United States
Environmental
Agency
Information Hi
Management
(PM-218B)
OCLC21707880
Geographic
Information Systems
Handbook
Summer 1989
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EPA Table of Contents
Section Page
I. Introduction 1-1
H. EPA Policies TL-l
III. Strategies for Success: Lessons Learned from GIS Programs in EPA ffl-l
Management/Communications ffl-1
Staffing m-5
Data ffl-7
Hardware/Software HI-9
IV. Roles and Responsibilities for GIS Implementation in EPA IV-1
Lead EPA Offices for GIS IV-2
- Office of Information Resources Management IV-2
- National Data Processing Division IV-5
- Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Las Vegas W-6
- Region IV IV-10
GIS at EPA Regions and Other Laboratories IV-12
- Region I IV-12
- Region IH IV-13
- Region V IV-14
- Region VH IV-14
- Region VIE IV-15
- Region X IV-16
- Chesapeake Bay Program TV-17
- Environmental Research Laboratory Corvallis IV-18
- Environmental Research Laboratory Duluth
and EPA Large Lakes Research Station Grosse lie IV-19
- Environmental Research Laboratory Athens W-19
- Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory RTF IV-20
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards - RTF IV-21
- Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory Cincinnati W-21
U-S Environmental Protection Agency
GLNPO Library Collection (PL-12)
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604-3590 '
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EPA Table of Contents
V. Other Technical Support and Sources of Information
for GIS Implementation V-l
Other Agencies and Professional Organizations V-l
- U.S. Geological Survey V-l
- National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis V-3
- American Congress on Surveying and Mapping V-5
- American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing V-6
- Association of American Geographers V-6
- Urban and Regional Information Systems Association V-7
- International Geographical Union V-8
Information Sources V-8
- EPA GIS Publications V-8
- Professional Journals and Books V-10
VI. Programs and Activities VI-1
ESRI User Conference VI-1
GIS/LIS Conference VI-3
ASPRS/ACSM Convention VI-4
AAG Annual Meeting VI-5
IGIS Symposium VI-7
NCGA Mapping and GIS Conference VI-8
URISA Annual Conference VI-9
Appendix A: GIS Technical Memoranda Prepared by EMSL-LV
11
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EPA Section I
Introduction
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are an advanced
computer technology that combines map, model, and
monitoring data into one comprehensive analytic framework,
which assists engineers, scientists, and managers in
identifying and assessing environmental problems and
trends. A GIS provides sophisticated tools for data base
creation, data base management, analysis of spatial and
parametric information, and map production. Used properly,
GIS has the potential to illustrate to EPA managers and
decision-makers the impacts of environmental policies and
programs.
The objectives of this report are to present strategies for
implementing a successful GIS program and to identify key
resources that can provide information and assistance for GIS
implementation. This report is part of a larger effort being
undertaken by EPA to further the goals and objectives of its
GIS program, which were identified in a GIS management
study conducted by the Agency.
The strategies for successful GIS implementation that are
presented in this report have been synthesized from case
studies of current GIS programs in EPA. These programs
have been documented in another report entitled "Case
Studies of EPA's Implementations of Geographic Information
Systems." The GIS case studies presented in that report are as
follows:
EPA Regions I, HI, IV, VH, and VHI
Chesapeake Bay Program
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory at Las
Vegas
1-1
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Section I
EPA
Introduction
Environmental Research Laboratory at Corvallis
National Data Processing Division at Research
Triangle Park
Oregon Clean Water Strategy, which is a cooperative
GIS project between EPA Headquarters and the
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
This report is organized into the following sections:
(1) Section I: Introduction
(2) Section II: EPA Policies; The current versions of
EPA's GIS Policy and its Spatial Data Policy are
presented.
(3) Section III: Strategies for Success: Lessons Learned
from GIS Programs in EPA; Strategies for
implementing a successful GIS program are discussed
under the following headings:
Management/Communications
Staffing
Data
Hard ware/software
(4) Section IV: Roles and Responsibilities for GIS
Implementation in EPA; Roles and responsibilities for
the lead offices for GIS implementation are presented
in the first part of Section IV, followed by a list of
contacts for GIS programs at EPA Regions and
Laboratories.
(5) Section V: Other Technical Support and Sources of
Information for GIS Implementation; This section
provides information on professional organizations,
publications, and other sources of GIS information.
(6) Section VI: Programs and Activities; Future EPA
activities that will provide useful GIS information or
services are noted.
(7) Appendix A: GIS Technical Memoranda Prepared
by EMSL-LV
1-2
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SB EPA
Section II
EPA Policies
This section is reserved for future inclusion of EPA's "GIS
Policy" and "Spatial Data Policy".
II-l
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EPA
Section
Strategies for Success: Lessons
Learned from GIS Programs in EPA
This section describes strategies for successful
implementation of GIS. The strategies described in the
following pages are grouped according to four topics:
Management/Communications
Staffing
Data
Hard ware/software
Within each of the four topics, lessons learned from EPA's
GIS programs are presented.
Management/
Communications
Management
Support
for GIS
The success of GIS depends on management support at the
senior management levels as well as on support by program
managers. Successful GIS implementation requires that
upper management provide the resources needed to initiate
m-i
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Section III
Strategies for Success
an effective GIS program, especially a sufficient number of
personnel to form a viable GIS staff. Resources are also
needed for data acquisition for building GIS data bases.
Program management support is an equally important
factor for successful GIS implementation. For GIS to be used
ultimately as a tool to aid environmental programs and for
environmental decision-making, program managers must
have a clear long-term commitment to using GIS as a day-to-
day analytical decision-support tool. Financial and staff
support for projects is vital, since a key element of a successful
GIS project is the active involvement of a program staff
member throughout the life of the project. Such involvement
requires a commitment of staff resources to GIS projects.
Key strategies that help to gain management support for
GIS include the following:
Management must have realistic expectations of what
GIS can and cannot do and of the resources required for GIS.
Managers should be given sufficient information so that
realistic expectations can be formulated in the early stages of
implementing a GIS program.
A GIS capability must be built around the needs of
EPA programs. GIS is not an end in itself but is a tool that can
greatly assist managers in accomplishing the missions of their
programs. The needs and priorities of program management
should be identified, and those priorities should be
incorporated into plans for implementing GIS. Program
managers will have a greater commitment to GIS if their
priorities are addressed by GIS applications.
Environmental scientists who have been exposed to
GIS often have specific ideas on the ways in which GIS may
assist them with their work. In addition to management
views on the use of GIS, discussions with program technical
staff will provide a clearer picture of how GIS may support a
program and therefore gain management support.
HI-2
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EPA
Section III
Strategies for Success
Successful
First GIS
Projects
The first GIS projects undertaken by an office need to be
successful to sustain initial management support for GIS.
Careful planning of the GIS start-up period and of initial
projects is important to future successes. The first GIS
projects of an office should be small, manageable applications
that produce tangible and useful results in a reasonable
amount of time. The success of these initial projects is key in
obtaining the full support of managers who have been
tentative in their commitment to GIS.
Long-term
Sustaining
Project
After initial, short-term projects have been completed and
have provided the GIS staff some experience with the
technology, the sustaining support of a long-term project is
needed. A long-term project can support the costs of GIS
while the GIS staff is acquiring greater expertise. Several
smaller projects may not guarantee the same continuity of
support over a long period of time.
Project
Planning and
Management
Careful, up-front planning is essential to the success of GIS
projects. In a well-managed project, goals and objectives are
identified and written down early in the project. A workplan
should be developed that clearly specifies project objectives,
users, analyses, and data required for those analyses. All
parties involved with the project should review and agree
officially with the written plans and objectives. By stating
planned analyses and outputs early in the project, data
collection activities will be more focused on obtaining data
needed to satisfy the project's objectives, rather than on
acquiring all data that may be related to the project's subject
matter but peripheral to project goals.
Because data acquisition activities are often the most time-
consuming and expensive phase of a project, a clear statement
of data needed to meet project objectives is necessary to
determine the resources required for a project If the
resources needed for data acquisition exceed the budgeted
resources, knowledge of this situation early in the life-cycle of
a project will permit staff to either redefine project objectives,
HI-3
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Section III
EPA
Strategies for Success
request additional resources, or make other adjustments in
the project workplan.
As end-users of a GIS project under development acquire
more knowledge about GIS, a second scoping phase in which
project objectives and analyses are refined may be necessary.
A greater understanding of GIS often leads users to identify
additional ways in which the technology may be applied to
their programs. The possibility of a second scoping phase and
refined project objectives should be taken into account when a
workplan is developed for a GIS project.
Effective communications as applied to GIS encompasses
Effective at jeast three levels of communications:
Communications
Communications among EPA's GIS teams and with
the States; Good communications among GIS teams at EPA
Headquarters, the Regions, and the Labs and with their
counterparts in the States facilitates the sharing of expertise
and knowledge. Much useful information can be gained from
the experiences of others who have worked with the same
data or who have implemented similar types of applications.
Communications among all participants in a project;
Because the very nature of GIS technology integrates data
from numerous sources, GIS projects may involve the
cooperation of several offices. A key to the success of such
cooperative projects is regular and consistent communications
between all project participants.
Use of the communicative power of GIS; The power of
GIS in communicating spatial relationships has been a major
means of "selling" others on the utility of GIS. Although GIS
maps may not be the ultimate objective of a project, maps may
be important interim products from an application that can be
used to sustain interest in and support for a project. GIS-
produced maps may be used effectively in communicating
environmental problems and solutions to management and
the public.
ni-4
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EPA
Section III
Strategies for Success
Staffing
Multi-disciplinary
GIS Teams
The success of a GIS program depends on a skilled GIS
staff. The ideal GIS staff consists of a multi-disciplinary team
in which the team members have expertise in an array of
environmental sciences and EPA programs. An
understanding of fundamental concepts of maps and
geographical analysis is also essential, as well as general
problem-solving skills. Although some experience with
computers is necessary, degrees in computer science are not
required. Knowledge of environmental sciences and of
geographical analysis is a more important foundation for a
good GIS team than is data processing expertise.
In supporting GIS, a GIS team must fill numerous
responsibilities, including, but not limited to, the following
tasks:
Management of GIS projects
Working with users in defining and analyzing
requirements for GIS applications
Data base design, construction, and maintenance
Data acquisition, digitizing, data entry, data conversion
and formatting
Programming for applications development
Programming/processing for ad hoc requests for
information
Assisting users in conducting geographical analyses
Map design and production
GIS systems administration
Senior management brief ing/communications
With this range of responsibilities, four to five persons are
the minimum number that can support a viable GIS
III-5
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Section ill
SB EPA
- Strategies for Success
operation. For the type and magnitude of GIS projects being
implemented by EPA, the work for one major project is
typically enough to require the full-time support of a GIS
team member.
Because GIS is a complex technology, GIS staff members
must work with GIS daily to become experts in its use. With
more than four hundred commands in the ARC/INFO
package, it is impossible to acquire the expertise needed to
support applications by using the package only on an
occasional basis.
GIS team members must be oriented towards and sensitive
to the requirements and perspective of end-users. The GIS
staff must be able to bridge the gaps between users'
articulation of their requirements, their understanding of GIS,
and the extent to which GIS can meet those requirements.
The involvement of a program staff member in all phases
Program Staff of a GIS project is critical to the success of that project. The
Involvement program staffer represents the views and requirements of the
with GIS end-users for whom the project or application is being
developed. He/she should be an active participant in
planning the project, deciding what data and analyses are
needed, assessing the quality of data, and in evaluating the
results of the analyses.
_ Both GIS staff and program staff working with GIS
Training applications must understand fundamental principles of
mapping and geographical analysis. Although program staff
do not need to understand the technical details and
commands of ARC/INFO to the degree that the GIS staff
must, program staff also need to understand GIS concepts.
Detailed recommendations on training for GIS are contained
in the document "EPA Training Recommendations for
Geographic Information Systems."
HI-6
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SB EPA
Section III
Strategies for Success
Personnel
Rotation
In addition to the formal courses outlined in the training
recommendations, another method that has been effective for
increasing Agency GIS expertise is personnel rotation.
Personnel rotations could be implemented with other
agencies, within EPA, and with the States in which an
individual spends several months working at an active GIS
site. Where such rotations have been implemented, such as in
Region IV, both sites and the individual involved in the
rotation have benefited by the exchange. The individual gains
greater expertise in GIS, which is carried back to his/her own
office. The hosting office gains information on how GIS may
be applied to the particular area of concern of the rotated
individual, as well as gaining additional staff support for a
period of time.
Balanced Data
Acquisition
Phase
Data
Because data acquisition is often the longest and most
expensive phase of a GIS project, data acquisition and
collection efforts should be based in careful project planning.
A project workplan should specify the data required to meet
the project's objectives. A balance may have to be found
between acquiring all data needed for potential follow-on
work and data needed for the analyses of the immediate
project. Long-term data requirements and short-term
demands for tangible results may necessitate incorporating
useful interim products into a GIS project that sustain support
for long-term data collection and data base development
efforts.
