The usefulness of GIS in disaster response was demonstrated recently in  connection with the Space Shuttle Columbia recovery effort. The Texas state GIS  program provided authorities with precise maps and search grids to guide  field reconnaissance and collection crews. In developing this testimony, our objectives were to describe the many GIS  activities under way throughout the federal government and the federal  government’s efforts to coordinate these activities, the long-standing  challenges of adopting and implementing federal GIS standards, and the  role of Geospatial One-Stop. Many Attempts Have Been Made to Coordinate GIS Activities

The federal government has tried for years to reduce duplicative  geospatial data collection by coordinating GIS activities both within and  outside the federal government. Building on that effort, a program was  established by Executive Order 12906 in 1994 to develop a National Spatial  Data Infrastructure (NSDI) to address the problem of the redundancy and  incompatibility of geospatial information collected by many different  organizations and stored and maintained at many different physical  locations. Although efforts to build the NSDI are progressing, achieving the vision of  a nationwide GIS network remains a formidable challenge. Geospatial One-Stop’s Objectives Are Limited

Geospatial One-Stop is intended to accelerate the development and  implementation of the NSDI by promoting coordination and alignment of  geospatial data collection and maintenance across all levels of  government. Specifically, its objectives include (1) deploying an Internet  portal for one-stop access to geospatial data as an extension to the NSDI  Clearinghouse network (see figure 3); (2) developing data standards for  the seven NSDI framework data themes; (3) creating an inventory of  federal data holdings related to the seven framework themes; and (4)  encouraging greater coordination among federal, state, and local agencies  about existing and planned geospatial data collection projects. In order to attain the broader vision of seamless  integration of GIS data on a nationwide basis, a longer-term effort will be  required. Geospatial One-Stop, in particular, while  addressing useful near-term tasks, has not focused on the need for a  longer-term strategy for facing the challenges of implementing the NSDI. Existing draft standards may need revision to accommodate the  needs of major federal agency users, and more extensive coordination  efforts may be required to ensure broad adoption at all levels of  government. Further, the effort is likely to require a continuing effort over  an extended period of time, due to the fact that significant investments  have already been made in existing non-standard systems, and the task of  replacing those systems and migrating their data to new standards cannot  be accomplished overnight.
Why GAO Did This Study

Geographic information systems (GIS) manipulate, analyze, and graphically present an array of information associated with geographic locations, have been invaluable to all levels of government. Their usefulness in disaster response was recently demonstrated during the Space Shuttle Columbia recovery effort. GIS provided precise maps and search grids to guide crews to the debris that was strewn across 41 counties in Texas and Louisiana. The federal government has long been attempting to develop an integrated nationwide GIS network. The information available through such a network could significantly enhance decision--making in myriad public--service areas, including emergency response, national security, law enforcement, health care, and the environment. Among GAO's objectives were to describe the federal government's efforts to coordinate GIS activities, the long-standing challenges of adopting and implementing federal GIS standards, and the role of Geospatial One-Stop.

What GAO Found

For decades, the federal government has tried to reduce duplicative geospatial data collection by coordinating GIS activities within and outside the federal government. For example, in 1990, the Office of Management and Budget established the Federal Geographic Data Committee to promote the coordinated use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data nationwide. In 1994, the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) program was established by executive order to address the problem of the redundancy and incompatibility of geospatial information on a national basis. More recently, Geospatial One-Stop, a component of NSDI, was initiated. Although efforts to build the NSDI are progressing, achieving the vision of a nationwide GIS network remains a formidable challenge. Developing standards that meet stakeholders' needs remains a challenging and time-consuming task, and achieving full participation across governments in their development has also been difficult. Geospatial One-Stop is aimed at promoting coordinated geospatial data collection and maintenance across all levels of government. Among its objectives are (1) deploying an Internet portal for one-stop access to geospatial data; (2) developing data standards; and (3) encouraging greater coordination among federal, state, and local agencies. While these objectives are important, Geospatial One-Stop has focused on limited, near-term tasks and was not intended to fully address the longer-term challenges of implementing the NSDI. A much more substantial effort will be required to attain the broader vision of seamless integration of GIS data nationwide. Existing draft standards may need further revision, and more extensive coordination efforts may be required to ensure broad adoption at all levels of government. Further, the effort is likely to require a continuing effort over an extended period of time, due to the fact that significant investments have already been made in existing non-standard systems.