Tuesday, July 23, 2013

The Value of Making Geospatial Data a Public Asset


Earlier this year, the MetroGIS Policy Board of the Twin Cities began considering steps to remove restrictions on the sharing of geospatial data.  As part of those deliberations, the Board was provided with a formal presentation and 20-page report drafted by the MetroGIS Data Producers Work Group. A detailed talking points document was also offered for review. In each case, these items promote the idea that geospatial data owned by government should be made freely available to the public if government truly wants to maximize value.  Use the links below to review these items:





Comment: While not all points about return on investment found in these items apply equally across the U.S., the core of what's here does.  This is especially true with regard to the Emergency Services Sector (ESS).  Since disasters don't know administrative boundaries, efforts like this that encourage the flow of geospatial data across those boundaries go a long way toward creating accurate situational awareness for the ESS. Congratulations to the development team for their superb effort putting together these items!

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