III-7
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EPA
Section III
Strategies for Success
Use Available
Digitized Data
Whenever possible, available digital data should be used
rather than digitizing new data. The use of existing data can
save considerable time and money, since digitizing is a time-
consuming process. Cooperative arrangements may need to
be established with the States and other agencies to facilitate
sharing of data. Some Regions have successfully established
informal arrangements in which data are exchanged or
"bartered" for other data or GIS services.
Conceptual
Framework for
GIS Data Base
As data are acquired for various projects and applications,
an office should have a conceptual framework and plan for
building an integrated data base appropriate to the office's
area of concern (e.g., a regional data base). As various data
are acquired for specific applications, these data can be fitted
into the framework for the larger data base.
Data Base
Documentation
Data base documentation standards should be applied
from the beginning of the construction of a data base. At a
minimum, the documentation should include a complete data
dictionary, map projection and units, source of the data, who
compiled the data, when the compilation was done, how the
data were created, and a statement about the quality of the
data. Complete descriptions of the steps of project analyses
should also be maintained.
Quality of
Locational Data
Data quality, especially the quality of locational data, is an
important factor that impacts the application of GIS
technology and the degree to which the technology can be
used to fulfill EPA's mission. The accuracy and quality of
locational data should never be assumed, since inaccurate
locational data can completely invalidate the results of a GIS
analysis. Plotting locational data and verifying the resulting
map is one method of obtaining some indication of the quality
of spatially-based data.
III-8
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3S EPA
Section III
Strategies for Success
Adopt the
Appropriate Level
of Data QA/QC
Several levels of data quality assurance and control
(QA/QC) may be appropriate for different types of GIS work,
based on the objectives of the specific application. For
example, regional demonstration projects may not need the
degree of data accuracy or scale of data required by analyses
at RCRA or Superfund sites that may lead to legal
enforcement activity. Determining the right level of data
quality and QA/QC measures for a project is an important
decision, since this may require balancing project costs and
data quality. Although greater expenditures of resources are
often required for higher quality data, bad data segments may
invalidate an entire project.
Hardware/
Software
Within EPA, GIS is supported by Prime minicomputers at
the Regions and either VAX minicomputers or PC-based
systems at EPA Labs. Table 1 summarizes the CPUs and key
peripherals currently in use for GIS at various EPA sites.
ARC/INFO, a proprietary software package of
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) of Redlands,
California, is EPA's GIS software of choice. EPA Regions and
Labs run ARC/INFO on their Prime or VAX minicomputers.
PC ARC/INFO is currently used or is being acquired by some
Labs (reference Table 1).
Both primary and secondary site licenses for ARC/INFO
are available. Those sites with secondary site licenses are
limited in the amount of assistance that they can receive from
ESRI. Also, a secondary site cannot contact ESRI directly but
must coordinate its requests through an associated primary
site. Although secondary site licenses are less expensive and
III-9
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Table 1
CIS Hardware in Use at EPA CIS Sites
EPA CIS Hardware
National Data Processing
Division - RTF
Washington
Information Center
Region I
Region III
Region IV
Region VII
i
CPU Terminals
-Tektronix 41 06s,
41 07s,4207s, 4208s,
VAX 8650 w/1 600 and 4209s,4224s, 4225
6250 BPI tape facilities . Tektronix 4325
(part of VAX Cluster) workstation
- Sun 386i workstation
- PCs w/TNet07
-Tektronix 41 05
Prime 2750 'l*^0?^
- Tektronix 4325
workstation
- Tektronix 4207
D,,_. ,,,« - Tektronix 401 6
Prime 2755 _ . . , .... .
- Tektronix 4014
- PC w/TGraph
- Tektronix 4207
Prime 2755 Tektronix 41 06
- Epson Equity III
- Tektronix 4207
.,.._. .___ -Tektronix 4106
(2) Prime 2755s .(2) Tektronix 41 25s
-(12) PCs w/TGraph
- (2) Tektronix 4207s
Prime 2755 - Tektronix 4325
workstation
- Epson PC
Digitizers
-CalComp9148(high
accuracy - 48" x 36")
- Tektronix 4958
- Tektronix 4957
CalComp9100
- Tektronix 4958
- CalComp (on order)
- Tektronix 4958
- Tektronix 4956
-CalComp 91 00
Tektronix
Printers/Plotters
- CalComp 5845
electrostatic plotter
-CalComp 591 2
thermal plotter
- Tektronix 4693
thermal color printer
- Tektronix 4692, 4696
ink jet printers
CalComp
electrostatic plotter
CalComp 5835
electrostatic plotter
- CalComp 1043 plotter
- electrostatic plotter
(on order)
- Tektronix 4692 printer
- CalComp 1044 plotter
- electrostatic plotter
(on order)
- Houston Instr. plotter
- (3) Tektronix printers
- CalComp 8-pen plotter
- CalComp electrostatic
plotter (on order)
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CIS Hardware in Use at EPA CIS Sites (cont'd)
EPA GIS Hardware
CPU
Terminals
Digitizers
Printers/Plotters
Region VIII
Accessing RTP's
VAX Cluster
- Tektronix 4207
Tektronix 4224
DECVT131
CalComp 9000
CalComp 1075 plotter
> Zeta 8 pen plotter
Chesapeake Bay
Program
VAX 8600
Tektronix 4111
Tektronix 4106
(12)DECVT241s
(36) DEC VT220S
(4) IBM PC compatibles
(2) Macintosh Us
(anticipated)
(2) Altek
Nicolet 836 zeta plotter
> CalComp 1012 plotter
Tektronix 4695 printer
Tektronix 4696 printer
Environmental
Monitoring Systems
Laboratory Las Vegas
VAX 11/785
Tektronix 4125s
Tektronix 4111s
Decmate Ills
IBM PC/AT
(PC ARC/INFO)
DEC VT220
LA-100
ERDAS System 2
Aeronca VGS 300 plus
CalComp
Versatec color
electrostatic plotter
color plotter
printers
Environmental Research
Laboratory Corvallis
VAX 8600
(5) Tektronix 4207s
(5) Tektronix 4107s
(2) CalComp 91 OOs
CalComp 5845
electrostatic plotter
CalComp 1075
4-pen plotter
Environmental Research
Laboratory - Athens *
Compaq 386
running PC ARC/INFO
N/A
CalComp
Tektronix 4696 printer
Texas Instruments
laser printer
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CIS Hardware in Use at EPA CIS Sites (cont'd)
EPA CIS Hardware
CPU
Terminals
Digitizers
Printers/Plotters
Environmental Research
Laboratory Duluth
Micro VAX II
Tektronix 4225'
Tektronix 4207'
CalComp9100"
CalComp1044GT
plotter **
Risk Reduction
Engineering Laboratory
Cincinnati***
IBM XT compatible
running PMAP
N/A
(2) Kurt a
HP 7580 plotter
(driven by IBM-
AT compatible)
* Only key input and output devices for CIS are included in this table. Supporting equipment, such as line printers and telecommunications
equipment, are excluded.
* Also accesses RTFs VAX systems.
** In addition to equipment at ERL Duluth, a set of these peripherals is at Region V, Chicago. A second set is at the Grosse He, Michigan field station.
Both remote sites have dial-up access to ERL Duluth's Micro VAX II.
*** Plans to obtain PC ARC/INFO and an IBM AT compatible computer.
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Section III
Strategies for Success
may be appropriate for a site with PC ARC/INFO, the issue
of primary site licensing for Regions and other major GIS
programs needs to be addressed vary carefully. Major
programs may need the support that only a primary site
license provides.
111-10
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SB EPA Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities for
GIS Implementation in EPA
This section summarizes special roles and contacts for GIS
implementation within EPA. In the first part of Section IV,
EPA's lead GIS offices are listed, along with their special roles
and responsibilities for GIS within the Agency. The four lead
offices are as follows:
Office of Information Resources Management
National Data Processing Division at Research Triangle
Park
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory at Las
Vegas
Region IV at Atlanta
In the second part of Section IV, information for EPA
Regions and other Labs that have implemented GIS is given,
including primary contacts for more information and a brief
listing of GIS applications.
IV-1
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SB EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
Lead EPA Offices
for GIS
OIRM
EPA Headquarters
Mail Code PM218B
401 M St. S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
Roles and
Responsibilities:
The Office of Information Resources Management (OIRM)
is responsible for the development of GIS policy and for the
management and coordination of GIS information resources
in EPA. These responsibilities include the following activities:
Develops and issues GIS policy for EPA.
Provides GIS oversight to ensure that the development
of GIS programs and applications is consistent with
established Agency policy and life cycle management
guidance.
Manages GIS information resources, functions, and
activities in association with other lead offices and
programs.
Provides guidance in the use of GIS information
resources to other Agency offices.
IV-2
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Section IV
' Roles and Responsibilities
Provides support and guidance in the acquisition of
GIS hardware and software.
Supports the development and implementation of both
short-term and long-term GIS training programs
within the Agency.
Conducts and supports activities that assist in the
implementation of GIS in EPA. Studies and activities
that have been conducted to date include:
- GIS Management Study
- Summary of Geographic Data Sources
- Case Studies of EPA's Implementation of GIS
- EPA Training Recommendations for GIS
- Analysis of Requirements for an EPA GIS
Workstation
These activities are described briefly in Section V under
"EPA GIS Publications."
Fosters and supports data integration efforts aimed at
cross-media analysis of EPA data through the GIS
process.
Coordinates with other agencies, State offices, and
private organizations for sharing GIS applications and
data, including acquiring selected national data bases
for use throughout EPA.
Provides support in the development of
communications media among EPA GIS sites and
users. Examples include:
- Case Studies of EPA's Implementation of GIS
- Emerging Technologies Bulletin
- GIS management and technical workshops
- GIS conference
As standards for GIS data bases and use are developed,
OIRM will formulate these standards into information
resources management guidance and will assist in
promulgating these standards throughout EPA.
IV-3
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Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
Establishes EPA standards for electronic transfer of
spatial data between GIS systems and standard EPA
data base systems.
Organizational
Structure:
Primary GIS Contact:
Edward Hanley
Director, Office of Information Resources Management
FTS: 382-5231 (202)382-5231 Mail Code: PM-211
EMAIL: EPA3400
Abby Pirnie
Director, Program Support Division
FTS: 382-5231 (202) 382-5231 Mail Code: PM-218B
EMAIL: EPA3700
Steve Young
Chief, Information and Technology Integration Branch
FTS: 382-5625 (202)382-5625 Mail Code: PM-218B
EMAIL: EPA3516
Joseph Sierra
Chief, Geographic Integration Section
FTS: 382-7868 (202)382-7868 EMAIL: EPA3783
GIS Team:
Joseph Sierra, GIS National Coordinator
FTS: 382-7868 EMAIL: EPA3783
Ed Partington, Computer Analyst
FTS: 475-9348 EMAIL: EPA3769
Robert Pease, Systems Analyst
FTS: 382-2431 EMAIL: EPA3776
Jeff Booth, Technical Information Specialist
FTS: 475-8410 EMAIL: EPA3767
Mike Long, Program Analyst
FTS: 382-5625 EMAIL: EPA3807
GIS Applications:
OIRM provides support in the dissemination of GIS
applications.
IV-4
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as EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
NDPD
Address:
NDPD
EPA MD-34
RTF, NC 27711
Roles and
Responsibilities:
The National Data Processing Division (NDPD) at
Research Triangle Park (RTF) provides the following types of
support for GIS:
Provides user support on NDPD's VAX cluster for GIS
software and hardware.
Resolves GIS software and hardware problems.
Maintains telecommunications links between different
GIS computers within EPA.
Provides GIS technical expertise for problem definition,
data base design, prototyping, and implementation for
GIS applications.
Assists with GIS data acquisition for pilot projects and
national data sets that will reside on the NDPD system.
Conducts GIS hardware and software evaluations.
Provides support for architectural planning and
procurements related to GIS.
Provides facilities and other support for GIS training.
The Washington Information Center (WIC), which is part
of NDPD, supports GIS development through its support of
the Prime computer and other equipment located at the WIC
in Washington, D.C.
IV-5
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Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
Organizational
Structure:
Donald Fulford
Director, National Data Processing Division
FTS: 629-3970 (919) 541-3970 Mail Code: MD-34
EMAIL: EPA3420
Mickey Cline
Special Assistant OARM-OIRM
FTS: 629-2500 (919) 541-2500 Mail Code: MD-34
EMAIL: EPA3660
CIS Team:
Primary GIS Contacts:
CIS support for the NDPD is based at RTF and is provided
by the GIS Technical Support Group of Unisys Corporation.
Tom Scheitlin FTS: 629-0299
EMAIL: EPA3888
Gene Costello FTS: 629-4016
EMAIL: EPA3888
(919) 541-0299
(919) 541-4016
EMSL-LV
Address:
EMSL-LV
EPA/ORD/LV
PO Box 93478
Las Vegas, NV 89193-3478
Roles and
Responsibilities:
The Spatial Analysis Laboratory (SAL) of the
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory at Las Vegas
(EMSL-LV) has been designated a GIS Center of Excellence
for GIS research and development. The primary purpose of
SAL is to investigate, develop, and integrate spatial
information systems, including both GIS and remote sensing,
into the mission of EPA. This purpose encompasses the
following tasks:
IV-6
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Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
Advance GIS and remote sensing research to meet EPA
needs.
