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NSGIC Annual Conference (revised 9/25/2000 - THIS IS IT)

Friday, September 29 - Tuesday October 3, 2000
Cal Neva Resort
2 Stateline Road
Crystal Bay, Nevada 89402
1-800-CAL-NEVA
Fax: 1-775-831-9007

Program At-A-Glance FINAL

Welcome

Welcome to NSGIC's tenth annual conference at graceful Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Once again, NSGIC members will be faithful to their workaholic nature, as they participate in daily sessions and meetings that run from early morning through late evening. There are many new initiatives, data sources, technologies and coordination issues to discover and work on. We will tackle the issues together and hopefully take a little time to explore Lake Tahoe and its nearby landscapes.
NSGIC is built on friendships that have evolved through the years. As we discovered in New Orleans, the annual conference is a pleasant way to renew those friendships. This year, we are in a rural setting that happens to offer some of the amenities and night life found on Bourbon Street. New friendships will be discovered in this setting and the mission of NSGIC will be renewed for the coming year.
The conference theme, "NSGIC Is Looking Up", was selected for several reasons. It reflects the vitality of the organization and tells us a little about the location of the conference. In addition, many of our corporate sponsors are leaders in the remote sensing industry that supply the data, technology and software that we rely on.
As you participate in the conference sessions, be prepared to both learn and teach. The Conference Committee put together an aggressive agenda to help you deal with future public policy and technical issues related to completion of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure and Digital Earth. We sincerely believe you will enjoy and benefit from our tenth gathering!

Federal Sponsors: NOAA; BLM; USGS; FGDC; EPA; NASA
Friday - September 29, 2000
8:00 am - 9:00 am NSGIC Office setup
9:00 am - 2:00 pm early arrivals
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Board Meeting - open to all
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm committee meetings

DINNER ON YOUR OWN
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm special meetings

Saturday - September 30, 2000
7:30 am - 8:30 am Breakfast provided for all
8:30 am - 9:15 am Opening Remarks - Sheryl Oliver - NSGIC President - Rick Memmel (Welcome - logistics etc.) Lake Tahoe welcome presentation
9:15 am - 10:00 am Roll Call of States Part I
Moderator: Rick Memmel
10:00 am - 10:30 am Coffee Break
10:30 am - 12:00 am Roll Call of States Part II
Moderator: Rick Memmel
12:00 am - 1:30 pm Lunch and Keynote "Teamwork for Summits" Bob Ader - Geographer BLM Lands and Realty Program:
In 1997 a small group of American climbers set out for the Karakoram Range of Himalaya the a goal of putting every member of the team onto the summit of a peak rising more than 26,000 feet above sea level. This presentation will describe a journey, truly amazing mountains and the team attitude that helped the climbers reach for their goal. Teamwork is more important in GIS than many other professions simply because geography is critical to relating our decisions and activities. In attempting to achieve our goals in mountaineering, GIS, or in our personal lives, teamwork and partnerships can allow us to accomplish things that would otherwise not have been possible.
Moderator: Rick Memmel
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm NSGIC Issues Briefing - Rick Miller
The NSGIC Issues Briefing session at the 2000 Annual Meeting will address numerous issues, projects, and
committees NSGIC is currently, or will soon be, involved with. Follow-up discussion and decisions regarding
selected issues/projects will occur during the NSGIC Business Meeting.

1. Geodata Alliance Initiative Status Report: Susan Lambert and Bruce Oswald (10 Min)
2. NSGIC/NASA Collaboration: Bill Burgess (5 Min)
NASA Grant and Liaison Status -- Regional Workshops Status
3. WGA Cadastral Data Integration Initiative: Gene Trobia, Densis Goreham, and Stu Kirkpatrick (10 Min)
4. NSGIC "Adopt a Fed" Program: Dennis Goreham and Sheryl Oliver (5 Min)
5. FGDC Sponsored Awareness Campaign: Hank Garie (10 Min)
6. FGDC Sponsored Metadata Grant: Lynda Wayne (5 Min)
7. GI/GIT State Profiles and NSGIC State Summaries 2000: Lisa Warnecke (10 Min)
8. USGS Workshop Update: Sheryl Oliver (5 Min)
9. New Resolutions for Consideration: Sheryl Oliver (10 Min)
10. Proposed New NSGIC Partnerships: Sheryl Oliver and Susan Lambert (5 Min)
11. NSGIC Representatives on Various Working Committees (NDOP, NDEP, EPA Standards, GIS Certification): Sheryl Oliver (5 Min)
12. GIS Day 2000:Craig Neidig and Pat Cummens (5 Min)
Moderator: Rick Miller

