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Coal Fields of the Conterminous United States: National Coal Resource Assessment Updated Version, assessed basins

Frequently anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
• How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

What does this data set describe?

1. How should this data set be cited?

   East, Joseph A., 2013, Coal Fields of the Conterminous United States: National Coal Resource Assessment Updated Version, assessed basins: Open File Report 2012/1205, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

   Online Links:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1205/>

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -113.888687

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -77.739523

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 48.999824

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 30.017075

3. What does it look like?

4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Calendar_Date: 2013

   Currentness_Reference: publication date

5. What is the general form of this data set?

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • G-polygon

   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.
      

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   NCRA_Assessed Basins

   Polygons defining areas that were assessed and studied as part of the NCRA Assessment (Source: text)

   FID

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

   Coordinates defining the features.

   Province

   Province that Coal polygon falls within (Source: Tully, J (1996))

   Value	Definition
   Eastern	Eastern Province
   Gulf Coast	Gulf Coast Province
   Interior	Interior Province
   Northern Great Plains	Northern Great Plains Province
   Rocky Mountain	Rocky Mountain Province

Who produced the data set?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Joseph A. East

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   Technical reviews for this publication were provided by Leslie Ruppert, Christopher Garrity, Susan Tewalt, Lee Osmonson, James Luppens and James Coleman.

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   Joseph A. East
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Geologist
   MS 956 National Center
   Reston, VA 20192
   U.S.A.
   

   703-648-6450 (voice)
   703-648-6419 (FAX)
   jeast@usgs.gov
   

Why was the data set created?

This dataset was compiled to update the Coal Fields Map of the Conterminous United States, OFR 96-092. This was done with new data provided by the USGS Energy Team NCRA assessments. The shapefile gives a visual display of the areas that were assessed by the NCRA.

How was the data set created?

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   Fort Union Coal Assessment Team (1999) (source 1 of 5)

   Fort Union Coal Assessment Team, 1999, 1999 Resource Assessment of Selected Tertiary Coal Beds and Zones in the Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains Region.: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625-A.

   Online Links:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1625a/>

   Type_of_Source_Media: ESRI shapefiles

   Source_Contribution:

   Provided assessment outlines of Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains Region.

   Kirschbaum and others (2000) (source 2 of 5)

   Kirschbaum, M, Roberts, L, and Biewick, L, 2000, Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625-B.

   Online Links:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1625b/>

   Type_of_Source_Media: ESRI shapefiles

   Source_Contribution:

   Provided assessment outlines of Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah

   Northern and Central Appalachian Basin Coal Regions Assessment Team, 2001 (source 3 of 5)

   Northern and Central Appalachian Basin Coal Regions Assessment Team, 2001, 2000 Resource Assessment of Selected Coal Beds and Zones in the Northern and Central Appalachian Basin Coal Regions.: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625-C.

   Online Links:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1625c/>

   Type_of_Source_Media: ESRI Coverages

   Source_Contribution:

   Provided assessment outlines of Northern and Central Appalachian Basin Coal Regions.

   Hatch and Affolter (2002) (source 4 of 5)

   Hatch, J., and Affolter, R, 2002, Resource Assessment of the Springfield, Herrin, Danville, and Baker Coals in the Illinois Basin.: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625-D.

   Online Links:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1625d/>

   Type_of_Source_Media: ESRI shapefiles

   Source_Contribution: Provided assessment outlines of Illinois Basin.

   Warwick and others (2011) (source 5 of 5)

   AAPG, Warwick, P, Karlsen, A, Merrill, M, and Valentine, B., 2011, Geologic assessment of coal in the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain, USA: AAPG Discovery Series/Studies in Geology DS 14/SIG 62.

   Online Links:

   • <http://www.datapages.com/Services/GISUDRIL/OpenFiles/GulfCoastCoalAssessment.aspx>

   Type_of_Source_Media: ESRI Shapefiles

   Source_Contribution: Provided assessment outlines of Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain

2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: 26-Oct-2010 (process 1 of 1)

   The NCRA Assessed Basins shapefile is a merge of multiple shapefiles and coverages taken from the NCRA Assessment files. Individual assessment areas were modified to delete differing attributes. The outlines were then pasted into a primary shapefile. An attribute column for Province was added to the primary shapefile. The shapefile was then placed on top of the province polygon, and was then attributed to match the provinces. All of the shapefiles were stored in a geographic NAD1983 projection, so there was no need to reproject or do a datum transformation.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Joseph A. East
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Geologist
   MS 956 National Center
   Reston, VA 20192
   U.S.A.
   

   703-648-6450 (voice)
   703-648-6419 (FAX)
   jeast@usgs.gov
   

3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

1. How well have the observations been checked?

   Attribute accuracy was tested by manual comparison of the NCRA Assessed Basins shapefile created for this report with the shapefile created for Provinces.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

   The shapefile is based on data taken from the 4 USGS Professional Papers 1625-A, 1625-B, 1625-C, and 1625-D, and from AAPG Discovery Series 14/Studies in Geology 62. The assessment shapefiles and coverages were merged into the primary shapefile with no change in projection or transformation of a datum, so it is assumed that they are still within the tolerances necessary for FGDC standards. The shapefiles available in U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625-C are generalized versions of the ArcINFO coverages and are not as detailed as the coverages. The coverages were used for the Appalachian data set within this primary shapefile.

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

   Data set complete. No data were intentionally omitted from the hard copy and digital source maps.

5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

   Map elements were visually checked for overshoots, undershoots, duplicates, polygon closure and proper attribution. All polygons were created from existing shapefiles or coverages that had already gone through the USGS publications process.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints: None

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
   USGS Information Services
   Box 25286
   Denver, CO 80225
   U.S.A.
   

   1-888-ASK-USGS (voice)
   303-202-4693 (FAX)
   <http://store.usgs.gov/>
   

2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

   USGS OFR 2012-1205

3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   This digital publication was prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data published in this Open-File Report have been used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and related materials and/or the functioning of the software. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data, software, or related materials. Graphical map depictions are intended to be used within the map scale limits applicable to the source data. Although software enables the user to view data at various scales, the user is cautioned to refer to the source documentation for the appropriate map scale limitations.

4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	Coal field polygons with associated characteristics in format shapefile (version 1.0) Size: 220 megabytes
     Network links:	<http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1205/Downloads/GIS.zip>

   • Cost to order the data: None

5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?

   ArcGIS Desktop 9.X is required to open the ArcMap document

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:

Last modified: 10-Jul-2013

Metadata author:

U.S. Geological Survey
Attn: Joseph A. East
Geologist
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192
U.S.A

703-648-6450 (voice)
703-648-6419 (FAX)
jeast@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)