Provide advice to EPA Headquarters on GIS policy.
Provide GIS technical support to EPA's GIS
organizations.
Provide GIS technical support to EPA programs such
as CERCLA, RCRA, Water, EMAP, etc.
SAL fulfills its mission through the following activities:
Conducts demonstration projects, which provide a
major vehicle for GIS research. Through these
demonstration projects, EMSL-LV develops techniques
for applying GIS and integrates other technologies with
GIS.
Provides support in GIS training and technology
transfer to Regions and other offices for whom
demonstration projects are being conducted.
Provides technical GIS support to the Regional GIS
teams and others in EPA through:
- The GIS hotline: (702) 798-2279
FTS: 545-2279
Initial developmental support to a Region or office
after the basic ARC /INFO training course. This
support is arranged cooperatively with the office.
Performs technical evaluations of GIS software, hard-
ware, and mechanisms for integrating GIS with other
technologies, such as AUTOCAD and remote sensing.
Produces GIS technical memoranda that make the
knowledge gained through EMSL-LV s demonstration
projects and other research available to the EPA GIS
user community. An example of technical memoranda
currently available is included in this document as
Appendix A.
IV-7
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EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
Conducts research on and develops GIS standards in
conjunction with other lead offices.
Represents EPA's ARC/INFO training requirements to
ESRI, the vendor of ARC/INFO, through participation
on ESRI's Educational Review Board.
Organizational
Structure:
Primary GIS Contact:
Robert Snelling
Laboratory Director
FTS: 545-2525 (7Q2) 798-2525 EMAIL: EPA8230
Eugene Meier
Director, Advanced Monitoring Systems Division
FTS: 545-2237 EMAIL: EPA8232
Thomas Mace
Chief, Remote and Air Monitoring Branch
FTS: 545-2262 EMAIL: EPA8274
Mason Hewitt
GIS Manager
FTS: 545-2377 EMAIL: EPA8277
Heather Stone
Assistant GIS Manager
FTS: 545-2377 EMAIL: EPA9964
Ross Lunetta
Remote Sensing Manager
FTS: 545-2175 EMAIL: EPA8284
Bill Forte
Manager, Spatial Analysis Laboratory Systems
FTS: 545-2602 EMAIL: EPA8280
GIS Team:
Mark Olsen, Supervisor
FTS: 545-2280 EMAIL: EPA8203
Susan Boyle, Scientist/Statistician
Jerry Carter, Scientist/Geologist
Dick Dulaney, Scientist/Geographer
Lawrence Fisher, Engineer
IV-8
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Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
David James, Scientist/Geographer
Karen Lee, Scientist/Geologist
Roy Mogren, System Manager
Frank Mynar, GIS Analyst/Geographer
Jonathan Pickus, Scientist/Geographer
John Voichita, Computer Operator
Ridgeway Weerackoon, Applications Programmer
GIS Hotline: FTS: 545-2279
(702) 798-2279 EMAIL: EPA8203 or LVGIS
GIS Applications: EMSL-LV's demonstration projects have addressed the
following areas of concern:
Superfund site analysis
- Characterize nature and extent of problems for
remedial investigation
- Macro and micro site analyses
Support monitoring activity
Human and environmental exposure assessment
- Integrate ground water modeling with GIS
Integrate remote sensing data with GIS
- Contaminant pathway analysis
Air pollution exposure analysis
Wellhead protection
Intertidal habitat analysis
Point and non-point pollution monitoring
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SB EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
REGION IV
Address:
EPA, Region IV
345 Courtland Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
Roles and
Responsibilities:
Region IV is EPA's GIS Center of Excellence for
supporting development of Regional GIS applications as
applied to EPA/State data management. In this role, Region
IV can assist other Regions in their implementation of GIS in
the following ways:
Provide guidance to Regions in development of GIS
applications, especially those applications that use a
common regional data base.
Work with Regional management to develop
management support systems that utilize GIS. The
objectives of management support systems developed
with Region IV's assistance would be to identify and
prioritize environmental problems and risks, target
activities and sites to which scarce Regional resources
should be directed, relate environmental quality to
regulatory controls and EPA programs, and track
environmental trends and progress in improving
environmental quality.
Organizational
Structure:
Primary GIS Contact:
Joseph Franzmathes
Assistant Regional Administrator for Policy and
Management
FTS: 257-4727 (404) 347-4727 EMAIL: EPA9420
George Collins
Chief, Office of Integrated Environmental Analysis
FTS: 257-3402 EMAIL: EPA9486
IV-10
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aB EPA
Section IV
Rotes and Responsibilities
GIS Team:
Henry Strickland, GIS Coordinator
FTS: 257-5053 EMAIL: EPA9459
Jim Bricker, Engineer
FTS: 257-5053
Phyllis Mann, Environmental Scientist
FTS: 257-5053 EMAIL: EPA9460
Jerry Sorensen, Environmental Scientist
FTS: 257-5053 EMAIL: EPA9464
GIS Applications:
The focus of GIS work at Region IV is using GIS to
implement a Results/Risk Analysis and Management System
(RAMS), which has as its objectives those listed above for GIS
management support systems. A major element of
implementing RAMS is developing regional data bases that
can be used by multiple EPA programs. Specific applications
that have been developed or are planned by Region IV are the
following:
Environmental priorities initiative, in which RCRA
sites are identified and ranked for inclusion on the
Superf und National Priorities List
Superfund site evaluation
Drinking water vulnerability
Prioritization of RCRA sites for inspection and
enforcement
Construction grant evaluation (planned)
Assess adequacy of air monitoring network, identify air
pollution sources, and analyze ambient air quality
trends (planned)
IV-11
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EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
GIS at EPA Regions
and Other Laboratories
REGION I
Address:
Organizational Structure:
Primary GIS Contact:
GIS Team:
GIS Applications:
EPA, Region I
JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
Planning and Management Division
FTS: 835-3355 (617)565-3355 EMAIL: EPA9111
Michael MacDougall
Chief, Information Management Branch
FTS: 835-3382 (617) 565-3382 EMAIL: EPA9125
Greg Charest, GIS Applications Manager
FTS: 835-3358 EMAIL: EPA9199
Pat Ausman, GIS Technical Manager
FTS: 835-3385 EMAIL: EPA9196
Deb Cohen, GIS Operations Team Leader
FTS: 835-3659
Marcy Berbrick, GIS Analyst
FTS: 835-2098
Kathy Livingston, GIS Analyst
FTS: 835-3385
Ground water protection
Radon risk assessment
Mapping project for Quincy Bay
Ozone monitoring
Superfund site support
rv-12
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EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
REGION III
Address:
Organizational Structure:
Primary GIS Contact:
GISTeam:
GIS Applications:
EPA, Region III
Information Resources Management Branch
Mail Code 3PM53
841 Chestnut Building
Philadelphia, PA 19107
William T. Wisniewski
Assistant Regional Administrator for Policy and Management
FTS: 597-3654 (215) 597-3654 Mail Code: 3PMOO
EMAIL Box: EPA9330 (W.WISNIEWSKI)
A. Joseph Hamilton
Chief, Information Resources Management Branch
FTS: 597-8046 (215) 597-8046 Mail Code: 3PM50
EMAIL Box: EPA9396 (J.HAMILTON)
Ed Kratz
Chief, Information Management and Support Section
FTS: 597-9855 (215) 597-9855 Mail Code: 3PM53
EMAIL Box: EPA9395 (E.KRATZ)
Pat Flores, Computer Systems Analyst
FTS: 597-9965 EMAIL: REG3.GIS
Doug Freehafer, Computer Specialist (CSC)
FTS: 597-7864 EMAIL: REG3.GIS
David West, Computer Specialist (CSC)
FTS: 597-9965 EMAIL: REG3.GIS
Ground water protection
Radon evaluation
Wetlands protection (planned)
IV-13
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EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
REGION V
Address:
Organizational Structure:
Primary GIS Contact:
GIS Team:
EPA, Region V
Mail Code 5SMQA
536 South Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60605
William H. Sanders III
Director, Environmental Services Division
FTS: 353-3808 (312)353-3808 EMAIL: EPA9581
Noel Kohl
Chief, Geographic Information Systems Management Office
FTS: 886-6224 EMAIL: EPA9584
John Anagnost, Environmental Engineer
FTS: 886-0143 EMAIL: EPA9564
Barry Bolka, Environmental Engineer
FTS: 886-6227 EMAIL: EPA9584
Barry Manne, Geologist
FTS: 353-3546 EMAIL: EPA9518
Bill Melville, Environmental Engineer
FTS: 886-1504 EMAIL: EPA9563
John Schneider, Environmental Scientist
FTS: 886-0880 EMAIL: EPA9584
REGION VII
Address:
Organizational Structure:
EPA, Region VII
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
Susan C. Gordon
Assistant Regional Administrator for Policy and Management
FTS: 757-2819 (913)236-2819 EMAIL: EPA9702
B. Katherine Biggs
Chief, Environmental Review Branch
FTS: 757-2823 (913) 236-2823 EMAIL: EPA9725
IV-14
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Section IV
Rotes and Responsibilities
Primary GIS Contact:
GIS Team:
GIS Applications:
R. Lynn Kring
Chief, Integrated Environmental Analysis Section
FTS: 757-2823 (913) 236-2823 EMAIL: EPA9792
Walt Foster
Vickie Hale
Dominique Lueckenhoff
Paul Schwaab
FTS: 757-2823
FTS: 757-2823
FTS: 757-2823
EMAIL: EPA9756
EMAIL: EPA9755
EMAIL: EPA9724
EMAIL: EPA9719
Non-point source pollution analysis
Emergency response to hazardous spills
Ground water protection
Prioritization of RCRA sites
Wetlands protection (planned)
REGION VIII
Address:
Organizational Structure:
Primary GIS Contact:
EPA, Region VIII
ESD Mail Code (8ES-ES)
999 18th Street
Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2405
James B. Lehr
Director, Environmental Services Division
FTS: 776-5061 (303) 236-5061 EMAIL: EPA9880
Mail Code: 8ES
Marshall L. Payne
Chief, Environmental Surveillance Branch
FTS: 776-5064 (303)236-5064 EMAIL: EPA9881
Mail Code: 8ES-ES
Larry Svoboda
Chief, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Section
FTS: 776-5102 (303)236-5102 EMAIL: EPA9852
Mail Code: 8ES-ES
IV-15
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EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
GIS Team:
GIS Applications:
Larry Svoboda, GIS Manager
FTS: 776-5102 EMAIL: EPA9852
Detail (Vacant), Team Leader
FTS: 776-5097 EMAIL: EPA9881
Dick Sotiros, General Engineer
FTS: 776-7086 EMAIL: EPA9881
Bill Monson, Statistician-Trainee
FTS: 776-5108 EMAIL: EPA9881
Gabe Lucisano, GIS Analyst
FTS: 776-4606 EMAIL: EPA9881
LuAnn Ehlers, GIS Data Entry Clerk
FTS: 776-7414 EMAIL: EPA9881
Surface water quality assessment
Air pollution exposure assessment
Ground water protection
Superfund site evaluation
REGION X
Address:
Organizational Structure:
Primary GIS Contact:
EPA, Region X
Environmental Services Division (ES-097)
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Robert Courson
Director, Environmental Services Division
FTS: 399-0404 (206) 442-0404 EMAIL: EPA9050
Mail Code: ES-096
Ben Eusebio
Chief, Ambient Monitoring and Analysis Branch
FTS: 399-1106 (206) 442-1106 EMAIL: EPA9050
Mail Code: ES-097
Ray Peterson
Chief, Geographic Information Section
FTS: 399-1682 (206) 442-1682 EMAIL: EPA9092
Mail Code: ES-097
IV-16
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EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
GISTeam:
Bill Bogue, Environmental Scientist
FTS: 399-1676
Matt Gubitosa, Environmental Scientist
FTS: 399-4059
CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM
Address:
Organizational Structure:
GIS Team:
Primary GIS Contact:
GIS Applications:
Chesapeake Bay Program
Annapolis City Marina
410 Severn Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21403
Dr. Alvin Morris
Director, Region III Water Division
FTS: 597-9410 (215) 597-9410 EMAIL: EPA9360
Charles S. Spooner
Director, Chesapeake Bay Program
FTS: 922-2285 (301)266-6873 EMAIL: EPA9363
Lacy Nasteff, Site Manager
FTS: 922-2285 EMAIL: EPA3663
Lowell Banner, Technical Director
FTS: 922-2285 EMAIL: EPA3938
Rick Price, Senior Computer Specialist
FTS: 922-2285
Lynda Liptrap, Senior Computer Specialist
FTS: 922-2285
Melanie Rippon, Programmer
FTS: 922-2285
Danny Elliott, Programmer
FTS: 922-2285
Non-point source pollution analysis
Living resources analysis
Water quality monitoring
IV-17
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EPA
Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY - CORVALLIS
Address:
Organizational Structure:
ERL-C
200 SW 35th Street
Corvallis, OR 97333
Thomas A. Murphy
Laboratory Director
FTS: 420-4601 (503) 757-4601 EMAIL: EPA8420
Robert T. Lackey
Chief, Terrestrial Branch
FTS: 420-4634 (503) 757-4634 EMAIL: EPA8429
Bill A. Williams
Chief (acting), Ecotoxicology Branch
FTS: 420-4679 (503)757-4679 EMAIL: EPA8421
Gary Smith
Director, Computer Center
FTS: 420-4677 (503) 757-4677 EMAIL: EPA3697
Bill Tiffany
ADP Coordinator
FTS: 420-4713 (503)757-4713 EMAIL: EPA8423
GIS Team: Primary GIS Contact
GIS Applications:
Denis White
Andrew Herstrom
William Campbell
Scott Leibowitz
Danny Marks
FTS: 420-4666
FTS: 420-4666
FTS: 420-4666
FTS: 420-4666
FTS: 460-4658
EMAIL: EPA8427
EMAIL: EPA8428
EMAIL: EPA8421
EMAIL: EPA8421
EMAIL: EPA8429
Regional geography and ecoregion analysis
Direct/Delayed Response Project Acidic deposition
Surface water quality assessment
National Lakes and Streams Survey Characterize the
chemical status of lakes and streams
Ground water protection
Infer historical water quality through paleoecology research
IV-18
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Section IV
EPA
Roles and Responsibilities