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Coffee Break
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm FGDC - Kathy Covert and Bruce McKenzie
Kathy Covert, FGDC Partnership Coordinator, Bruce McKenzie, FGDC Funding Program Coordinator. The FGDC is involved in discussions with a variety of geospatial organizations regarding the creation of a new national organization that will coordinate future growth of the NSDI. Ms. Covert will talk about federal issues being addressed in the formation of the GeoData Alliance. Mr. McKenzie will speak about the FGDC's current efforts to refocus its attention on improving federal coordination in the expectation that a new national organization will be formed.
Moderator: Rick Miller
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm California Land Science Information Partnership - Gary Darling
The California Land Science Information Partnership (CaLSIP) unites federal, state, and local government in a framework for accessing distributed GIS and remote sensing data. This session will highlight CaLSIP's current activities and future goals.

Firescope - David Kehrlein
The FIRESCOPE GIS Specialist Group represents a large number of emergency Management Agencies throughout California. The primary task of this group is to develop procedures, protocols, products, and standards which support emergency management intelligence, analysis and mapping requirements throughout the State.

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation - Flood inundation maps integrated with weather models - Chuck Johnston
As a major water agency responsible for many dams in the Western United States, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is mandated to develop flood inundation maps for many of its dams in the event of failure. Reclamation and local emergency management teams need to know where inundation might occur, arrival times, and flood wave speed and depth for various scenarios. To this end, Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Region GIS Service Center (MPGIS) was tasked to develop a fully integrated GIS interface to the National Weather Service's DAMBRK (1) model.
Moderator: Rick Miller
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm NSGIC New member Orientation - Dennis Goreham - Hank Garie
This session will introduce newcomers to the general activities of NSGIC, discuss NSGIC Bylaws, Membership Directory, and State Profiles.
Moderator: Dennis Goreham

DINNER ON YOUR OWN

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
The Geography Network
Speaker Jack Dangermond, ESRI President
Come learn about the Geography Network and discuss with Jack the critical role NSGIC and state GIS coordinators can play by getting involved. The Geography Network is a global community of geographic information users and providers. Utilizing the Internet, the Geography Network provides the infrastructure needed to facilitate the sharing of geographic information. On-line tools have been developed to deliver geographic content to the user's browser and desktop in a visual and interactive way.


