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An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century - California Ocean ...

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Box 25.2 Primary Federal Agencies that ConductScience-based Marine Operations• Coast Guard• Environmental Protection Agency• Federal Emergency Management Agency• Minerals Management Service• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency• National <strong>Ocean</strong>ic and AtmosphericAdministration• National Science Foundation• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service• U.S. Geological Survey• U.S. NavyIntegrated National Maps and AssessmentsAt least eleven federal agencies (Box 25.2), almost all coastal states, and many local agencies,academic institutions, and private companies are involved in mapping, charting, andassessing living and nonliving resources in U.S. waters. However, different organizationsuse varying methods <strong>for</strong> collecting and presenting <strong>the</strong>se data, leading to disparate productsthat contain gaps in <strong>the</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation <strong>the</strong>y present.Ideally, a variety of in<strong>for</strong>mation, such as bathymetry, topography, bottom type, habitat,salinity, and vulnerability, should be integrated into a single map using Global PositioningSystem coordinates and a common geodetic reference frame. In addition, it is important<strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>se maps to include in<strong>for</strong>mation on living marine resources, energy resources, andenvironmental data when available. Only <strong>the</strong>n will it be possible to create <strong>the</strong> completeocean characterizations necessary <strong>for</strong> developing and implementing science-based, ecosystem-basedmanagement approaches. However, achieving this integration in <strong>the</strong> coastalzone is an extremely complex proposition.By launching <strong>the</strong> Geospatial One-Stop Portal, <strong>the</strong> Office of Management and Budgethas taken steps to avoid <strong>the</strong> collection of redundant data, facilitate in<strong>for</strong>mation sharing,and plan <strong>for</strong> future integrated mapping and charting. This Web-based server providesnational base maps with administrative and political boundaries that can also incorporatein<strong>for</strong>mation on agriculture, atmosphere and climate, hazards vulnerability, ecology, economics,conservation, human health, inland water resources, transportation networks,and utilities. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, federal agency coordination is led by <strong>the</strong> Federal GeographicData Committee (FGDC)—a nineteen member interagency committee composed of representativesfrom <strong>the</strong> Executive Office of <strong>the</strong> President and departments and independentagencies that promotes <strong>the</strong> coordinated use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial dataon a national basis. The FGDC is currently developing <strong>the</strong> National Spatial Data Infrastructurein cooperation with state, tribal, and local governments, <strong>the</strong> academic community, and <strong>the</strong>private sector. This initiative includes policies, standards, and procedures <strong>for</strong> organizationsto cooperatively produce and share geographically-linked data.Federal agencies must continue to integrate and share data in <strong>the</strong> quest to create readilyaccessible maps that track geological, physical, biological, and chemical features in threedimensions. The fourth dimension—time—should also be incorporated wherever possibleto track changes in ocean and coastal resources over <strong>the</strong> short and long terms.Federal Mapping and Charting ActivitiesMaps of coastal land areas, and charts of nearshore and offshore areas, are essential <strong>for</strong>safe navigation and <strong>for</strong> defining boundaries, mitigating hazards, tracking environmentalchanges, and monitoring uses. Because many organizations have mapping and chartingresponsibilities, <strong>the</strong>re are significant overlaps. This situation results in multiple entitieswithin government, industry, and academia undertaking <strong>the</strong> expensive and time-consumingC HAPTER 25: CREATING A N ATIONAL S TRATEGY FOR I NCREASING S CIENTIFIC K NOWLEDGE389

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