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY - DULUTH (ERL-D)
and EPA LARGE LAKES RESEARCH STATION - GROSSE ILE (LLRS)
Address: ERL-D
6201 Congdon Boulevard
Duluth, MN 55804
LLRS
931 IGroh Road
Grosse He, MI 48138
GIS Team: ERL-D
Bill Sanville, CIS Site Coordinator
FTS: 780-5723 (218) 720-5723 EMAIL: EPA8451
Brad Greenwood, VAX System Manager
FTS: 780-5522 (218) 720-5522 EMAIL: EPA3705
LLRS
Bradley Parks, GIS Coordinator
(313) 675-9413 EMAIL: EPA8453
Stephen Rood, GIS Specialist
(313) 675-9412 EMAIL: EPA8453
GIS Applications: Development of a GIS specializing in Great Lakes issues
Long-term study of dioxins
Mass balance of nutrients and toxic chemicals
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY - ATHENS
Address: ERL-A
College Station Road
Athens, GA 30613
Organizational Structure: Rosemarie C. Russo
Laboratory Director
FTS: 250-3134 (404)546-3134 EMAIL: EPA8430
IV-19
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Section IV
EPA
Roles and Responsibilities
John E. Rogers
Chief, Biology Branch
FTS: 250-3103 (404)546-3103 EMAIL: EPA8431
GIS Team: Lawrence Burns, Research Ecologist
FTS: 250-3501 EMAIL: EPA8431
Chris Phillips, Computer Aide
FTS: 250-3511 EMAIL: EPA8431
Jean Porter, Scientific Systems Specialist
FTS: 250-3468 EMAIL: EPA8431
Doreen Dalesandro, Programmer Analyst
FTS: 250-3250 EMAIL: EPA8431
GIS Applications: Ecological risk assessment, including identification of
species at risk from pesticides and other toxins
Linkage between water quality models and species at risk
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH AND EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT LABORATORY - RTP
Address: AREAL
EPA - AREAL
Mail Drop
RTP, NC 27711
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE MODELING DIVISION
GIS Contacts: Joan Novak (EPA)
FTS: 629-4545 (919) 541-4545 Mail Drop: 80
Terri Birth (CSC)
FTS: 629-1303 (919) 541-1303 Mail Drop: 43
GIS Applications: Atmospheric research and analysis
EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT RESEARCH DIVISION
GIS Contacts: Ed Barrows (NSI)
FTS: 629-2293 (919) 541-2293 Mail Drop: 8
Karl Hermann (NSI)
FTS: 629-4119 (919) 541-4119 Mail Drop: 8
IV-20
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Section IV
Roles and Responsibilities
GIS Applications: Global climate
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP)
OFFICE OF AIR QUALITY PLANNING AND STANDARDS - RTP
Address: OAQPS
EPA - OAQPS
Mail Drop
RTF, NC 27711
GIS Contacts: Terence Fitz Simons
FTS: 629-0889 (919) 541-0889 Mail Drop: 14
Bill Cox
FTS: 629-5563 (919) 541-5563 Mail Drop: 14
GIS Applications: Air quality analysis and planning
RISK REDUCTION ENGINEERING LABORATORY - CINCINNATI
Address: Center Hill Research Laboratory
Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
5995 Center Hill Road
Cincinnati, OH 45224
GIS Contact: Phil Cluxton
FTS: 684-7885 (513) 569-7885
GIS Applications: Site characterization of Superfund sites
Map contaminants and related variables for Superfund sites
a
IV-21
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EPA
Section V
Other Technical Support and
Sources of Information for GIS
Implementation
Other Agencies
and Professional
Organizations
U.S. Geological Survey
This section provides the names and missions of agencies
and professional organizations where EPA officials can turn
to keep abreast of the latest in GIS technology and to find out
what developments are taking place in both the private and
public sectors. Additionally, this section informs the reader of
the various sources of GIS information presently available
from within EPA and from outside organizations.
As the lead Federal agency in digital cartography and
other earth science topics, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
is in the forefront of the development and application of
advanced techniques in all aspects of data processing that
relate to GIS. Through the implementation of several
strategies, the USGS has utilized GIS as a cost-effective tool
for its scientists to analyze and interpret data about land,
water and mineral resources. These strategies include:
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
o The formation of a USGS CIS Research Laboratory in
Reston, Virginia;
o An emphasis on multidivisional cooperation and sharing
of resources and knowledge; and
o The consolidation of selected GIS equipment and
software into shared, interdisciplinary USGS laboratories
both in Reston and at various field locations.
Presently, four USGS divisions are actively involved in
GIS activities:
The Information Systems Division (ISD) is working with
and assessing the following: advanced computer hardware
capabilities such as optical disks and concurrent processors;
GIS applications using existing microcomputer technology; an
Earth Science Information Network to link a series of
information data bases with a number of public contact
points; an Earth Science Data Directory to provide online
access to USGS's central repository of detailed information
about earth science data; and the feasibility of combining
artificial intelligence with existing GIS technology.
The Geologic Division (GD) is using GIS capabilities for
geologic/geographic information management, manipulation,
and display of thematic data. The GIS capabilities employed
include gridding, contouring, feature extraction, overlay,
linking of locations to attribute data, and data display using
both raster and vector presentations.
The Water Resources Division (WRD) is the largest user
of GIS in the USGS. WRD has installed GIS hardware and
software in 24 locations across the U.S. and has linked all their
facilities with an Earth Science Distributed Information
System called GEONET. WRD applications include analysis
and production of the National Water Summary; boundary
mapping for irrigation water rights; support of ground water
modeling studies; and analysis of aquifer and water use
databases.
The National Mapping Division (NMD) conducts basic
and applied research to develop advanced techniques for
V-2
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
spatial data analysis, manipulation, and display. Research in
GIS technology is being conducted in spatial database design,
modeling of cartographic entities and objects, implementation
of prototype spatial operators, development of a standard
exchange format for geographic data, evaluation of existing
GIS technology and development of an advanced vector data
interface.
Questions about GIS at the U.S. Geological Survey may be
addressed to Joel Morrison, Assistant Division Chief, Office of
Research, USGS, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA
22092, telephone (703) 648-4639.
A new National Center for Geographic Information and
Analysis (NCGIA) has been established by a grant from the
National Science Foundation (NSF) to accomplish
fundamental research on geographic information and
analysis. The NSF grant, awarded to a three-member
consortium comprised of the University of California at Santa
Barbara, the University of Maine at Orono, and the State
University of New York at Buffalo, provides funding for the
Center's first five years, with further funding to be
determined by a third-year review. The Center is located at
UC - Santa Barbara.
To accomplish its geographic information and analysis
research goals, the Center will address problems best solved
by teams of scientists from different disciplines as opposed to
individual researchers working under separate research
awards. The Center therefore provides a focal point for GIS
research that has to date been widely scattered among the
various disciplines. For instance, the Center will enable
researchers from a variety of social and natural science fields
to work together with engineers on specific problems
associated with the development and use of GIS. The
research and development facilities of the Center will
ultimately enable GIS data users to pursue more effective
solutions to "real world" problems.
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Section V
SB EPA
Sources of Information
NCGIA will initiate twelve research projects, all involving
participation of experts from at least two of the consortium
universities. The Center encourages active participation in
these projects by members of public agencies, the private
sector and other universities. Several of the research
initiatives include:
Development of better ways to evaluate the accuracy of
databases;
Assessing the ways errors are introduced into databases
by the process of gathering information on social and
physical phenomena, and to develop statistical and
visual guides to indicate uncertainty; and
Identifying fundamental spatial concepts that underlie
cognition and language and to find ways to represent
those concepts in formal mathematical/logical models.
Additionally, NCGIA will serve as a database
clearinghouse for databases of interest to government and
industry as well as to researchers. Addressing educational
issues such as upgrading the quality of GIS instruction at
educational institutions will be another of the Center's
functions as well.
Questions about NCGIA may be addressed to Barbara P.
Buttenfield or David M. Mark, Department of Geography,
SUNY at Buffalo, Amherst, NY 14260, telephone (716) 636-
2283.
V-4
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
Following is a list of GIS-oriented professional organiza-
tions and their regular publications:
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping is
composed of 12,000 members in three organizations:
American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS),
American Cartographic Association (ACA), and National
Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). ACSM is
committed to the advancement of the profession of surveying,
mapping and land information. ACSM, 210 Little Falls Street,
Falls Church, VA 22046, telephone (703) 241-2446.
ACSM has local chapters.
Dues:
$105.00 regular membership
$ 80.00 associate membership
Periodicals:
The American Cartographer
published quarterly
subscription included in membership dues for ACA
members
$65.00 domestic non-members
$75.00 foreign non-members
Surveying and Mapping
published quarterly
subscription included in membership dues for AAGS &
NSPS members
$65.00 domestic non-members
$75.00 foreign non-members
ACSM Bulletin
published bimonthly
subscription included in membership dues
$55.00 domestic non-members
$65.00 foreign non-members
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Sources of Information
ASPRS American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote
Sensing, which serves over 7500 members, is devoted to the
exchange of ideas and information about applying the art,
science, and technology of photogrammetry, remote sensing,
and geographic information systems. ASPRS, 210 Little Falls
Street, Falls Church, VA 22046, telephone (703) 534-6617.
ASPRS has local chapters.
Dues:
$45.00 regular membership
$55.00 international membership
Periodicals:
Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing
published monthly
subscription included in membership dues
$100.00 domestic non-members
$165.00 foreign airmail
AAG Association of American Geographers is a scholarly
organization with 5,800 members founded to advance
professional studies in geography and to encourage the
application of geographic research in education, government
and business. AAG, 1710 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington,
DC 20009, telephone (202) 234-1450.
AAG has local chapters.
Dues:
$70.00 regular membership
$80.00 foreign membership
Periodicals:
Annals of the Association of American Geographers
published quarterly
subscription included in membership dues
$50.00 domestic non-members
$60.00 foreign non-members
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
The Professional Geographer
published quarterly
subscription included in membership dues
$40.00 domestic non-members
$50.00 foreign non-members
AAG Newsletter
published 10 times per year
subscription included in membership dues
not available to non-members
In addition, the AAG supports a GIS Specialty Group that
further disseminates GIS information among its members.
URISA Urban and Regional Information Systems Association is
a multidisciplinary educational/professional organization of
1800 individuals concerned with the effective use of informa-
tion systems technology at the local, regional, state/provin-
cial, and federal levels of government. URISA, 319 C Street
SE, Washington, DC 20003, telephone (202) 543-7141.
URISA has local chapters.
Dues:
$65.00 regular membership
$40.00 associate membership
$50.00 subscriber
Periodicals:
URISA Conference Proceedings
published annually
subscription with regular membership and subscribers
URISA Newsletter
subscription with regular and associate membership
Journal of the URISA
subscription with regular membership and subscribers
V-7
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SIS EPA
Section V
Sources of Information
IGU
International Geographical Union
Dr. Duane F. Marble, Chairman
IGU Commission on Geographical Data Sensing and
Processing
Department of Geography
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210
(614) 292-2250
Dr. Marble is head of the USA commission dealing with
GIS. The IGU is a union of various country's scientific
communities dealing with geographical data.
The IGU Commission of Geographical Data Sensing and
Processing publishes abstracts of papers presented at their
international conferences. The conferences are held every
four years with the next scheduled for August 1992 in
Washington, D.C.
