#NSGICMidyear : DHS, NGA, FEMA Panel
Jeff Booth gave an update on the Geospatial Management Office of DHS. The office “geoenables” the DHS mission. The department spends about 3/4 of its (IT?) budget on enterprise scale software. While a goal is to serve the 1% that use geospatial, the rest of the goal is to get the “business owners” to use geospatial more indirectly, that is, to get answers to their questions. Priorities for 2010 for operational data: HSIP Program Leadership, Data Collection of Federal Buildings, WFS for HSIP data, and one more I could not get in time before the slide changed. DHS is working on an imagery acquisition capability - beyond programs in place to get the data - which are slow. Now there’s a “quick way” to get imagery acquisition ready to go for an event or non-event (say an expected hurricane or the SuperBowl). That way planes can be in place to capture imagery in time.
The Geospatial Information Infrastructure (GII) is underlying structure for geo-enabling the Office. It involves search and discovery and data, but DHS does not want to invest in infrastructure - and is looking toward the cloud.
In 2010-11 the priorities are program management, software enterprise license agreements, enterprise imagery collection, base imagery, geocoding, position, navigation and timing support, GIS Emergency CONOPS, GII enhancements. At the bottom of the list were “discretionary investments”: Fusion Center Starter Kits, OGC membership and NSGIC support.
There are 14 grant programs in DHS - many have geospatial dollars in them.
Bill Nellist, GEOINT Analyst an NGA updated the attendees on the 133 cities program (haven’t heard of that in a while!). That program was initiated in 2002 - and is now a partnership effort resultingith a 4 or 5 to 1 ratio of savings. Minimum requirements are 12” pixels, natural color, ortho, leaf-off, cloud free, refreshed 2-4 years. The program has collected over 190 datasets, many are available via USGS Seamless Server.
Paul Rooney from FEMA provided an update from that agency’s flood map updating. In the course of going digital, 92% of flood maps in the US have been updated. The next phase is Risk MAP, that is, continuing to provide quality data to increase public awareness in order to encourage risk reduction. The new maps will offer more information (not just in or out of flood plain) but predicted water levels. Map updates will be prioritized by risk and organized by watershed. The new tools will provide more assessment products built using HAZUS. Every state has to have a Hazard Mitigation Plan to be eligible for grants and aid; local governments, too. Part of FEMA’s Risk MAP work is getting core data to state and locals so they can prepare these plans. Elevation data is key to all of these efforts and the ability communicate about these efforts. Part of the goal is to get citizens to work locally to mitigate and plan for response.
The elevation strategy (confirmed by National Academy Study) involves $20M spending in 2010. First efforts will be in most hazardous areas, but FEMA will be frugal and use existing LiDAR when possible. FEMA will split the collection from processing - so will only process floodplains initially. Partners are welcome and can enable production of specific products from the data. Initial actions include creating an inventory, determine priority areas for FY10, establishing partnership framework and developing updated elevation specifications. There’s a need for a new QA process for the raw point clouds. The acquisition strategy will use existing contracts and agreements with other agencies. FEMA is working on a Congressionally requested plan for floodplain acquisition.
Q: FIRM maps were developed for an insurance program, so they are based on historical record. But a 100 year storm may soon be a 25 year storm due to climate change. So, what does FEMA think of a modeling these sorts of changes.
A: FEMA is doing a study on climate change and flooding (available next year). The goal is to look for how to change our models. Could we enable users to do that sort of thing? Yes, we are moving to archiving all the raw data in digital form, so you can get that data. We probably won’t be looking to provide user tools for that.
Q: Does DHS have interest in mapping underground utilities? As part of NSDI?
A: Office of Infrastructure Protection has expressed an interest. Referred NSDI to USGS folks.
Q: Recommendations for standard data layers for Homeland Security Common Operating Picture (COP) and symbolization?
A: NOP was funded to develop its new structure for COP. (Lots of acronym jokes got in the way of understand response…) Symbology: ANSI (415) set one up built by FGDC, but no one used it. Why? How could we do better? A study is underway (Penn State is doing it). Maybe the solution is to address this in a domain specific way.
Q: FEMA is offering buy ups for LiDAR. Could FEMA fund higher resolution even if it just paid as though for resolution it needed?
A: Sure, anything is possible But if it meets our needs, should be fine. Tricky part if giving enough guidance and flexibility.
Q: Partnerships with USGS and liaisons. How does those work for you and implications for 2011 budget cuts?
A: (NGA) I could not do my job without the liaisons. (repeated 2x!) Budget cuts will have an impact; I don’t know what it will be to me yet. Find a way to cope and adapt. (FEMA) Our regional offices have a small staff; liaisons are key resource.
Q: Speak more to Position Navigation Timing (PNT) use in DHS.
A: PNT is important in response, tracking from where outages come from, has a commerce impact. How do we monitor and track these outages and response. It has a fairly significant impact on us. These are services like GPS, Loran, e-Loran. No procurement information at this time.
Q: Can a nationwide enterprise geocoding service tie back to state ones. (WV just put up a statewide one to building footprint.)
A: (DHS) It’s a challenge - because it’s different for different missions. Is the solution and appliance inside our firewall? Batch processing? Would we do cascading with states? Probably not - would go to private sector for a service.
Q: Any new business models for data acquisitions? Non-public domain?
A: (DHS) Licensed data is extremely important to us. Save FEMA, we are not public facing missions - but we can share licensed data with partners. We’d like to get away from licensed data, but if it helps our mission, we’ll license it. We generally lean toward conservative… (NGA) Our mission is not to put data into public domain; it’s to serve our partners. If that means licenses ok; if public domain, ok.
Q: US National Grid status?
A: (DHS) FEMA has endorsed it for search and rescue. You need different grids for land, water, air. For wide adoption, need training - FGDC CAP funded for that. April time frame for delivery of online training.
