and NSDI

• Explore the alignment of Digital Earth with the
  FGDC
• Steering Group
• National Geodata Organization Initiative
• Create pervasive communications links so that
  NSDI/GSDI and Digital Earth vision and
  programmatics are understood.

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Expanded Resources

• NSDI Financing Study
• Potential financing mechanisms (pooled loans) and
  
• Data Consortia (regional, industry, topic) to
  build and manage geospatial data
• Underwritten to
• Protect open access to federal data
• Encourage private sector revenue from value added
  activities
• Require metadata, data, technology standards

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Education and Outreach

• Increased emphasis on case studies and proven
  practices
• Partnerships with Digital Earth Initiative
• DEVELOP (College and HS level, increase
  curriculum focus on DE and geospatial)
• Museums (Smithsonian, Science Museum of
  Minnesota, American Museum Natural History)
• E-theater (NASA)
• GLOBE (9,000 K-12 students collecting Global
  Change Research information)

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National Organization

• New flexible, broadly represented national
  organization
• Broader private sector involvement, expanded
  federal commitments
• Defined national governance structure
• Design team working the plan October 2000
  target date
• FGDC continues with federal focus
• Congressional interest in Legislation to
  strengthen NSDI Executive Order

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International Activities

• Nation to nation collaborative activities
• Global Spatial Data Infrastructure
• Regional Committees for SDI
• International Standards Development
• Survey of SDIs

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FGDC International Policy Statement

• Acknowledges local, national, regional, global
  perspectives and needs for SDI
• Identifies a FGDC staff position
• Emphasizes collaboration between nations,
  Regional and Global SDI
• Issued March 2000

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GSDI Global Reach On the Way
Clearinghouse Sites
Gateways
ASDD
Web Client
Others
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Tomorrow A Global Spatial Data Infrastructure
Enabled Through Partnerships, Standards,
Technology
Users
s
s
s
Businesses
Consumers
Government
Internet

• E-Commerce
• Authentication
• Other

Web-Enabled Services
Service
Clearinghouse
Map
Catalog
Services
Services
Registry
Internet
Registered Data Servers
Metadata
Metadata
Metadata
Metadata
Metadata
Metadata
Metadata
Imagery
Elevation
Hydrography
Demographics
Health
Geodetic Control
Transportation
Economic
Crime
Environment
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Additional Information

• www.fgdc.gov Federal Geographic Data
  Committee
• www.spatial.maine.edu/ Survey of SDIs
• onsrud/GSDI.htm
• www.gsdi.org Global Spatial Data
  Infrastructure
• www.nbii.gov National Biological
  Information Infrastructure