The National Spatial Data Infrastructure:10 Years in the Making

The National Spatial Data Infrastructure:10 Years in the Making

Bruce McKenzie

“What you are is where you were when.”

“What you did is what you used when.”

“What you are is where you were when.”

“What you did is what you used when.”

TECHNOLOGYTHEN & NOW

486/66 MHz

16 MB RAM

500 MB HD

Hi-End PC 3GHz Pentium 4

512 MB RAM

60 GB HD

What is it? Internet Web Craze

NCSA Mosaic Web Browsers Netscape vs. Explorer

Static Web Pages Dynamic Servicing

TECHNOLOGYTHEN & NOW

486/66 MHz

16 MB RAM

500 MB HD

Hi-End PC 3GHz Pentium 4

512 MB RAM

60 GB HD

What is it? Internet Web Craze

NCSA Mosaic Web Browsers Netscape vs. Explorer

Static Web Pages Dynamic Servicing

Genesis of the FGDC & NSDI• Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on Digital

Cartographic (FICCDC) created under OMB directive in 1983, to “initiate a process to bring about coordination of digital cartographic activities of Federal agencies.”

• FGDC created by OMB in 1990 (Revised Circular A-16) to coordinate “surveying, mapping, and related spatial data activities” across Federal government.

• 1990, OMB Revised Circular A-16 called for the “development of a national digital spatial information resource.”

• In 1993, ‘94, and ’95, the National Research Council, Mapping Science Committee (MSC) issued reports on the concept, need for, and contents of the NSDI:

– 1993 - The concept of a NSDI was first advanced by the MSC.

– 1994 – Explored Federal/State partnership scenarios to advance building the NSDI.

– 1995 – Called for the development of a common reference system (critical data foundation) for the generation, exchange, and integration of spatial data.

Historical Reflection

Historical Reflection (cont.)

• March 1994, First Strategic Plan for the NSDI, crafted by the FGDC – “Building the Foundation of an Information Based Society.” Articulated the vision for the NSDI and defined specific immediate and near-term activities to be accomplished.

 • April 1994, Presidential E.O. 12906, called for the

nation’s development of the NSDI and further chartered the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) to lead and coordinate this effort, engaging the non-Federal sector in this challenge.

Historical Reflection (cont.)

• Additional ‘Calls for Action:’

– 1997,“A Strategy for the NSDI,” crafted by the geospatial community.

– 1998, National Academy of Public Administration Study – “Geographic Information for the 21st Century: Building a Strategy for the Nation.”

– 1999, National GeoData Forum. – 2000, FGDC study “Improving Federal Agency

Geospatial Data Coordination.”

Actions from Studies• Strengthening representation/participation/stakeholder

involvement in the FGDC• Raising awareness and understanding of the NSDI• Ensuring commitment to building the NSDI• Building and distributing integrated national geospatial data

assets• Developing standards to achieve national consistency and

multiple applications of the data• Developing common solutions for discovery and access to

data• Raising international awareness of the NSDI• Supporting alternative/complementary approaches for

involvement in the NSDI• Addressing Pricing Policies and Intellectual Property Rights

Accomplishments

• The formulation and adoption of the FGDC Metadata Standard, and its impact on international metadata standards development.

• The establishment and continued expansion (nationally and internationally) of the NSDI Clearinghouse network.

• The conception and promotion of collaboratively building a ‘Framework’ of geospatial data nationwide.

• Establishing national standards that provide the basis for interoperability and efficient data sharing.

• Adoption and promotion of policies that support principles of full and open access to federal geographic data.

Accomplishments (cont.)

• The NSDI is viewed internationally as a model for emulation.

• The FGDC has played a major role in the emergence and evolution of the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure.

• The establishment and maintenance of a grant program has encouraged organizations to get engaged in NSDI activities.

• Performed many public outreach activities and capacity building endeavors such as national forums, workshops, and publications.

• Many non-federal organizations are actively engaged in building the NSDI in partnership the FGDC.

Strengthening Representation/Participation/Stakeholder Involvement in the FGDC

• *Increase state, local and tribal government participation in the FGDC, and develop a process that allows these stakeholder groups to define logical and complementary roles in support of the NSDI.

• *Seek ways to broaden private sector participation.• *Engage OMB at the highest level to become a full

FGDC member.