Sunday - October 1, 2000
7:30 am - 8:30 am Breakfast provided for all
NSGIC 2000 Corporate Sponsors ERAFT Alliance - ESRI - Intergraph - Pixxures - Space Imaging - Spot Image
8:30 am - 8:40 am Corporate Sponsor Presentations - Welcome and Introductions - Rick Memmel
8:40 am - 9:05 am Corporate Sponsor Presentation Slot 1 - ERAFT Alliance - John Arvesen - CEO - Kauai Airborne Sciences; Scott Dann - General Atomics Aeronautical Systems - ERAFT Project Manager
The talk will introduce revolutionary new technology for acquiring high resolution digital data in a cost effective and rapid manner. Presented will be the description of a project to digitally map the State of California to 1M resolution using remotely piloted aircraft and special sensors.
9:10 am - 9:35 am Corporate Sponsor Presentation Slot 2 - Pixxures - Dave Theobald - Director of Sales; Tony Palizzi - VP of Sales
"Overview discussion of Pixxures' new capabilities to serve the needs of local, state and federal government agencies with digital imagery & mapping over the Internet."
9:40 am - 10:05 am Corporate Sponsor Presentation Slot 3 - Intergraph - Bill White
The NSDI and related clearinghouse activities are realizing greater and greater importance and utility. Drivers such as the Internet, the Digital Earth Initiative, and GDIN coupled with technology infrastructure, including standards and specifications, are working to make NSDI activities an integral part of electronic government. The rapidly emerging location based services market will push NSDI activities even further into the forefront. This is a global trend, not just limited to the United States. This presentation will discuss the forces shaping NSDI and Clearinghouse activities and describe how Intergraph technology is evolving to meet the challenges of this market. Such technology areas as metadata, semantics, geospatial fusion, and spatial data independence will be explored. Finally, recent OpenGIS (r) initiatives that will have a major impact on how NSDI, GSDI, and GDIN can be implemented will be reviewed.
Moderator: Rick Memmel
10:05 am - 10:35 am Coffee Break
10:35 am - 11:00 noon Corporate Sponsor Presentation Slot 4 - Spot Image - Gene Colabatistto
1. Organizations must be able to consistently rely on satellite imagery for it to be integrated into their business. SPOT will revolutionize the remote sensing industry by providing products that are accessible and affordable now and into the future.
2. The remote sensing industry is no longer about data, it's about information. As an information technology company, SPOT will create products that can be upgraded and are compatible with past and future technology.
3. Cost reduction is always an important customer criterion. SPOT will build co-registered products with SPOT and other data sources that will eliminate data infrastructure costs typically needed to build useable data sets.
11:05 am - 11:30 noon Corporate Sponsor Presentation Slot 5 - Space Imaging
11:35 am - 12:00 noon Corporate Sponsor Presentation Slot 6 - ESRI - Jack Dangermond
Moderator: Rick Memmel
12:00 noon - 12:10 pm Group Photo
Moderator: Rick Memmel
12:10 am - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm NCEES Model Law Task Force Panel Discussion
Gene Trobia - State Cartographer, Phoenix, AZ
Lynda Wayne - FGDC Metadata Coordinator, Ashville, NC
Bruce Joffe - GIS Consultants, Oakland, CA
NSGIC has been an active participant within the NCEES Model Law Task Force to revise the Model Law defining the practice of professional land surveying. This session will report on the Task Force recommendations and discuss major issues that relate to NSGIC and the practice of GIS.
Moderator: Gene Trobia

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Parliamentary Procedure for Morons Part I
If you are among them many who need a refresher on Robert's Rules of Order, and want to understand the mechanics of meetings conducted under these rules, you'll enjoy this fun session. Group interaction will be encouraged, so bring your cocktails from the vendor reception and join us. We promise you'll be better prepared to participate in the NSGIC business meeting.
Presentors:
Bill Johnson - Director of Mapping & GIS
New York State Dept of Transportation - Albany, NY
Gary Johnson - GIS Specialist
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology - University of Nevada, Reno

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Coffee Break
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions:
  1. "The 2000 Round of Redistricting: New Technology, New Players" Marshall L. Turner, Jr., Chief - Census 2000 Redistricting Office:
    The issues of adjusting Census 2000, the growing computing power of PCs and laptops, and the formulation of new race categories on Federal surveys will combine with an ever-broadening public access to census redistricting data to produce the "second revolution" in the redistricting process. In addition to state officials, networks of advocacy groups, private citizens and the news media are equiping themselves now to draw redistricting plans that will challenge those designed by elected officials.
    Moderator: Rick Memmel

  2. GIS Professional Certification: Lynda Wayne, FGDC Metadata Education Coordinator; Joe Sewash, State of Tennessee:
    The GIS professional community is currently experiencing regulatory overtures from allied mapping professions and the international standards community. NSGIC must respond to this dialog in a strong unified voice. This session will provide an overview of current GIS professional certification efforts, discuss perspectives on professional certification, and serve as the catalyst for the creation of the NSGIC GIS Professional Certification Working Group.
    Moderator: Joe Sewash

  3. 1. 3:30 - 4:00 Diana Hales - Center for Geographic Information and Analysis(CGIA) - North Carolina - "Promoting GIS to Elected Officials"
    Powerful Tools, Informed Decisions, Positive Partnerships. Funded by an NSDI grant, this presentation was created to get the attention of elected officials and department heads. The message: GIS is an essential government tool that exists because of collaboration and partnerships.

