Fact Sheet 2004-3059 (May, 2004)

Our Philosophy

Through The National Map, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working with partners to ensure that current, accurate, and complete base geographic information is available for the Nation. Designed as a network of online digital databases, it provides a consistent geographic data framework for the country and serves as a foundation for integrating, sharing, and using data easily and reliably. It provides public access to high quality geospatial data and information from multiple partners to help inform decisionmaking by resource managers and the public, and to support intergovernmental homeland security and emergency management requirements.

The success of The National Map will depend on numerous organizations involved in geospatial data collection, maintenance, and distribution. The most current, highest resolution, and continuously maintained geospatial datasets reside with State and local governments, private entities, and other Federal agencies. The role of the USGS as a steward of The National Map is to facilitate partnerships with these organizations to coordinate and negotiate access to their data, develop protocols for data integration, develop data maintenance processes, and identify data requirements. New partnership efforts will focus on the following:

• Involving partners in the design, development, and implementation of The National Map

• Inventorying key geospatial datasets for priority urban areas.

• Expanding coordination activities with State, local, and tribal governments, non-government organizations, and private industry to broaden support for The National Map.

• Working collaboratively to align The National Map activities with the needs and objectives of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and the Geospatial One-Stop initiative of the President's Management Agenda.

• Aligning USGS resources to increase support for partnership activities.

• Encouraging partnerships with the private sector to foster the advancement of technical solutions, adoption of guidelines and standards, and development of applications tools that support The National Map.

• Distributing USGS staff as program stewards across the Nation to pursue development of The National Map.

• Incorporating new flexibilities into partnering activities in terms of partner needs, incentives, data licensing, roles and responsibilities, research, and product dissemination.

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Areas of Partnership

The USGS seeks to develop partnerships in support of The National Map within, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Data and database development

• Data and database maintenance

• Data dissemination and distribution

• Exchange of geospatial and remotely sensed information, data, and products

• Feature serving and generalization

• Outreach and education

• Research and applications

• Sharing of technical information and expertise

• Standards and requirements definition

• Web mapping services and applications

• Workshops, training, and technology transfer

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The National Map: An Intergovernmental Partnership

To build and maintain The National Map , the USGS is serving as the program steward to organize and lead cooperative activities that link Federal, State, and local governments with the private sector and the public at large to ensure that current geographic base information is readily available and useful. State and local governments play a critical role to help facilitate access to and integration and sharing of State and local information for The National Map. The USGS seeks to enable long-term partnerships with State and local governments to foster the development, maintenance, dissemination, and use of The National Map that will be beneficial to all levels of government. These partnerships can provide an effective means to help coordinate The National Map implementation among State and local governments throughout the United States, ensure that their needs and those of other key users are addressed at the outset, help prioritize USGS investments in its stewardship role of The National Map, and encourage partnership opportunities, so that State and local governments can participate in The National Map. In addition, these partnerships will provide a useful input mechanism to the USGS from State and local governments whenever there is a need for such input; for instance, on additional program direction or development of program offerings.

Contact Us

If you are interested in helping to build The National Map in any of the areas listed above, we are interested in talking with you. Please contact the USGS Liaison in your State for more information. Visit the Web sites below to obtain contact information or additional information on The National Map. Together we can make The National Map happen!

The National Map Liaisons:
nmcatalog.usgs.gov/crreps/faces/crreps.jspx

The National Map Partnerships:
nationalmap.usgs.gov/partnerships.html

The National Map Home Page:
nationalmap.gov/

Information

Further information about The National Map and the CTM Program and its component activities is available from the Cooperative Topographic Mapping Program, Mail Stop 511, USGS National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192.

You can view and download the CTM Program 5-Year Plan and more information about The National Map vision and its principal components at nationalmap.gov.

For information on other USGS products and services, call 1-888-ASK-USGS, or visit the USGS Geography Products Web site at erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/pubslists.

For additional information, visit the ask.usgs.gov Web site or the USGS home page at www.usgs.gov.

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. This document has undergone official review and approval for publications established by the National Mapping Discipline, U.S. Geological Survey. Some figures have been modified or added to improve the scientific visualization of information.