2003 CAPFunding Categories

Category Category 11: Metadata Creation and Implementaion: Metadata Creation and Implementaion Category Category 22: Metadata Training Assistance: Metadata Training Assistance Category Category 33: Metadata Outreach: Metadata Outreach Category Category 44: Clearinghouse Integration with : Clearinghouse Integration with

OpenGIS ServicesOpenGIS Services Category Category 55: Canadian/US Spatial Data Infrastructure : Canadian/US Spatial Data Infrastructure

Development ProjectDevelopment Project

1. Metadata Creation and Implementation

Seed funds to new organizationsSeed funds to new organizations Implement the basic NSDI technical building blockImplement the basic NSDI technical building block Funds coverFunds cover::

- Training, travel, labor- Training, travel, labor

- $9,000 (50% in-kind match)- $9,000 (50% in-kind match)

Project objectives:Project objectives:- Metadata created- Metadata created

- Served through NSDI clearinghouse- Served through NSDI clearinghouse

- Metadata integrated into standard practices- Metadata integrated into standard practices

FGDC training coordination availableFGDC training coordination available

2. Metadata Training Assistance

Provides assistance to metadata trainersProvides assistance to metadata trainers Funds cover:Funds cover:

- training, travel, facilities, training materials- training, travel, facilities, training materials- $25,000- $25,000

Eligibility:Eligibility:- ability to travel regionally & nationally- ability to travel regionally & nationally- metadata expertise- metadata expertise

Project objectivesProject objectives::- Organizations trained, metadata created and served- Organizations trained, metadata created and served

3. Metadata OutreachNew 2003 Category

Metadata and clearinghouse mature organizations assist Metadata and clearinghouse mature organizations assist resource poor organizations in creating and serving resource poor organizations in creating and serving metadata in their state or regionmetadata in their state or region

Funds cover:Funds cover:- travel, outreach, communication- travel, outreach, communication- Metadata promotion to managers- Metadata promotion to managers- Labor costs to create and serve metadata- Labor costs to create and serve metadata- $40,000- $40,000

Organizational eligibility:Organizational eligibility:- Metadata expertise- Metadata expertise- Operational clearinghouse- Operational clearinghouse

4. Clearinghouse integration with Web Mapping Services

Objective: Deploy web map (and feature) client and Objective: Deploy web map (and feature) client and server software for linking to and viewing geospatial server software for linking to and viewing geospatial data from metadata in the NSDI Clearinghouse utilizing data from metadata in the NSDI Clearinghouse utilizing embedded URL map requests.embedded URL map requests.

Operational and registered clearinghouse nodeOperational and registered clearinghouse node Operating web map server software extendable to Operating web map server software extendable to

support OpenGIS Web Mapping (or feature) Standard 1.0support OpenGIS Web Mapping (or feature) Standard 1.0 FGDC assists in providing training and technical FGDC assists in providing training and technical

referrals referrals $25,000$25,000

5. Canadian/U.S. Spatial Data Infrastructure Project

FGDC Collaboration with GeoConnections CanadaFGDC Collaboration with GeoConnections Canada Broadly address collaborative geospatial data Broadly address collaborative geospatial data

activities over a common geography between CA and activities over a common geography between CA and the U.S.the U.S.

$75,000 U.S. / $100,000 CA (1 collaborative project $75,000 U.S. / $100,000 CA (1 collaborative project award)award)

CAP Funding Webpage

ClosesClosesMay 30, 2003May 30, 2003

www.fgdc.govwww.fgdc.gov

Accomplishments (cont.)

• Geospatial data and the NSDI have become recognized as foundations for electronic government.

• High-level Federal agency officials are involved in the FGDC.

• OMB Circular A-16 has been revised to strengthen Federal agency roles and responsibilities for the NSDI.

• Policy-level officials at other levels of government are becoming aware of the NSDI.

• The NSDI is on the radar screen of the Administration.

E-Gov-olution of Efforts: from E-Gov to G-Gov E-Gov-olution of Efforts: from E-Gov to G-Gov

• OMB Geospatial Information Initiative• I-Teams• Circular A-16 Revised August 2002• Major agency ‘collaborative’ initiatives • Presidential E-gov Initiatives

– GeoSpatial One-Stop

• OMB Geospatial Information Initiative• I-Teams• Circular A-16 Revised August 2002• Major agency ‘collaborative’ initiatives • Presidential E-gov Initiatives

– GeoSpatial One-Stop

Circular A-16 Revised 8/02Circular A-16 Revised 8/02• “Establishes a coordinated approach to electronically develop the

NSDI.”