Information Sources
EPA GIS
Publications
A list of EPA GIS publications is presented below:
Emerging Technologies (ET) Bulletin - a management-
oriented bulletin that provides a forum for identifying and
discussing emerging technologies within EPA including GIS,
Expert Systems/Artificial Intelligence, Optical Storage, and
V-8
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
Telecommunications. The bulletin is intended to share
information with EPA, states, and others concerned with the
application of information resources management concepts
and technologies to environmental administration and
problem solving. OIRM plans to produce and distribute the
Emerging Technologies Bulletin on a quarterly basis in Fiscal
Year 1989.
Geographic Information Systems Guidelines Document
discusses current and potential EPA and State GIS
applications and summarizes the management and technical
issues related to the use of GIS.
GIS Management Study: Evaluation of Currently
Installed GIS - a series of case studies of EPA and State GIS
applications. Topics include project descriptions and history,
applications, spatial environmental data used, GIS hardware
and software, and critical success factors and pitfalls to avoid.
Case Studies ofEPA's Implementation of GIS a follow-
up to Evaluation of Currently Installed GIS. In addition to
documenting four additional EPA GIS sites, five sites visited
for the previous study were revisited for this report. The
report presents a new picture of GIS at these sites, since many
changes have occurred since the initial visit. This study
identifies management, technical, staffing and other "lessons-
learned" from implementing GIS programs.
GIS Management Study: Summary of Geographic Data
Sources a report that presents summary information on
specific data sources available to EPA which can be used as
"baseline data sets" for GIS applications.
EPA Training Recommendations for GIS
recommendations for the Agency's long term GIS training
needs. Based on these recommendations, EPA will consider
developing new GIS training courses. These
recommendations also reflect and communicate to the vendor
of ARC/INFO consensus views on needed modifications to
ARC/INFO training at EPA.
V-9
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SB EPA
Section V
Sources of Information
GIS Support for an Oregon Statewide Clean Water
Strategy a national GIS pilot co-sponsored by OIRM and
the Office of Policy Planning Evaluation (OPPE) with active
participation by the Office of Water, EPA's Environmental
Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon and Oregon's
Departments of Environmental Quality and Energy. This
pilot demonstrates the use of GIS in support of the Office of
Water's Statewide Clean Water Strategy initiative and the
EPA/State Data Management Program. It also demonstrates
the use of GIS as a management decision-support tool for
setting priorities on environmental policies, programs, and
resource allocations.
Professional Journals
and Books
Following is a list of GIS references. The references
encompass subject matter ranging from introductory to
complex:
Burrough, P.A. 1986, Principles of Geographical Information
Systems for Land Resources Assessment, Claredon Press,
Oxford.
This book describes and explains the principles of GIS that
are important for most applications in environmental and
natural resource inventory and analysis. Major components
of GIS are described including:
o Raster and vector data structures
o Modules for data input, verification, storage, and output
o Digital terrain models
o Methods of spatial analysis and modeling
o Methods of classification and interpolation
V-10
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Section V
SB EPA
Sources of Information
Geographic Information Systems Workshop: Proceedings of
GIS '86 - Atlanta, the First International Conference,
Exhibition and Workshops on Geographic Information
Systems, Atlanta, GA, April, 1986. Sponsored by the
American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.
GIS '87 - San Francisco: Proceedings of the Second Annual
International Conference, Exhibition and Workshops on
Geographic Information Systems, San Francisco, CA, October,
1987. Sponsored by the American Society for
Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and the American
Congress on Surveying and Mapping.
GIS/LIS '88 - San Antonio: Proceedings of the Third Annual
International Conference, Exhibition and Workshops on
Geographic Information Systems, San Antonio, TX,
November/December, 1988. Sponsored by the American
Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, the
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, the
Association of American Geographers, and the Urban and
Regional Information Systems Association.
Proceedings of the three International Conferences
dedicated to GIS technology, management, and application.
Topics discussed range in complexity from basic to elaborate.
Examples of topics included in the proceedings include:
GIS '86
o GIS data input
o System design and implementation
o Use of microcomputers in GIS
GIS '87
o The Administrative Hurdle Making Clear the
Value of GIS
o Data Sharing and File Transfer Issues
o Funding Strategies and Cost Scheduling
o Cartographies ~ Making Maps from Geographic
Information
V-ll
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Section V
SIS EPA
Sources of Information
GIS/LIS '88
o Project Management
o Database Development
o Federal Coordination Perspective on GIS
o Economic Assessment
Geographic Information Systems: Volume 3 of the 1986
ACSM-ASPRS Annual Convention Proceedings, Washington,
D.C.
GIS/LIS: Volume 5 of the 1987 ASPRS-ACSM Annual
Convention Proceedings, Baltimore, MD.
GIS: Volume 5 of the 1988 ASPRS-ACSM Annual Convention
Proceedings, St. Louis, MO.
GIS volumes from the proceedings of the latest ASPRS-
ACSM Annual Conventions. Presented together, the three
volumes give a good overview on how to use GIS for nearly
any project. Topics include:
o Geographic Information System Technology as a Tool for
Groundwater Management
o Rapid Geobased Registration of Digital Cartographic and
Landsat Data for Enhanced Information Extraction
o Landsat Data Processing and GIS for Regional Water
Resources Management in Northeast Florida
o Development of a Microcomputer-Based Mapping
Program for the Statewide Michigan Resource
Information System
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
International Journal of Geographical Information Systems,
edited by J.T. Coppock and E.K. Anderson, Taylor and Francis
Ltd., New York, London, Philadelphia.
A new journal dedicated to GIS technology and its wide-
ranging applications. The journal targets a reasonably sophis-
ticated readership, although the style and language is quite
accessible to the less informed. Examples of recent articles in-
clude:
o Requirements and principles for the implementation and
construction of large-scale GIS
o Performance evaluation and work-load estimation for
GIS
Marble, D.F., H.W. Calkins, and D.J. Peuquet 1984, Basic
Readings in Geographic Information Systems, SPAD Systems,
Ltd.,Williamsville,NY.
A fairly "academic" treatment of GIS introducing basic
GIS concepts and continuing with increasing complex
technical aspects of the technology. Subjects addressed
include:
o The Nature of GIS
o System Descriptions (Including ARC/INFO)
o Data Capture Operations
o Data Analysis and Management
o Cartographic Output
The New World of Geographic Information Systems - Video,
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, 45 minutes,
1/2" VHS format, 1988.
V-13
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
Taped at the November GIS '87 meeting in San Francisco,
this video contains interviews with leaders in the CIS field.
Topics include:
o Introduction to CIS Technology
o Demonstrations of System Capabilities
o Demonstrations of Software and Hardware
o Case Study of the Implementation of a GIS
o Applications for Natural Resource Management and
Municipal Planning
o How to Develop a Data Base
o Where and How to Obtain Already-Digitized Mapping
Data
Opitz, B.K. 1986, Geographic Information Systems in
Government, Volume 1, A. DEEPAK Publishing, Hampton,
VA.
Proceedings of a conference hosted by the U.S. Army
Engineer Topographic Laboratories in December 1985. As
indicated by the title, the proceedings highlight GIS
development and applications efforts in the U.S. Government.
Topics include:
o Micro-based GIS
o User Requirements
o Military Applications
o Land Use Planning and Resource Management
Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing: Special
GIS Issue, Journal of the American Society for
Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Falls Church, VA,
Volume LIH, Number 10, October 1987.
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing: Special
GIS Issue, Journal of the American Society for
Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Falls Church, VA,
Volume LIV, Number 11, November 1988.
Two excellent applications-oriented journal issues
focusing on GIS. A wide variety of topics are included:
o Design of Geographic Information Systems Based on
Social and Cultural Goals
o Natural Resource Modeling in the Geographic
Information System Environment
o Requirements for a Database Management System for a
GIS
o Expert Systems and Spatial Data Models for Efficient
Geographic Data Handling
o Geographic Information Systems for Cumulative Impact
Assessment
Proceedings of the International Geographic Information
Systems Symposium: The Research Agenda: Symposium
held November, 1987 in Arlington, VA. Sponsored by the
Association of American Geographers. The three-volume set
summarizes the more than 120 papers presented and provides
edited transcripts of the plenary sessions that targeted five
GIS concerns:
o GIS Research Needs: The Federal Agency View
o GIS Research Agenda: The Scientific Community
Perspective
o Trends in Hardware and Software for GIS
o Spatial Analysis and Artificial Intelligence
o GIS Management and Implementation
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Section V
EPA
Sources of Information
Raper, J., ed. Three-Dimensional GIS, Taylor and Francis Ltd.,
New York, London, Philadelphia. Publication July 1989.
As the uses and applications of GIS technology grow,
attention is focusing on three-dimensional systems and the
task of modeling surfaces and structures in three dimensions.
This collection of contributions represents the state-of-the-art
in GIS technology.
Rhind, D., and H. Mounsey, eds. Understanding GIS, Taylor
and Francis Ltd., New York, London, Philadelphia.
Publication October 1989.
The first half of this book is an explanation of
fundamental GIS principles. The remainder consists of
reviews presented by experts in their specialist fields on
subjects such as errors or legalities. It will be a useful book for
geographers and environmental scientists.
Ripple, W.J., ed., 1987. Geographic Information Systems for
Resource Management: A Compendium. American Society for
Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and American
Congress on Surveying and Mapping, Falls Church, VA.
The book introduces the reader to the techniques and
functional capabilities of geographic information systems and
brings together recent information on the use of GIS for a
variety of resource management applications. Included are
articles on land suitability studies, urban studies, water
resources, soil resources, vegetation resources and global
studies. Additionally, there are articles on creating a
computerized spatial data base, the capabilities of computer-
based GIS, as well as a bibliography on applications of GIS.
V-16
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EPA
Section VI
Programs and Activities
GIS Conferences
ESRI USER
CONFERENCE
The ESRI User Conference is important for anyone who
uses ARC/INFO, since it brings together approximately 700
ARC/INFO users from 400 organizations to share ideas and
experiences on using a GIS. The conference is designed to
allow maximum interchange between users and ESRI staff as
well as among users. In addition, ESRI provides
opportunities to attend short courses and view
demonstrations to learn the "latest" in ARC/INFO and GIS
developments.
Conference Goals
The goals of the ESRI User Conference are:
To share ideas, experiences, and techniques about
ARC/INFO applications;
To provide a supportive learning environment for users
committed to applying the latest ARC/INFO and GIS
technology;
VI-1
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Section VI
EPA
Programs and Activities
To provide a forum for ESRI to share its system
development plans and to solicit needs and ideas from
users; and
To provide an opportunity for users to gain additional
technical knowledge, and thereby more effectively utilize
ESRI software systems.
Conference Activities Experienced ARC/INFO users as well as newcomers to
the field will benefit from the following activities:
Presentation of new software developments at ESRI
Members of the ESRI Software Development Group
demonstrate their latest technical and software
developments.
Poster session Exhibits of technical displays are
available for viewing and discussion.
Presentation of papers Users and ESRI staff present
technical papers on current ARC/INFO and GIS topics.
Among the topics covered are: creating, managing,
manipulating, and integrating data bases; hardware,
software; institutional directions and developments; etc.
Technical seminars and forums - A variety of technical
seminars provide information, training and discussion
concerning the use of GIS technology, e.g., conceptual and
physical GIS data base design, data base principles and
automation, etc.
User Support - ESRI System Development and Support
staff discuss procedures, techniques or any software
problems users may have encountered.
Software demonstrations and terminal "playroom"
ESRI staff demonstrate new software systems and allow
users to "play" with these new tools. Demonstrations
include systems such as the latest version of ARC/INFO,
NETWORK, and TIN.
VI-2
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EPA
Section VI
Programs and Activities
Vendor exhibits and demonstrations Systems vendors
such as Tektronix, Sun, ERDAS, CalComp, and others
provide exhibits, demonstrations and consultations. Users
can learn about and evaluate the latest hardware and
software developments and their costs and performance.
The ESRI User Conference convenes every spring in Palm
Springs, California. For more information, contact User
Conference Coordinator, Environmental Systems Research
Institute, 380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92373, telephone
(714) 793-2853.
GIS/LIS
CONFERENCE
This annual conference, which began with GIS '86 in
Atlanta, is dedicated entirely to GIS/LIS. The conference
examines the multidisciplinary nature of GIS/LIS, and
exposes conference attendees to the latest techniques, uses
and future directions of this technology. Conferences in the
past have explored such themes as:
GIS Management, Utilization, and Technology;
GIS Development and Implementation; and
GIS Applications and Payoffs.
Conference Activities
Both novice and experienced GIS users and implementors
participate in a full week of discussions and presentations by
top GIS professionals and researchers. Activities from past
conferences have included the following:
Technical sessions and forum discussions that have
addressed such issues as:
o GIS/LIS Design, Implementation and Administration;
o Natural Resources Applications;
o Mapping and Modeling;
VI-3
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Section VI
Programs and Activities
o Specification and Integration;
o Funding Strategies; and
o Policy Development.