    2. 4:00 - 5:00 Minnesota's efforts to educate GIS users on the value of the FGDC's positional accuracy standard.
    Christopher Cialek - Minnesota Data Management & Coordination:
    One of the FGDC's latest standards, the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy, has been developed to eventually replace the 40 year old National Map Accuracy Standards. The NSSDA provides a common methodology for calculating and reporting the positional accuracy of geographic data sets that does not rely on map scale. It is an especially useful component of metadata, helping GIS users decide on the suitability of a data set for their purposes. Minnesota's Governors Council on Geographic Information has produced a helpful guide, called the "Positional Accuracy Handbook" (www.mnplan.state.mn.us/press/accurate.html), that offers detailed information about the NSSDA, including why it is important, how it can be used and how to document the results. The handbook features practical examples of the standard being applied to working data sets. State, county and city agencies and the private sector have provided these case studies covering data sets from a variety of geographic extents: large-scale engineering projects to statewide natural resource themes. This presentation will provide an overview of the standard and the handbook, and is intended to help GIS professionals and mapping experts better understand and begin using them both.
    Moderator: Christopher Cialek

5:00 pm - 7:30 pm Corporate Sponsor Reception

DINNER ON YOUR OWN


8:00 pm - 10:00 pm BLM - Don Buhler - BLM
The Bureau of Land Management is involved in two new initiatives where strong partnerships and collaborative efforts with NSGIC members would mutually beneficial.
The Western Governors' Association (WGA) recognized that "cadastral data" are critical for maintaining livable communities, encouraging economic development, and developing the tools that give community leaders the ability to manage both. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is developing a digital representation of the cadastral data called the Geographic Coordinate Database (GCDB). The WGA has recommended the BLM, in conjunction with the Western Governors Geographic Information Council (WGGIC) develop a comprehensive, unified plan to expand, enhance and maintain GCDB across the West.
The BLM has requested $19 million to update their land use plans so that they accurately address the growing demands and needs on the public lands, thereby supporting land and resource allocation decisions. The requested increase in funding will allow the BLM to achieve its stategic goal of "understanding the condition of public lands" by evaluating and updating existing land use plans and associated NEPA documents. BLM will work collaboratively with state and local governments, and a broad spectrum of public interest groups, to develop these land use management plans.

9:00 pm - 10:00 pm FGDC - States Discussion - Kathy Covert - Bruce Mckenzie - Sheryl Oliver
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm special meetings
Monday - October 2, 2000
8:00 am - 9:00 am Breakfast provided for all
9:00 am - 10:30 am NSGIC Business Meeting Part I - Sheryl Oliver
  1. Secretary Report
  2. Treasurer Report
  3. Committee Heads Reports
  4. Resolutions

Moderators: Gary Johnson - Bill Johnson

10:30 am - 11:00 am Coffee Break
11:00 am Ballot Box closes for Board Election
11:00 am - 11:30 pm USGS Strategic Planning
Barbara Ryan - up coming USGS Associate Director for Geography
Barbara will discuss "Future Science Directions" (FSD) for the USGS. The FSD is the template developed by the Science leaders for USGS. that will be used to chart the future course for USGS to generate strategic science plans, and to build program development and budget initiatives.
Moderator - Sheryl Oliver
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Parliamentary Procedure for Morons Part II
If you are among them many who need a refresher on Robert's Rules of Order, and want to understand the mechanics of meetings conducted under these rules, you'll enjoy this fun session. Group interaction will be encouraged, so bring your cocktails from the vendor reception and join us. We promise you'll be better prepared to participate in the NSGIC business meeting.
Presentors:
Bill Johnson - Director of Mapping & GIS
New York State Dept of Transportation - Albany, NY
Gary Johnson - GIS Specialist
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology - University of Nevada, Reno
12:00 noon - 1:30 pm Lunch - Announce Election Results
Kass Green - President - Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors(MAPPs)
"Public Private Partnerships: Steps to Success"
Moderator: Sheryl Oliver
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Raytheon Session: SYNERGY- Prototype Remote Sensing Applications for State/Local Government Agencies – Part I
Introduction: SYNERGY Overview
NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) was conceived as a satellite-monitoring tool for supporting research on global environmental change. As a principal member of the EOS team, Raytheon is also working with several universities and state/local agencies to explore application of recently available EOS data and its technologies for potential use in a variety of operational areas.
Moderator: Bill Burgess

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Unique Activities
A. Urban Planning: Andrew Blanchard - University of Missouri-Columbia; Chad Sayer - AllState Consultants
Local governments are faced with limited resources and stronger mandates to ensure a certain quality of life for their constituency. This is manifested in new regulations and requirements in areas such as storm water flood zone determinations, and growth management. Remote sensing through the use of Landsat-7, IKONOS and aerial photography offers hope in the planning, management and monitoring of these activities more frequently, for less cost, and within user defined accuracy constraints. Results of a pilot effort with the Institute for the Development of Commercial Remote Sensing Technologies (ICREST) at the University of Missouri and representatives from Boone County and the City of Columbia, Missouri are discussed.

