Digital Mapping Techniques '02 -- Workshop Proceedings
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-370
Overcoming Institutional Barriers to GIS Coordination: Building a State GIS Council -- The Alabama Experience
By Berry H. (Nick) Tew, Jr.
Geological Survey of Alabama
Box 869999
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-6999
Telephone: (205) 349-2852
Fax: (205) 349-2861
e-mail: ntew@gsa.state.al.us
Some of the primary barriers to effective development of comprehensive, coordinated state government programs to acquire, maintain, and distribute digital geographic information are institutional in nature. These barriers are often related to a general lack of communication, coordination, and, in some cases, cooperation, among state governmental agencies and others that have a stake in the development of a current, accurate geospatial-data infrastructure. Thus, many of the impediments to realization of such an infrastructure often result directly from (1) the absence of an officially sanctioned entity charged with providing a forum for discussion, (2) a mechanism for addressing pertinent issues and concerns, and (3) a process for collective decision-making. Prior to March of 2002, no such entity existed in the State of Alabama.
Over the past decade or so, governmental agencies at all levels, educational institutions, and private industry in Alabama invested heavily in technology for digital mapping and processing of geographic information. As this occurred, there was a progressive increase in the awareness of the potential that this technology offered for long-term economic and societal benefits to the State and its citizens. It was realized that a significant increase in the effectiveness and efficiency of information acquisition, maintenance, access, and delivery could be achieved through a coordinated, statewide GIS effort. It was noted that GIS technology could be used as a strategic decision-making tool in such areas as economic planning and development; water, agricultural, energy, cultural, land, and mineral resources; environmental management; forestry; geology; public health; local government services; land-use planning; public safety; social services; transportation; utilities; waste management; and wildlife conservation and management.
In 1999, a small group of primarily managerial-level Alabama GIS practitioners recognized the benefits to be gained for coordination, cooperation, and sharing in the acquisition, maintenance, and dissemination of geospatial data for the State and began holding informal meetings to begin the process of establishment of a state-level GIS coordinating body. This ad hoc committee, over the course of several months, worked to identify important issues and concerns, gain an understanding of the GIS community in Alabama and the State' s data and technology needs, conduct research on GIS activities and organizations in other states, and develop a strategy to create a GIS coordinating entity in Alabama. The work of this ad hoc committee resulted in a draft legislative bill to establish a GIS council for the State, which was introduced in the 2001 Regular Session of the Alabama legislature. Although the bill was favorably received and had no substantive opposition, it failed to gain final passage.
Subsequent to this initial failure to pass the GIS council bill in the legislature, members of the ad hoc committee initiated meetings with Governor Don Siegelman' s staff to discuss the issues related to geospatial data and GIS technology and the potential benefits to be gained from a coordinated, cooperative approach to development of Alabama Spatial Data Infrastructure. These discussions led to Executive Order No. 68, which established the Alabama Geographic Information Council (AGIC) and provided the mandate for the council. AGIC included members representing various agencies of the State of Alabama, regional and local government, the education community at all levels, State boards of professional licensure, and the private sector.
The duties and mandates of AGIC as established in Executive Order No. 68 included the following:
- Recommend goals, objectives, and a strategic management plan to guide the development and implementation of GIS technology for the best value and benefit of the citizens of Alabama.
- Assess all current geographic information available for the State of Alabama and make recommendations to reduce inefficiency and redundancy in geographic information collection.
- Recommend policies and strategies which emphasize cooperation and coordination among state agencies, federal agencies, environmental agencies, regional planning agencies, municipalities, counties, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, utilities, private companies, individuals, and other states in order to maximize the cost efficiency.
- Recommend a strategy for funding and development of an accurate, current digital base map for the state that includes commonly needed geographic information themes, including the seven framework data layers as defined by the Federal Geographic Data Committee -- roads, streams, orthorectified digital aerial photography, elevation, political boundaries, cadastre (parcel ownership), and geodetic control.
- Meet at least monthly until submission of a final report on or about September 21, 2002.
- Prepare a final report, to include the following:
- a needs assessment by each state agency represented on AGIC regarding GIS technology,
- recommendations with respect to the future organizational structure of the AGIC, and
- ecommendations for implementing a comprehensive GIS strategy for Alabama.
Major activities conducted by the AGIC membership included seven meetings of the full council, seven additional meetings by a designated Technical Subcommittee, compilation of GIS needs and uses reports for state agencies, a GIS data survey of the identified stakeholder community in Alabama, and a statewide GIS symposium entitled "Governor' s 1st Annual GIS Symposium -- Mapping Alabama' s Future." All data collected as part of the AGIC process indicated a need and desire for a permanent executive-level policy organization such as AGIC, as well as a state-government-sanctioned operational entity ("Office of GIS") to conduct GIS activities in Alabama. It was concluded that establishment of these entities on a permanent basis can result in significant benefit to the State of Alabama. These needs were forwarded as recommendations to the Governor in the final report of AGIC and are presently under review and consideration.
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