Esri Federal User Conference Proceedings 2008

The 2008 Esri Federal User Conference Proceedings is a compilation of professional abstracts and presentations delivered Febuary 20–22, 2008, in Washington, D.C. Esri users played a fundamental role in the conference by presenting information on a diverse collection of GIS applications.

Paper Sessions

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Defense

Situational Awareness and Decision Support (DEF)

Situational Awareness and Decision Support

—Hank Grabowski, Applied Defense Solutions

The ability of modern GIS tools to allow the fusion of disparate data types into a 3D common operational picture allows an unprecedented level of situational awareness. By deploying these technologies within a streamlined operator specific user interface, the Command, Control, Coordination, Communication, Visualization, and Analysis (C4VAS) system gives the operators at the Nevada Test Site�s Operation�s Control Center (OCC) the real time asset tracking and data fusion they need. This 24x7 operational client/server system fuses ground-based enterprise-wide GIS data with aircraft, ground vehicle and personnel tracking while also providing real time analysis and early warning tools to facilitate the operators in maintaining situational awareness at the site. Leveraging these technologies allows the OCC operators to more effectively coordinate resources, conduct threat assessment and make overall more informed decisions within the real time operational environment.

Information Sharing within the Federal Government

—David McKinley, SPAWAR

Currently, NORAD-USNORTHCOM uses SAGE in order to view NORAD-USNORTHCOM�s (N-NC) Geospatial Data internally and TRITON to share N-NC�s geospatial data externally. In addition, N-NC is working very closely with DHS to share data using DHS� Integrated Common Analytical Viewer (iCAV) with DHS� mission partners. SAGE is a geospatial enterprise that delivers Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data and information to NORAD and USNORTHCOM knowledge workers through either a web interface (two dimensional) or ArcGIS Explorer. It also provides data through a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) available over the unclassified network. TRITON is the unclassified web-based User Defined Operational Picture. It is a web-based portal that includes Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) data, Army Corps of Engineers Public Works data, track data from N-NC, Real Property Information database, a public works database by base/installation, and many other data layers. iCAV is a geospatial-intelligence analytic tool that allows DHS and its mission partners to better prepare, prevent, respond and recover from natural and man-made disasters. It unites Homeland Security mission partners through an integrated geographic information system Services Oriented Architecture for web-based dissemination, analysis and visualization. Through iCAV, DHS connects previously stove-piped systems providing consistent, mission-specific common operating pictures across organizational boundaries.

SAGE, TRITON and iCAV use Esri server software. This will allow all commands to manage the GIS data it shares internally and externally. One of the key components of SAGE is the Web Feature Service (WFS) and the Web Mapping Service (WMS) that is available to other systems. The WFS and WMS provide GIS layers to other Internet Mapping Servers such as TRITON and iCAV. Important for USNORTHCOM DSCA missions is the capability to share with other federal agencies and external mission partners. It is accessible via the NIPRNET or from the Internet (at home) so USNORTHCOM can use it to share GIS products and tracks with civilian mission partners.

Leveraging the Air Force Portal (DEF)

Web Editing with ArcGIS Server�Air Combat Command
View Presentation [PDF]

—Jamie Christensen, WorldView Solutions

As additional functionality becomes available in the Air Force�s Air Combat Command Enterprise GIS and users demand broader access to tools and current data, the need for centralized data editing tools has increased. Using ArcGIS Server 9.2, the Air Combat Command has addressed this need by deploying a mapping web site that provides robust geodatabase editing tools. These tools provide authenticated access to versioned data over the Air Force portal, allowing users to securely edit Command GIS data from anywhere in the world. Application administration is managed in ArcGIS Desktop, where versioning, data access, and other protocols are established in ArcMap and ArcCatalog.

A Better Way to Evaluate Aerial Obstruction: Integrating GeoBase Data into Air Force Terminal Instrument Procedure Reviews
View Presentation [PDF]

—Brian Dye, GeoBase Analyst

Aircraft on instrument landing approaches are vulnerable to collisions with aerial obstructions, and it is the Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC) A3AO office�s responsibility to evaluate potential obstructions and update published terminal instrument procedures (TERPs) that ACC pilots must follow. Evaluating potential aerial obstructions has been a cumbersome task for the TERPs office, often times requiring the use of multiple data sources to verify the location, ground elevation and type of obstruction to determine if it affects a landing approach.

By modifying business practices, the ACC TERPs office is now utilizing the ACC GeoBase office�s ArcIMS web service provided on the Air Force portal to quickly evaluate potential obstructions. Working together, the GeoBase office has combined proprietary data from the TERPS office along with high resolution regional imagery and Digital Vector Obstruction Files (DVOF) from the NGA to create a comprehensive view of the potential obstructions around each ACC base and training area. In addition to combining data on a national scale, the ACC GeoBase office is using Esri�s replication technology to replicate data from each individual base, allowing base features to be incorporated and considered during the evaluation process in near real time as changes occur.