B. Natural Resource Management - Impervious Surface Mapping - Jay Morgan - Towson University; William Burgess - Maryland DNR; Richard J. Biery - Pennsylvania, NTR Planning; Dale Johnson - Baltimore County, MD. Department of Environmental Protection
The development of an impervious surfaces map of the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland Coastal Bays Watershed using Landsat-7 ETM+ imagery combined with other GIS data is being developed as a tool for local land use decision-makers about the links between their jurisdiction's land use and water quality. Towson University is working with several Maryland and other State agencies in this effort.
Moderator: Bill Burgess

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Coffee Break
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Unique Activities
C. Hydrology - Snow Mapping of the Western US - Soroosh Sorooshian - University of Arizona
Use of a variety of remotely sensed data is enabling snow mapping for the Western U.S. and development of a digital
watershed reporting system. The ability to access more accurate estimates of water that is stored in the snowpack
on a regular basis during the snow accumulation-melt seasons will facilitate decision making for power, irrigation,
and will facilitate the conjunctive management of surface and ground water resources in the southwest. The University
of Arizona working with USGS, the cities of Phoenix and Tucson, and the Salt Verde Project is conducting this effort.

D. Agriculture - Soybean Productivity Modeling - James Hipple - University of Missouri-Columbia; Robert J. Sorrels - J-Mar Agri Group, MO; Kevin Maynard - J-Mar Agri Group, MO
The ICREST at the University of Missouri at Columbia is working with the J-Mar AgriGroup to conduct multi-scale modeling of soybean productivity in the Midwest using Landsat TM imagery. Developing an understanding of annual and inter-annual crop dynamics is essential for farmers, crop merchandisers, and regional and national policy makers.
Moderator: Bill Burgess

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Innovative Ways of Distributing GIS Data on the Internet
Distribution of digital data on the internet is becoming the primary delivery mechanism for GIS data. In this session we will look at innovative methods that are being used in Kentucky, Louisiana and Wyoming.
Sharon Balfour:
The Louisiana Geographic Information Systems Council currently provides access to its vast reserve of digital geospatial data utilizing the FGDC Clearinghouse node and its own Geospatial Metadata Catalog.
The metadata catalog is based on the FGDC Clearinghouse node concep and provides administrative-free access to its geospatial data holdings.
Data submitted by local and state entities are accompanied by metadata records. Incorporated in these HTML files are Dublin-core metadata fields and values taken from the actual metadata record. The indexing service makes it possible to provide access to the data holdings without having to maintain a database, conserving system resources.
Searching for the data is accomplished in a number of ways, including: Key-Word search, Agency Search, Thematic Search, and Geospatial search utilizing Intergraph's GeoMedia WebMap.
Future distribution services supported by the LGISC includes the availability of a digital basemap of Louisiana accessible via a Geospatial Portal. The portal will provide access to a core set of framework layers based on the FGDC framework concept.

Susan Carson Lambert:
The Kentucky Governor's Office for Technology (GOT) Office of Geographic Information (OGI) has created an enterprise web service system using innovative methods of data refinement and information dissemination, essential to the development of the Statewide Digital Basemap, which is one of OGI's primary responsibilities. The foundation of the basemap, from which all other layers are created, are rectified (geographically referenced) aerial photographs called DOQQs. A team comprised of GOT IT professionals, PlanGraphics and GRW Aerial Survey consultants and engineers working with OGI took on the massive data conversion, product creation, integration into the information technology infrastructure, storage on system servers, and design of a website delivery system. The final result was the creation of compressed and uncompressed DOQQ products and a 'Raster Image Server' website for navigating the state, by county, to locate the proper DOQQ, downloading compressed images, utilizing E-commerce for online purchasing of DOQQs on CD-ROMs and downloading of .gifs for non-traditional GIS users.