• Reflects changes that have taken place in geographic information management and technology.

• Strengthens Federal agency roles and responsibilities for the NSDI.

• Names Deputy Director for Management, OMB, as Vice-Chair of FGDC.

• Identifies spatial data as a national capital asset.

• Applies to “all spatial data and geographic information systems activities - financed directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by federal funds.”

• Identifies lead federal agencies with responsibilities for 34 NSDI spatial data themes.

Geospatial One-Stop• E-Government (E-gov) Initiative

– Component of President Bush’s Management Agenda; One of 24 E-Government initiatives.

• Raises the visibility of the strategic value of geographic information and the NSDI.

• Accelerates implementation of the NSDI.

• Increases federal agency accountability for the stewardship and sharing of geospatial resources.

• Makes it easier, faster, and cheaper for all levels of government and public to access geospatial information.

Geospatial One-Stop

• Establishes a collaborative model for directing an intergovernmental initiative.

• U.S. Office of Management and Budget oversees the direction of all E-Government Initiatives.

• DOI serves as the Managing Partner for One Stop.• Intergovermental Board of Directors provides

guidance to the project; includes Federal and non-federal participation.

• FGDC supports the Geospatial One Stop project implementation.

Geospatial One-StopIntergovernmental Board of Directors

(2/3 Non-federal, 1/3 Federal)

National Association of State CIOs National States Geographic Information Council Western Governors Association National Association of Counties National League of Cities International City/County Managers Association Intertribal GIS Council Department of the Interior: USGS, BLM Department of Commerce: Census Bureau, NOAA Department of Transportation NASA

Geospatial One-StopProject Modules

1. Establish integrated Framework Data Content Standards.

2. Use metadata to inventory, document and publish Framework data holdings in NSDI Clearinghouse.

3. Publish metadata for planned data acquisition and update for Framework data in NSDI Clearinghouse (geospatial data marketplace).

4. Prototype and deploy enhanced data access and web mapping services for Federal Framework data.

5. Establish a Federal Portal (One-Stop) as a logical extension to the NSDI Clearinghouse Network.

Geospatial One-StopWhere we want to be…..

• Users are able to discover and use maps or data served and maintained by a reliable custodian.

• The format and structure of the information for a given theme from all providers can appear the same to all customers.

• Content and encoding requirements are simple yet useful enough that many providers adopt and serve compliant Framework data.

• Data and map services are authoritative, reliable, and are referenced by many customers instead of setting up duplicate services elsewhere.

How It Is All Fitting Together NSDI - the infrastructure of data, policies, standards, and

procedures for organizations to cooperatively produce and share geographic data.

Geospatial One-Stop - a Presidential initiative to accelerate completion of the infrastructure.

I-Teams – a collaborative process to help agencies produce, exchange and steward data.

National Map, Census Modernization, Tanana Valley Initiative, StratMap - Federal & State programs using the I-Team process to produce products to fulfill essential national and regional missions.

The products, produced to NSDI standards, are available through and become part of the infrastructure.

Homeland Security and other applications use data products and services from the infrastructure.

Future Directions

“The Homeland Security Department's chief information officer outlined his top priorities today (3/13/03): help first responders do their jobs, develop better wireless systems and use geospatial technology to keep America secure.”

Drivers for Planning

• Cultural change is slow, spatial data and technology are still secondary in agency planning. NSDI is still an under appreciated asset.

• E-Gov is the future. Federal enterprise architecture effort will be pursued.

• Technology is surging ahead of our ability to culturally adapt.• Homeland Security will remain a paramount application driver

for the data.

Drivers for Planning (cont.) • Intergovernmental (Federal, state, local) collaboration is needed to

build and maintain integrated national data assets. Institutionalizing stewardship responsibilities is key.

• The altruistic movement does not appear to work to get agencies to work together. Mission-driven efforts tend to keep agencies apart. Money drives cooperative spirit.

• There is inconsistent implementation of the common practices and standards developed for the NSDI.

• Open access/community right to know vs. privacy/security concerns.• Pricing policies and intellectual property rights will remain important.• Data overload ahead: quality,• accuracy, and liability issues.

• Others……

Next Steps

• Forming a Planning Team to craft an updated NSDI Strategy.

• GIStrategy for America.• Broad stakeholder involvement is essential.