Workshops that have covered a diverse range of GIS
applications, including:
o Building GIS Databases;
o Spatial Analysis using GIS;
o Introduction to GIS for Local Government; and
o Demonstration and Evaluation of GIS Software on
Advanced Workstations.
Exhibits displayed by private industry and
government agencies that have covered the latest
developments in instrumentation, service and supplies
related to GIS. Exhibitors from past conferences have
included ESRI, Sun Microsystems, Tektronix, and the
Bureau of the Census, among many others.
The GIS/LIS Conference convenes annually in a different
U.S. city in the late fall. For more information, contact
GIS/LIS Conference Coordinator, ACSM, 210 Little Falls St.,
Falls Church, VA 22046, telephone (703) 241-2446.
ASPRS/ACSM The joint convention of the American Society for
CONVENTION Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) and the
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) is
held two times every year at different locations throughout
the U.S. The convention is devoted to the exchange of ideas
and information concerning photogrammetry, remote
sensing, cartography, surveying, and to an ever-increasing
degree, geographic information systems. Since GIS users
have the opportunity to interact with colleagues and experts
from these other related fields, the knowledge obtained by the
GIS user should lead to his better understanding of the future
direction of GIS.
VI-4
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EPA
Section VI
Programs and Activities
Convention Activities
Participants have the opportunity to select from hundreds
of technical presentations offered at each convention. In past
conventions, technical sessions emphasizing GIS technology
included:
GIS Applications in Natural Resource Analysis &
Management;
GIS Design & Development;
GIS Database: A Panel Session; and
Influence of LIS and Land Information Management on
the Assessment Administration and Vice-Versa.
One of the largest exhibitions of equipment and services
ever assembled for the fields of cartography, GIS,
photogrammetry, remote sensing, and surveying takes place
at the ASPRS/ACSM conventions. Exhibitors from both
private industry and government agencies provide
demonstrations of their equipment. Users can learn about
and evaluate the latest hardware and software developments,
and their costs and performance.
The ASPRS/ACSM Conventions are held twice yearly in
the spring and fall. For more information, contact ASPRS, 210
Little Falls St., Falls Church, VA 22046, telephone (703) 534-
6617.
AAG
ANNUAL MEETING
The Association of American Geographers' Annual
Meeting brings together geographers from a wide range of
backgrounds and specializations (i.e., Political Geographers,
Hydrographers, Economic Geographers, Cartographers, etc.)
to attend a group of technical sessions, held trips and events
related to their particular speciality. The GIS Specialty Group
is well-represented at this meeting and offers the GIS user
valuable insights into the design, development, and other
VI-5
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Section VI
D ^ ..
Programs and Activities
issues related to GIS applications.
Meeting Activities Activities from past meetings have included the following:
Technical sessions that have examined such issues as:
o Current Trends and Issues in GIS;
o GIS, Remote Sensing and Error;
o GIS and Computer Cartography;
o GIS and Remote Sensing for Urban and Population
Analysis; and
o Graphic Display and Analysis of Spatial-Temporal
Data.
Workshops that have covered different aspects of GIS
technology and closely related fields:
o GIS - The ARC/INFO Way;
o Digital Processing of Remotely Sensed Data; and
o Artificial Intelligence Applications in Geography.
Site visits that have provided GIS users the opportunity to
see first hand GIS installations at local facilities.
Vendor exhibits that have covered the latest developments
in hardware/software.
The AAG Annual Meeting convenes in the spring at
different cities in the U.S. For more information, contact
Conference Coordinator, AAG, 1710 Sixteenth St., NW,
Washington, DC 20009, telephone (202) 234-1450.
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EPA
Section VI
Programs and Activities
IGIS SYMPOSIUM
The International Geographic Information Systems (IGIS)
Symposium is a relatively new annual conference that is held
in conjunction with the AAG's Annual Meeting. Like the
GIS/LIS Conference, the IGIS Symposium is dedicated
entirely to GIS. Symposiums in the past had a wide variety
of topics related to major global environmental issues, and
were organized around the following themes:
1. The Research Agenda:
GIS Research Needs: Federal Agency View;
GIS Research Agenda: The Scientific Community
Perspective;
Trends in Hardware and Software for GIS;
Spatial Analysis and Artificial Intelligence; and
GIS Management and Implementation.
2. Global Systems Science - An Effective Response to Human
Needs:
Will we have the data systems and technology needed
to deal with global problems?
What is the role of government, academe, and the
private sector in providing the tools to support global
systems science?
Can we create an international infrastructure to
exchange necessary information?
Symposium
Activities
The plenary and technical sessions that addressed these
themes explored many issues, including:
Major global policy issues;
Necessary data systems and identification of gaps in
the data;
Technology trends;
Data collection, storage, manipulation, retrieval,
standards;
Natural resource applications;
Cartographic analysis; and
Models.
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SB EPA
Section VI
Programs and Activities
The IGIS Symposium convenes in the spring with the
AAG Annual Meeting. For more information, contact, E.H.
Pechan & Associates, 5537 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA
22151, telephone (703) 941-4451.
NCGA MAPPING AND
GIS CONFERENCE
The National Computer Graphics Association's Annual
Mapping and GIS Conference convenes separately from
NCGA's popular Annual Computer Graphics Conference,
and is dedicated exclusively for users and producers of GIS,
defense mapping, energy mapping, and utilities and facilities
management technologies. The convention focuses on topics
that address information management and enables
participants to:
Learn from mapping experts in these four inter-related
areas of geographic information technology; and
Help determine cost optimization for a first GIS, or
focus on critical decisions involving multiuser databases.
Conference Activities
Participants have the opportunity to have their questions
about GIS answered by experts from oil companies,
consulting firms, government agencies, universities and major
corporations. Activities from past conferences have included
the following:
Technical sessions that have addressed such issues as:
o GIS - How to Get Started;
o GIS Applications in Resource Management;
o System Evaluation: What to Consider in Selecting A
System for Your Organization; and
o A Forum on Computer Mapping and Location
Problems.
Exhibits of the newest GIS/mapping hardware, software
and services displayed by top GIS/mapping companies.
VI-8
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EPA
Section VI
Programs and Activities
Exhibitors from past conferences have included ESRI,
CalComp, ERDAS Inc. and Tektronix, among many others.
The NCGA Mapping and GIS Conference convenes
annually every fall in a different U.S. city. For more
information, contact NCGA, 2722 Merrliee Drive, Suite 200,
Fairfax, VA 22031, telephone (703) 698-9600 or 1-800-225-
NCGA.
URISA
ANNUAL
CONFERENCE
The Annual Conference of the Urban and Regional
Information Systems Association (URISA) is an excellent
opportunity for professionals in GIS to meet with and learn
from each other. The Conference consists of numerous events
that focus on the effective use of information systems
technology, including GIS, at the local, state, and regional
levels.
Conference Activities
Activities at the URISA conference include the following:
Presentation of papers on current and projected
applications of GIS and other technologies;
Pre-conference workshops on introductory and
advanced topics in geoprocessing, microcomputers, etc.;
Vendor exhibits and demonstrations of computer systems,
third-party databases, and support services; and
Site visits to local public and private facilities using GIS
or other information systems technology.
The URISA conference meets in the late summer at
different cities in the U.S. For more information, contact
URISA, 319 C Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003, telephone
(202)543-7141.
VI-9
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Appendix A
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GIS TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 1-88:
GIS PROJECT PLANNING AND
DATA SET SELECTION
Mason J. Hewitt III and Eric N. Koglin
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
P.O. Box 93478
Las Vegas, Nevada 89193-3478
and
Richard A. Dulaney
Lockheed Engineering and Management Services, Inc.
1050 E. Flamingo Rd., Suite 126
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
Project Officer
Mason J. Hewitt III
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
Las Vegas, Nevada 89193-3478
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEMS LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
P.O.BOX 93478
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89193-3478
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NOTICE
This infornation in this document has been funded wholly or in part by
the U.S. Environnental Protection Agency under contract 68-03-245 to
Lockheed Engineering and Management Services Company, Inc. It has been
subjected to the Agency's peer and administrative review, and it has been
approved for publication as an EPA document.
11
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CONTENTS
Figures
Tables
A Planning Strategy for GIS Projects .................. 1
Introduction ............................ 1
Planning Phase ........................... 2
Define the Objectives ....................... 2
Define Major Decisions and Data Quality Objectives ......... 4
Define the Information Needs .................... 7
Determine Data Availability .................... 9
Decision Point: Are Adequate Data Available? ........... 10
Costs ............................... 12
Implementation Phase ........................ 12
Data Base Design .......................... 13
Data Capture and Automation .................... 13
Review and QA Coverages ...................... 13
Test ................................ 14
Production ............................. 14
Conclusions ............................ 14
References ............................. 15
GIS Data Set Selection ......................... 16
Introduction ............................ 16
Digital Data Types ......................... 18
Digital Line Graph Data .................... 18
Land Use and Land Cover .................... 23
Topography .......................... 25
Census Geography ....................... 28
Demographic Data ....................... 29
Summary .............................. 29
Conclusions ............................ 31
References ............................. 32
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FIGURES
Number Page
1 Flowchart outlining planning and implementation phase 3
2 Data needs versus data sources 8
3 Transportation layer 21
4 Hydrography layer 22
5 Display of artifact boundary between adjacent digital land use
and land cover 1:250,000 quadrangles 26
TABLE
EMTS Digital Data Sources/Costs 19
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A PLANNING STRATEGY FOR GIS PROJECTS
INTRODUCTION
Geographic information system (GIS) technology has emerged as a new and
powerful tool for the analysis of environmental problems in a spatial context.
The need for GIS systems evolved as a means of assembling and analyzing diverse
data pertaining to specific geographical areas with spatial locations of the
data serving as the basis for the information system (Estes, 1986).
In all GIS projects, there is a customer-provider relationship that exists
for the length of the contractual obligation between GIS product consumers and
GIS support centers. Because of the contractual producer-consumer relationship,
there is a special responsibility borne by the GIS support facility to communi-
cate with product users on how the project will proceed from the idea stage to
the deliverable stage. What follows is a synthesis of steps that outline the
process from conceptualization to final product.
What we have outlined is a common-sense approach to project adminstration
which everybody understands, but is seldom stated clearly during project plan-
ning. The intention of this publication is to provide an educational tool
which GIS support facilities may find useful when dealing with their customers.
The intended audience is the consumer and producer of GIS products.
-------
Figure 1 outlines the planning and implementation steps and will be used
to illustrate the process. This paper will focus on the planning phase as
this is the crucial stage in which the customer must communicate their needs.
As will be seen, the process must remain flexible and not be subjected to a
strict protocol. Our attempts to more rigidly define the process are purely to
illustrate the process. We have highlighted the process with reference to a
hypothetical project.
PLANNING PHASE
Define the Objectives
As with any project or experimental design, time spent defining program
objectives clearly and concisely will reduce wasted time and effort. Objec-
tives must be concise and purposeful statements of achievable goals. Often
objectives will address the questions of who, what, and why. It is not ade-
quate to state that the GIS will be used to support the objectives of the pro-
gram or project. To ensure that the collection, archival, manipulation, and
display of spatial data are in concert with the project schedule requires a
concise delineation of how the GIS will support project goals.
It is important to identify the primary impetus for any type of environ-
mental investigation and analysis. In most cases, a local, state, or federal
law exists which mandates actions. Site-specific secondary objectives will
also need to be defined. Project objectives should not necessarily be re-
stricted to the data collection and analysis portion, but should address
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PLANNING
PHASE
DEFINE
DECISIONS
AND DOO'S
1
DEFINE
INFORMATIONAL
NEEDS
1
J
INFORMATION
NOBODY
MAS
DAT* CAPTUKt
AND
AUTOMATION
KEVIEW
AND
QA COVERAGES
PRODUCTION
Figure 1. Flowchart outlining planning and implementation phases.
3
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every conceivable aspect of the project. At the outset of a project, we usually
have minimal information compared to what is required to meet project qoals.
Therefore, the need exists to build in enough flexibility so that, as additional
information is collected, the objectives can be refined. In instances where
little information exists to satisfactorily define project objectives, a pre-
planning data gathering effort may be necessary to help define the objectives.
In most cases, the reason for undertaking a project is to derive a result
which will be used in some decision-making process. The results may also be
used to answer a question which may or may not be part of arriving at a deci-
sion. Regardless, the questions and decisions should be stated up front, as
these are the focal points of the project for which data are collected.
Problem: A local water quality authority is seeking a method to
organize the data related to drinking water source protection. The
authority has been monitoring well and surface water sources for
years and has been archiving the data into a computer system. The
authority believes GIS technology may help it organize its data for
management and decision making. Not having the internal resources
or expertise to develop a GIS capability, the authority approaches
a Federal agency with GIS expertise.
Define Major Decisions and Data Quality Objectives
Identifying .the decisions to be made and questions to be answered are
critical elements in the planning process and ultimately to the success of the
-------
project. This stage in the planning process requires the combined input of the
program management staff as well as those providing the GIS service. The
program staff must be able to communicate their needs (decisions to be made,
questions answered, etc.) to the GIS experts who, in turn, must
determine which needs can be supported by products from the GIS.