Rick Memmel:
The Wyoming Geographic Information Advisory Council (WGIAC) distributes many GIS data layers on their FGDC clearinghouse node. Digital Ortho Quarter Quads (DOQQs) are one of the latest additions to the clearinghouse. DOQQs are digital images of aerial photos in which displacements caused by the camera and the terrain have been removed. They combine the image characteristics of a photograph with the geometic qualities of a map. Wyoming overlays TIGER vector data (Census Bureau roads, rivers, streams, railroads, power lines, non-visible political boundaries etc.) on top of the DOQQ's. The TIGER vector data is being adjusted by each county to be more spatially correct (coordinate adjustment) and this data will then be sent back to the Census Bureau as well as distributed on the WGIAC clearinghouse. The DOQQs are available for free, in Mr Sid format through the WGIAC website, and in jpg format through the University of Wyoming website. Each file has been zipped to a very manageable size of about 2.5 Mb. These zipped files contain the Mr Sid image, along with .sdw and .tab files to be utilized by a variety of standard GIS software systems.
Moderator: Tony Spicci


5:30 pm - 7:00 pm ECS Synergy (Raytheon) Reception

DINNER ON YOUR OWN

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm Communications Committee meeting - Stu Davis - Rick Miller
* review Communications Work Plan
* volunteer/assign subcommittee work or reviewers
* identify new business or tasks

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm "OMB GeoSpatial Information Roundtable" - Ron Matcner - OMB; John Moeller - FGDC
On July 18, 2000 the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) held a public roundtable in cooperation with the FGDC and the National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR) to explore how to overcome the financial and institutional barriers to the sharing of geospatial information horizontally and vertically among Federal, State, local and tribal government agencies and the private sector. A Summary of Proceedings and Implementation of Recommendations has been prepared and actions are underway to build on the momentum created by the roundtable. This session is to hear first hand about the Roundtable from OMB, FGDC and NSGIC.
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm "GIS Certification" birds of this feather to flock - Lynda Wayne - Joe Sewash
9:00 pm - 10:00 pm Metadata Issues: ISO Train the Trainer Cadre - Lynda Wayne - Joe Sewash
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm special meetings

Tuesday - October 3, 2000
8:00 am - 9:00 am Breakfast provided for all
9:00 am - 10:30 am Unique Activities Session: SYNERGY- Prototype Remote Sensing Applications for State/Local Government Agencies – Part II
E. PDC Disaster Management - Peter Mougnis-Mark - Pacific Disaster Center (PDC); Brian B. Quinn - Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
Working with Hawaii civil defense managers and others, the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii is developing the use of EOS imagery and data to build cloud free mosaics from which a variety of products can be derived to facilitate fire mapping, monitoring volcanic activities, flood mapping, etc. in the Pacific Region.

F. Disaster Management - Texas Infomart - Byron Tapley - University of Texas-Austin; Kim Ludeke - Texas Parks & Wildlife; Gordon Wells - Texas Natural Resource Information System
The Center for Space Research at the University of Texas at Austin is utilizing Landsat-7 and TERRA imagery for monitoring drought, delineating oil spills, mapping red tide, and derivation of coastal DEM (digital elevation model) from ASTER imagery. They are working with several Texas State agencies as well as the USDA and US Forest Service.

G. Natural Resource Management - Informing the Elk Debate - Chuck Hatchinson - University of Arizona; Gene Trobia - Arizona State Land Department
An effort led by the University of Arizona's Office of Arid Land Studies is investigating the use of satellite data in conjunction with predictive models to estimate the size and location of elk herds to help minimize the conflict between hunters, conservationists and ranchers (since elk often damage crops and compete with cattle for forage). The Nature Conservancy, the Arizona Office of State Cartographer and the Arizona Dept of Fish and Game are involved in this effort.
Moderator: Bill Burgess

10:30 am - 11:00 am Coffee Break
11:00 am - 12:00 noon Unique Activities
H. Hydrology - Modeling Evapo-Transpiration - Tony Morse - Idaho Department of Water Resources
The Idaho Dept. of Water Resources is working with the University of Idaho's Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering to use remotely sensed data for estimating consumptive use of water and stream-flow depletion in the Bear River Basin of Idaho. As part of this effort, they are using Landsat-5 and 7 imagery for estimating evapo-transportation in crop lands with the SEBAL model.

