Geographic information systems (GIS) manipulate, analyze and graphically present an array of information associated with geographic locations.

Their usefulness in disaster responses was demonstrated during the Space Shuttle Columbia recovery effort.

GIS provided precise maps and search grids to guide crews to the debris strewn across 41 counties in Texas and Louisiana.

The federal government has long been attempting to develop an integrated nationwide GIS network.

By coordinating efforts within and outside the federal government, duplicative geospatial data collection would reduce.

In 1990, the Office of Management and Budget established the Federal Geographic Data Committee which promoted the coordinate use, sharing and dissemination of geospatial data nationwide.

In 1994, the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) program was established to address the problem of the redundancy and incompatibility of geospatial information by executive order.

More recently, Geospatial One-Stop, a component of NSDI, was initiated.

The purpose of Geospatial One-Stop is to promote coordinated geospatial data collection and maintenance across all levels of government.

Among its objectives are deploying an Internet portal for one-stop access to geospatial data and developing data standards

While the objectives are important, Geospatial One-Stop has focused on limited, near-term tasks.

Although efforts to build the NSDI are progressing; achieving the vision of a nationwide GIS network remains a formidable challenge.

Developing standards, which meet stakeholders’ needs remains a challenging and time-consuming task.

Existing draft standards may need further revision, and more extensive coordination efforts may be required to ensure broad adoption at all levels of government.

Developing standards will require a continuing effort over an extended period of time; significant investments have already been made in existing non-standard systems.

The federal government’s efforts to coordinate GIS activities are described in a report from the Government Acounting Office.

The types of geospatial data and the complexity of those data make developing geospatial standards a daunting task.

One data theme includes such subthemes as road, railroad, air, transit, and waterway, where each is the domain of a different organization or group of organizations.

For data associated with NSDI themes to be effective, shared standards must be developed, that allow interoperability and integration of the different formats of data.

For data associated with NSDI themes to be effective, shared standards must be developed that allow for interoperability and integration of the different formats of data.

 
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