Once decisions are defined, the program management staff should attempt
to prioritize the major decision points and determine the quality of data and
information required for each. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses data
quality objectives (DQOs) to address this need. DQOs are statements of the
quality of data a decision maker needs in order to provide a defensible, rational
decision. The DQO process requires that decision makers be involved from the
outset. DQOs are developed using a top-down approach; the initial input and
perspective of the decision maker is critical to the successful development of
DQOs.
In most cases GIS systems are not involved in field data collection, but
rather are used to organize field data in a spatial context to serve as a plat-
form upon which to make a decision. While GIS systems do not generate primary
data, they must be designed to capture and process the best quality primary
data available. Therefore, it is necessary for project managers to carefully
consider DQOs for the GIS data base design phase.
Continuing with the example: The combined efforts of the GIS
experts and the water quality authority staff are directed toward
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outlining the scope of the project. The purpose will be to define
the project objectives and to identify major decisions as follows:
* Are ground water or surface water suoplies at risk from
contamination?
* Should steps be taken to protect sources?
The DQOs are more difficult to define. Determining the quality of
data necessary to reach the above decisions is based upon subjective
and technical elements. For purposes of illustration, we will assume
that no current water quality or supply problems are apparent and
this project has been established to evaluate the effect of urban
growth in the basin. Therefore, the use of best available informa-
tion in lieu of new data acquistion will be considered for the
initial assessment. Feedback between project technical staff and
decision makers will determine if the data are adequate.
Another DQO that must be considered in GIS-related projects is the
spatial fidelity of the data layers. Each data layer needs to have a state-
ment of spatial accuracy assigned which states the degree of spatial accuracy
between the data layer and the real world. This should be considered carefully
by project staff and decision makers. For instance, is an accuracy of +_ 30 m
sufficient to meet the program objectives, or is greater accuracy required?
-------
Define the Information Needs
Once an outline of objectives and decisions are defined, a detailed list
of data and information needs can be compiled. It may be useful to develop a
matrix of needs and sources as outlined in Figure 2. At this point in project
planning, relative costs should not be considered because such consideration
may obstruct or complicate the project objectives. Cost will be given complete
consideration in a later step.
When developing the need/source matrix, it is useful to ask:
* What sort of GIS products are needed to support the objective and
decision requirements?
* What data inputs are necessary to produce the GIS products:
* What is known about the inputs (accuracy, method of collection,
etc.)?
Data of questionable integrity should be eliminated from consideration.
However, what if these are the only data available? The technical staff may
have to use the data until such time that the data are replaced or corrected.
-------
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Determine Data Availability
The GIS staff will serve as a resource for identifying standard data sets
such as the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) digital products. On the
other hand, the consumer staff should be able to find and list the availability
of existing in-house data. The data used to supply the project informational
needs will break down into three categories: information you have; information
someone else has; and information no one has. The distinctive difference
between the categories is the time and cost associated with the acquisition of
each. As shown in Figure 1, at this stage you will be considering only two of
the data categories.
Information Someone Has--
This refers to digital information that is available somewhere. There is
a good deal of digital data available from public as well as orivate sources.
The USGS produces several digital line graph (DIG) products as well as digital
terrain data which are derived from the survey's topographic map series. The
GIS support staff can identify these data sets.
Information You Have
This is information which is on hand, analog or digital, which requires
little cost to archive. This type of data may be tabular or cartographic in
nature. Cartographic data (maps) have an intrinsic spatial relation because of
their reference to an Earth coordinate system. Tabular data are often spatial
in that all environmentally-oriented data are collected at some measureable
place on the planet. Therefore, the collected data may be related spatially to
-------
other data points as well as to other data layers by using an Earth coordinate
system for reference.
Continuing with the example: The project planning staff has identi-
fied several base thematic layers. These layers will be obtained
from the USGS DIG series (information someone has) and will consist
of transportation, hydrography, and political boundaries. In addi-
tion, the water monitoring data collected by the water quality
authority (information you have) will be archived as point data for
each surface and well monitoring site. Because the water quality
authority is concerned with population growth, digital census data
for the area will be acquired.
Decision Point: Are Adequate Data Available?
This is the decision point at which the project staff will compare the
data on hand with the critical decisions defined during the scoping activity.
Project deadlines and data quality objectives should also be reviewed at this
time. The personnel which are responsible for the critical decisions should
be involved in this adequacy review. A set of questions may be framed by
the project staff which will uncover any data gaps. Based on the decisions
required, the deadlines for decisions, and the data quality objectives, are the
data adequate? Can rational, defensible decisions be made based on the data
at hand? Is the data quality such that decisions will stand on these data?
Is there enough time to collect additional data if needed?
10
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This step often requires the collection and display of some of the avail-
able infornation in order to conduct the adequacy review. If the answers
indicate that the present data is not adequate, then the project staff must
consider collecting primary data or exploring additional data sources. This
step may also identify a discreoancy in the amount, type, or frequency of data
collection.
Continuing with the example: A review of the water quality authority-
supplied monitoring data has revealed several problems with data
integrity. This is particularly true of data greater than 5 years
old. Questionable methods were used for analysis with no replication.
In addition, almost all the data (recent and old) have missing or
erroneous monitoring station geocoordinates. It is decided by the
project planning staff that:
* Data older than 5 years is not adequate to meet DQO
standards and will be discarded and,
* The water quality authority will have to undertake an
effort to verify spatial coordinates for all monitoring
stations.
Information No One Has--
The result of the adequacy review may indicate that additional information
is required. This forces the project staff to acquire data no one has;
11
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information uniquely required by the current project. Usually these data are
in analog form and nust be digitized for GIS archival.
Costs
The project definition exercise quickly noves into the cost/benefit stage.
All aspects of the information needs assessment involve a cost which must be
borne by project funding. Information that must be acquired is more expensive
than information on hand. These cost considerations along with quality assur-
ance costs and other costs such as travel, contractor fees, and project manage-
ment costs must be considered in view of the available funding.
Continuing with the example: In analyzing costs compared to desired
products, the planning staff ascertains some unforseen costs involved
with the verification of the monitoring site coordinates. As illus-
trated in Figure 1, the project objectives are revisited and the
decision is made to postpone the acquisition of the census data in
favor of building a base system with DIG data and corrected monitor-
ing locations. In other words, it is more important to have accurate
locations of monitoring sites than to have census data.
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Once the planning phase is complete, the GIS customer is not finished with
overseeing the project. What follows are the steps required to carry the plan
12
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to completion. It is briefly covered here to inform the customer of the steps
that the GIS staff will follow and of the ooints the GIS customer will need to
review progress.
Data Base Design
The results from the planning phase are translated into a data base design
by the GIS staff. The GIS staff will define the data base structure and docu-
ment the file and attribute coding scheme. The resulting data base document
should be reviewed by the customer for completeness and logicality. In addi-
tion, the GIS staff will identify specific data sets and models and will
assemble and archive the required data in accordance with the data base design.
Data Capture and Automation
During this step the GIS staff will acquire the required data. The data
acquisition may involve ordering digital products from public or private
sources or digitizing analog data. This step will also require that data be
standardized in accordance with the data base design and that tabular data be
archived.
Review and QA Coverages
At this point, data will have been organized within the GIS and thematic
coverages may be plotted for review. This is another checkpoint for the GIS
consumer: do the maps conform to the real world? Unfortunately, statistical
13
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verification of thematic naps is in its infancy and is not much help to the
GIS product consumer. The nost reliable method for verifying coverages is to
verify the map in the field and to provide feedback to the GIS support staff.
Test
Testing of the GIS system implies exercising the data base and the carto-
graphic ability of the system to address queries from the consumer. Typically
these queries will be addressed to the GIS staff by the consumer staff. The
consumer staff should compile a list of typical questions that they feel
should be addressed by the GIS system. The GIS staff can then exercise the
system.
Production
The final stage comes when the consumer staff is satisfied with the GIS
comprehensiveness, reliability, and accuracy and the system begins to produce
products to address the questions posed during the initial scoping activity.
CONCLUSIONS
We all know that, in spite of appearances, this process does not flow but
jerks and stumbles and it is not box-like but rather fuzzy. However, the point
we have tried to make is that following a sequence of steps, the GIS staff can
address the needs-7of the consumer in a logical, straight-forward manner.
14
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The goal of environmental monitoring is to learn the state of the bio-
sphere. The function of environmental nonitoring is to feed data into the
decision making process. GIS is a tool that, if properly integrated into the
assessment regime as a decision support system, can link goal to function.
REFERENCES
Estes, J. E. A Perspective on the Use of Geographic Information Systems for
Environmental Protection. In: Geographic Informatio.n Systems for Environ-
mental Protection, The Environmental Research Center, University of Nevada,
Las Vegas, Nevada, January 22-23, 1986.
15
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GIS DATA SET SELECTION
INTRODUCTION
The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 requires the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and improve methods for assessing human
exposure to toxic substances. Field tests of new monitoring equipment or
exposure assessment methods and models are a vital part of EPA's research
agenda. Because physical background data must be collected prior to any field
effort, and because field tests carried out in different cities nake comparisons
between methods difficult, the EPA's Office of Toxic Substances (OTS) instituted
the Environmental Methods Testing Site (EMTS). The objective of the EMTS is
to provide a single, well-characterized site in which to develop, test, and
compare multimedia exposure monitoring methodology.
The mention of trade names or commercial products in this paper is for identi-
fication purposes only and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation
for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or Lockheed Engineering and
Management Services Company, Inc. The views expressed here are solely those of
the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
16
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After a lengthy site selection process, Chattanooga, Tennessee was chosen
as the EMTS. The formal study area is defined as the Chattanooga Standard
Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) which is composed of six counties (three
in Tennessee and three in Georgia) comprising some 21DO-square miles. The
entire SMSA is covered by fifty-four 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles.
Scientists at Lockheed Engineering and Management Services Conpany, Inc.
(LEMSCo) in Las Vegas, Nevada, have developed the EMTS GIS data base on a
Digital Equipment Corporation VAX 11/785 super minicomputer using the ARC/INFO
GIS developed by the Environmental Systems Research Institute in Redlands,
California.
Once the decision was made to utilize GIS technology, a search for perti-
nent data for site characterization was begun. Basic base map data layers in
digital form were the first to be acquired and entered into the GIS. These
basic data were identified as (1) transportation network, (2) hydrography,
(3) political boundaries, (4) land use and land cover, (5) topography, and
(6) census geography.
The EMTS project has afforded a unique opportunity to work with many
different types of digital data and to vigorously exercise ARC/INFO. This
paper describes some observations and recommendations of the LEMSCo scientists
who have been involved in the acquisition, processing, and final incorporation
of the digital data.
17
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DIGITAL DATA TYPES
As GIS technology emerges, the availability of existing digital data for
timely incorporation into the GIS data base becomes an important issue. Several
sources of quality digital data have been identified. The following sections
describe the data utilized in the EMTS GIS data base.
Digital Line Graph Data
The transportation and hydrography data layers for the EMTS GIS data base
were acquired from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the form of Digital
Line Graph (DLG) data. The initial plan called for the acquisition of 1:24,000
scale DLG data, but only 16 of the 54 quadrangles were available. The cost of
these data, along with the cost of the other data types acquired are shown in
Table 1.
Recently, the USGS began marketing 1:100,000 scale DLG data which do pro-
vide complete coverage of the EMTS. The transportation and hydrography layers
of the Chattanooga and Chickamauga 1:100,000 quadrangles were acquired. Small
portions of the study area which were not covered by these two quadrangles were
digitized in-house and added to the data base.
The USGS supplies each 1:100,000 scale DLG in multiple data files depend-
ing on the feature density. The roads and trails and hydrography layers of
the Chattanooga quad were divided into 32 separate files. The railroad and
18
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TABLE 1. EMTS DIGITAL DATA SOURCES/COSTS
Name
Source
Scale
Area!
Coverage
Cost
Digital Line USGS
Graph
Digital Line USGS
Graph
Digital USGS
Elevation
Models
1:24,000 7.5'x7.5' $20 (Boundaries)
$50 (Transportation)
$50 (Hydrography)
1:100,000 30'x30'
$75 (Transportation)
$75 (Hydrography)
1:24,000 7.5'x7.5' $100
Land Use and
Land Cover
(Satellite)
Digital
Land Use and
Land Cover
Census
Block Group
Boundary
File
MapBase
Digital Street
Network
(Modified
GBF/DIME)
SPOT
Image
USGS
Geographic
Data
Technology,
Inc.
ETAK, Inc.
20-meter
resolution
N/A
N/A
N/A
60kmx60km
I°x2°
Census
Urban
Area
Census
Urban
Area
$1600/Scene
$100
$300
$5100
miscellaneous transportation layers were each divided into two separate files. All
data layers for the Chickamauga quad were divided into eight separate files each.