I.Agriculture - Crop & Range Alert System - George Seielstad - University of North Dakota; Gordon Decker - Rancher, Belgrade, MT; Chuck Merja Farmer, Sun River, MT
The development of a crop and range alert system using Landsat-7 ETM+, MODIS and AVHRR imagery is presented. This project provides farmers and ranchers frequent, near real time primary plant assessment data and other "value added" products throughout the growing season through the use of DirecPC linkages. The Univ. of North Dakota with its partners (South Dakota State University, Montana State, University of Montana and Sinte Gliska University is working in conjunction with the Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (UMAC), USDA, BLM's Wyoming State Office and others on this effort.

Moderator: Bill Burgess


12:00 noon - 1:30 pm Lunch and Keynote - William Clark - Professor of Geography - UCLA: "Demography and Destiny: The Future of the US population" -
The US population is growing rapidly with large scale immigration. Until recently the changes have been largely
in the big metropolitan areas but this will change in the coming two decades.

Moderator: Rick Memmel
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm NSGIC Business Meeting Part II - Susan Carson Lambert
  1. Conference Survey - attendees to complete during this session - have them sign up for committees/task forces on the survey form
  2. Resolutions
  3. High-Level Review of NSGIC Strategic Plan - 2001: A NSGIC Odyssey - Where we are and where we're headed
  4. Member Forum - open mike forum to discuss membership benefit issues - what they need from NSGIC to succeed in position and how to better GIS issues in the states

Moderators: Gary Johnson - Bill Johnson

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Coffee Break
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm GIS Data Distribution: Legal Issues and Pricing
There are many issues surrounding the distribution of digital data. Legal restrictions, copyright, licensing and cost recovery all factor into an agency's distribution policy. This session will focus on the legal issues that the states of Tennessee, Maryland and California are facing as they move forward with data distribution.
Mark Tuttle - Director of GIS Services - Tennessee: Commercial Access / Cost Recovery Legislation in Tennessee
In May 2000, the Tennessee Legislature approved legislation to allow State agencies and local governments to assess a fee for producing, maintaining, and distributing GIS data. It allows agencies to recover up to ten percent of data production costs and one hundred percent of data maintenance costs.
Bill Burgess - GIS Program Manager - Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Data Distribution Policies in Maryland
Maryland state agencies copyright their spatial data products, require license agreements and charge reasonable fees for data distribution. It might appear that such measures would restrict access to the data, but Maryland's experience has generally been positive. Currently, seven commercial data resellers assist state agencies with data distribution, but Internet access may change future distribution policies.
Gary Darling - Geographic Information Officer - California
Free access to information is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy. In furtherance of this belief California has been quickly reducing the number of places that our State government charges for data. Without use restrictions the private sector is able to produce value added products using the basic source information provided by the government. Free data policies help to produce a market for geographic information rather than a government monopoly or government supported monopoly for GIS.
Moderator: Tony Spicci 4:15 pm - 5:00 pm"History and Geography of Nevada, with a Little GIS Thrown In"
Dr. Jonathan G. Price, State Geologist and Director of the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Dr. Price will speak about relationships between the geological and human history of Nevada and how geology and history relate to modern economic, social, and environmental issues. He'll also show how geographic information systems have been used to address some of the issues.
Moderator: Gary Johnson
5:00 - 11:00 pm Closing Banquet/Live music Lake Tahoe Boat Cruise



Wednesday - October 4, 2000
9:00 am - 11:00 am Board Meeting - Susan Carson Lambert - New Board - open to all
  1. Appoint/reappoint Secretary / Treasurer / Committee Heads

11:30 am - 5:00 pm NASA Liaison Committee Meeting
Members of the Liaison Committee will meet with NASA managers from the Applications, Commercialization and Education Division. The discussions will include Raytheon's Synergy Projects, NASA's Regional Workshops, Liaison Committee activities and the next phases of the State and Local Government Applications Program. This meeting is open to anyone interested in the subject matter.
Please register to attend by contacting Bill Burgess using E-mail at wburgess@dnr.state.md.us.



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