It is imperative the user understand that these separate files must be
edgematched and appended (mapjoined). This is because the current version of
1:100,000 scale DLG's being produced by the USGS have not been tested for edge-
matching. It is also important to note that the attributes associated with the
19
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various DLG features are represented hy an often complex series of minorcodes
and majorcodes. The user will most likely wish to combine codes in a logical
manner in order to simplify the analysis and display of DLG data. LEMSCo
scientists have developed a system of processing DLG data in a largely auto-
mated fashion. This system will be the subject of a forthcoming Technical
Memorandum.
A comparison of the two available scales of DLG data yields useful informa-
tion. It was discovered that 1:100,000 scale DLG data provided many transporta-
tion and hydrography features. Figures 3 and 4 show the two scales of DLG data
for one area (Fairmont 7.5-minute quadrangle) situated at the northern edge of
Chattanooga. It is evident from comparing the transportation network (Figure 3)
that the primary routes and the common roads are nearly as well represented in
the 1:100,000 scale data as in the 1:24,000 scale data. It is also evident
that many more trails are present in the 1:24,000 scale data as are a few more
transmission lines. A comparison of the two hydrography data sets (Figure 4)
reveals that the 1:100,000 scale data represents the major drainage quite well
but has fewer small streams than the 1:24,000 scale data. Also, only one
water body is represented in the 1:100,000 scale data while the 1:24,000 scale
data contain 104 water bodies, all but one of which are less than one hectare
in area.
It is important to note that not only do the 1:24,000 scale DLG data por-
tray a greater number of features, but these data also provide more detailed
attribute information as well. In addition, the 1:24,000 scale DLG data contain
a boundary file which provides political and administrative boundaries. These
data are not available in the smaller scale DLGs.
20
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1:24,000
SCALE
DIG
TRANSPORTATION
LAYER
Pr i mar y or
Secor>dcj-Y
Route
Light Duty
Rood
Troi I
Line
Pipel ine
1:100,000
SCALE
DLG
TRANSPORTATION
LAYER
Pr i mar y or
Seconder y
Rout*
Light Duty
Rood
Trail
Transm i « i on
Line
Pipel ine
Figures 3a and 3b. Transportation layer.
21
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1:24,000
SCALE
DIG
HYDROGRAPHY
LAYER
Sir eoms
Reser voir,
Lok« or
Pond
1:100,000
SCALE
DLG
HYDROGRAPHY
LAYER
Slreoms
R«s«rvo i r,
Loke or
Pond
Figures 4a and 4b. Hydrography layer.
22
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Potential users of DIG data are urged to obtain USGS circulars 895-C and G,
both of which provide detailed discussions of these important sources of digital
spatial data.
Land Use and Land Cover
There were many potential sources of land use and land cover information
available to the EMTS project. Aerial photographs could be interpreted and the
results digitized. Satellite imagery could be acquired and the classified data
incorporated into the data base as vector data. Alternatively, USGS digital
land use/land cover (LULC) data could be obtained and entered directly as
vector data.
Interpreting aerial photos and digitizing the results is an excellent way
of getting up-to-date land use information. However, this method is extremely
expensive, especially for an area as large as the EMTS. Access to a highly-
trained aerial photographic interpretation staff is also required. Although
aerial photographs were obtained for the EMTS project, they have not yet been
interpreted or digitized. A detailed analysis of the Chattanooga urban core
area by LEMSCo photo interpreters may be performed in the near future.
There are many advantages and disadvantages to the use of digital satel-
lite imagery for the production of land use and land cover data. Classifying
satellite imagery can be a very expensive undertaking both in man-hours and
computer time. Furthermore, the relatively poor spatial resolution of such
data can complicate classification in areas having diverse land uses such as
23
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in urbanized regions. The classified satellite data will initially be in a
raster format and must subsequently be converted into vector data for integra-
tion with other data layers. Data will require filtering in order to reduce
to a manageable number the classified land use and land cover polygons incor-
porated into the GIS data base. Also, an ARC/INFO-imposed limitation of 10,000
arcs-per-polygon could easily be reached in the raster to vector conversion of
a large group of cells.
Despite these potential problems, four SPOT-Image satellite images were
acquired. The 20-meter resolution of the SPOT data was considered acceptable
for detailed land use classification in the urban portions of the EMTS study
area. Additionally, the ability of the duplicate sensors aboard SPOT-1 to
obtain simultaneous coverage of neighboring scenes perpendicular to the flight
path allowed same-date coverage of the entire SMSA. Also, SPOT-Inage was able
to shift a few of the scenes to the south, thus allowing complete coverage of
the study area with fewer scenes. LEMSCo digital remote sensing specialists
and GIS analysts will create a land use and land cover layer from the SPOT data
and integrate this information with the existing GIS data base.
To date, the only land use and land cover data that have been fully incor-
porated into the EMTS GIS data base are the USGS LULC digital data in vector
format. Several problems can be identified with the LULC data. The LULC are
compiled from aerial photographs that are typically 10 or more years old and
the minimum mapping units are 4 or 16 hectares depending on the mapping cate-
gory. Also, the data are provided in 1-degree by 2-degree blocks (correspond-
ing to 1:250,000 topographic quadrangles) and commonly, different quadrangles
24
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are compiled from aerial photographs acquired on different dates. For exanple,
the EMTS project required two LULC data files corresponding to the Chattanooga
and Rome 1:250,000 quadrangles. The Chattanooga data file was compiled from
1976 photography while the Rome data file had source photography dated 1973.
When these two data files were incorporated into the GIS and edge matched, many
discontinuities appeared. As shown in Figure 3, some portions of the more
recent source data were classified as residential and agricultural land use
while neighboring areas on the older data were classified as forest land cover.
The different interpretations left an artifact boundary between these classes.
Because the source dates of the imagery for the two quadrangles are only three
years apart, the discrepancies nay simply be a natter of interpreter discretion
as to whether the land was actually residential or forest. Despite these
problems, the USGS digital LULC data represent a very inexpensive, easily
integrated source of land use and land cover information that should not be
overlooked for use in GIS data bases.
Topography
The topographic layer of the EMTS GIS data base is being derived from
USGS 7.5-minute Digital Elevation Models (DEM). These OEMs provide digital
elevation information in the form of regularly spaced (30 meter) elevation-
point grid files. Forty-nine of the fifty-four 7.5-minute quadrangles were
available and have been acquired. To date, only raster processing of the data
has been performed using the ELAS software package, with subsequent conversion
to ARC/INFO polygon format. As with the satellite raster data mentioned above,
conversion from classified raster to vector data must be accomplished before
25
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r.HICKflflRUGfl 1:250.000 OURORRNCI.E
RESIDENTIAL
COMMERCIAL
TRANSPORTATION
OTHER URBAN
^ AGRICULTURE
E2 FOREST
m TRANSITIONAL
3 MILES
E
1 0 1
M l-l 1-1 t-
4 KM
3
Figure 5. Display of artifact boundary between adjacent digital
land use and land cover 1:250,000 quadrangles.
26
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the topographic information can be integrated with other data sets in the EHTS
data base. The physical size of the 7.5-minute OEMs can also pose a severe
problem in data handling and storage. At the latitude of the EMTS, a typical
DEM contains approximately 180,000 elevation points.
DEM data are also available from the USGS in a 1:250,000 scale format.
These data were considered to have too coarse a resolution (1201 rows by 1201
columns per 1:250,000 quadrangle) for the EMTS project. However, the smaller
size data sets (approximately 90,000 ooints per 7.5- by 7.5-minute area) may
provide more manageable digital topographic information.
The new TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network) software recently released
by the Environmental Systems Research Institute may alleviate some of the
problems that are foreseen in dealing with DEM data. TIN is fully integrated
with the rest of ARC/INFO and provides analysis and display of any surface-
value (Z-value) data. TIN is also designed to support specific data sets
having regularly-spaced surface data such as the OEMs. However, much time
must be spent experimenting with this software before OEMs can become part
of the operational EMTS GIS data base.
USGS Circular 895-B describes the DEM data in detail and is recommended
for those users considering the acquisition of digital topographic data.
27
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Census Geography
The ability to display basic demographic data was considered a priority
because the study of human exposure to toxic substances is the basis for the
EflTS. Numerous sources for digital Census geography boundaries are available
on the market. One Census geography layer currently operational in the EMTS
GIS data base is a block group boundary data set derived from an updated
Census GBF/DIME file of the Chattanooga urbanized area. These data were pur-
chased from Geographic Data Technology Inc. (GOT) of. Lyme, New Hampshire, and
contain boundary information for 231 block group polygons.
Also on hand is a modified DIME file purchased from ETAK, Inc. of
Menlo Park, California. This file contains the entire urbanized area street
network (including addresses and some non-street features) in which most of the
network was redigitized from 7.5-minute quadrangles to produce a more accurate
representation of true feature shape. Because they are a modified GBF/DIME
file, the ETAK data permit automated address matching to feature location which
should prove useful for the EMTS project. Census geography resolved to the
block level may be obtained from this network. However, initial attempts to
derive the needed census boundary information from the ETAK data were hampered
by coding errors in the data and ARC/INFO version 3.2 software problems.
Therefore, the more generalized GOT data were purchased as an inexpensive,
interim Census boundary data layer.
28
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Demographic Data
Census demographic data, like Census boundary data, are available from a
number of private vendors. Many of these vendors pnhance the original Census
data by providing small-area, current-year population estimates, as well as
future projections. These estimates and projections have been deemed necessary
for the accurate assessment of current and future populations at risk.
Demographic data for the entire Chattanooga SMSA have been obtained from
Donnelley Marketing Information Services. These data contain detailed age-sex-
race population data as well as some income and household information for the
Census years 1970 and 1980. These data also provide 1986 estimates and 1991
projections and all data are resolved to the block group level of Census
geography.
Also obtained from the Census Bureau is a special EPA tabulation of the
Urban Transportation Planning Package (UTPP). The UTPP contains data on
workers by place of work and by place of residence along with data on length
of commute and mode of transportation. These data will be used to characterize
the general movement of population during typical work days and should prove
useful for exposure assessment studies taking place within the EMTS.
SUMMARY
LEMSCo is attempting to build a high quality CIS data base in the shortest
time possible to allow EPA and other researchers timely access to needed infor-
mation. This has dictated a heavy reliance on existing digital data. Based on
29
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LEMSCo's past experiences with these data, several recommendations and observa-
tions can be summarized here regarding data for large-area analyses.
Project planners must be aware of the possibly long time lag between
receipt and operational implementation of digital data. DIG data are a good
example of this. As mentioned earlier, considerable time was spent in the
appending of the 1:100,000 scale data and the associating of attributes. One
must also be aware of the variation in detail provided by the different scale
DIG data. The high cost associated with obtaining large numbers of quadrangles
of 1:24,000 scale DIG data may outweigh the added detail provided. Given the
detail available from the 1:100,000 DLG's, project goals may well be met with
these much less expensive, smaller scale data.
The problems involved with obtaining, classifying, and incorporating land
use and land cover data are also of concern. Satellite data are expensive to
store, analyze, and convert from raster to vector format. For example, the
four SPOT images obtained to cover the EMTS contain a combined total of
approximately 38,000,000 pixels.
Digital land use and land cover data produced by the USGS present some
problems when trying to integrate more than one 1:250,000 quadrangle of data.
Although this data source does not provide up-to-date land uses, it does repre-
sent an inexpensive alternative.
Sources of digital topographic data such as the 7.5-m'nute OEMs, like
satellite data, present problems with data storage and handling. However,
30
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smaller scale data in the form of 1:250,000 OEMs nay provide a less cumber-
some data set. As with the DIG data, the benefits of greater detail versus
substantially higher costs must be carefully weighed.
When integrating Census boundaries and demographic data, one must be
aware of the resolution required. If one only requires general information
about an area's population, then boundary data to the Census tract level may
be all that is needed. Demographic data resolved to this level will also be
quite less expensive than that to the block or block group. Also, when order-
ing boundary and demographic data, make sure they are resolved to the same
geographic level. Boundary data at the block level are of no use when the
available demographic data are only resolved to the tract or block group.
CONCLUSION
The initial function of the EMTS 6IS data base was to characterize the
Chattanooga SMSA, thus allowing researchers to develop and test new exposure
monitoring techniques while minimizing the time and cost of background data
collection. The development of a 6IS data base that will be useful to a
myriad of undetermined projects has been difficult but challenging. Many
lessons have been learned about digital data availability, cost and
complexity.
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REFERENCES
Allder, W. R., and A. A. Elassal. Digital Line Graphs From l:24,000-Scale
Maps, USGS Circular 895-C. 1983.
Allder, W. R., Sziede, A. J., McEwen, R. B., and F. J. Beck. Digital Line
Graph Attribute Coding Standards, USGS Circular 895-G. 1983.
Elassal, A. A., and V. M. Caruso. Digital Elevation Models, USGS Circular
895-B. 1983.
Fegeas, R., Claire, R., Guptill, S., Anderson, K. E., and C. Hallams. Land Use
and Land Cover Digital Data, USGS Circular 895-E. 1983.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
GLNPO Library Collection (PL-12J)
77 West Jackson Boulevard,
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
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