ACC�s common GIS architecture allows it to seamlessly combine data from remote servers with national datasets to improve the speed and accuracy with which the TERPs office can evaluate potential aerial obstructions. In addition to providing this service for ACC bases in the continental U.S., ACC is working with its deployed services to expand this capability to its other areas of responsibility.

Intelligence Support for the Warfighter

Regional Expeditionary Intelligence Portable Resource (REIPR)

—Matthew Brenden, Marine Corps Intelligence Activity

The Marine Corps Intelligence Activity�s Geographic Analysis Division has been supporting the dissemination of intelligence products through Web and Geospatial Database applications since 2001. The Geographically Linked Information Dissemination Environment (GLIDE), MCIA Geodatabase and DGINet applications are currently supporting the operational forces in every clime and place. Many of these �mission specific� geospatial intelligence applications have evolved far beyond the Marine Corps� original expectations. The latest release of a portable intelligence application dubbed REIPR, pronounced �Reaper,� which stands for Regional Expeditionary Intelligence Portable Resource is now answering the USMC demand for portable geographic intelligence. REIPR arrives at the battlefield with intelligence data already locked and loaded to support those first to fight.

Trail Analyst Extension

—Mike R. Cossey, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)

The Trail Analyst Extension performs multidimensional segmentation of transportation networks to support multimodal travel. This segmentation process bridges the gap between traditional raster based least-cost-path analysis and vector based transportation network analysis.

Global Affairs

Best Practices in Using GIS to Address Global Affairs

Global, Large Scale Mapping Challenges: Lessons from the Greek Fire Response

—Nate Smith, Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance

Following the recent tragic fires in Greece, the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, in coordination with the Government of Greece, conducted post fire assessments. The purpose of these missions was to provide access to U.S. Forest Service fire specialists to share hard learned lessons on wildland fire recovery gained from their experience within the U.S. While the missions focused on the information exchange with their Greek counterparts, this was only the leading edge of a significant interagency effort to identify, acquire and integrate the best available geographic information to provide the team with the best possible resources for visualization, modeling and cartography. This paper will describe that process, provide an overview of the mission and propose ways to streamline this effort for improved response to future events.

Combine Text Search and Geography to Discover Trends in Global Asset Conditions

—Bob Baldwin, USDA, Foreign Agriculture Service

Don�t waste hours searching for content about your area of interest. Search more efficiently based on Geography. USDA�s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) allows analysts, farmers, trade officers, researchers and other government agencies to discover agricultural knowledge geospatially. Through the Crop Explorer web site (http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/cropexplorer), regional queries leverage the MetaCarta Geographic Text Search with Esri ArcMap to discover visually where content is and what it is about quickly and easily. Before MetaCarta a simple search for biofuel production would have taken many hours looking through many links�the majority of which were irrelevant. Today, a user can enter their search term from a regional perspective and pinpoint all relevant content about global agricultural intelligence. Regional business knowledge is delivered as a list and displayed on a map based on location they are referring to. Now, they can go directly to the content about their topic within their area of interest with one or two clicks. A common global picture is realized immediately. This search can also be saved and users can be notified of any new information about their topic and within their area of interest. In the end, FAS was able to provide a geographic search display of unstructured data about crop specific conditions and integrate it into a GIS using the MetaCarta Geographic Text Search and ArcMap.

What�s in a Name? Establishing Naming Conventions and Metadata Standards for New and Existing Databases

—Gene Dixon, U.S. Department of State�Humanitarian Information Unit

Many GIS managers face the challenge of introducing standardized naming and metadata conventions and their maintenance into a preexisting geographic database. This must be accomplished with minimal disruption of office workflows and the day-to-day production. Using Roger Tomlinson�s Thinking About GIS as a guide, the U.S. Department of State�s Humanitarian Information Unit (HIU) has begun the process of implementing geographic database standards in its office. This presentation will describe the HIU�s experience with plan development and implementation as well as highlight lessons learned of interest to the larger Federal GIS user community.

GIS and U.S. Foreign Affairs (GLO)

Horn of Africa Natural Hazard Probability and Risk Analysis

—Jordan Mueller, U.S. Department of State�Humanitarian Information Unit

The Horn of Africa (HOA), composed of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, suffers frequent natural disasters that commonly result in losses of life, destruction of infrastructure, and reduction of agricultural production. Formulating effective contingencies to respond to such emergencies is constrained by a limited understanding of the likelihood of a natural hazard occurring within a particular region and risks associated with that hazard. Robust early warning systems exist for national response and �hot spot� maps of risk have been produced at a global level; this level of resolution, however, is often not sufficient for sub-national resource distribution. This study presents the probabilities of natural hazards and the risk to populations or agricultural systems within the HOA, calculated on 1� by 1� grid cells. Such an analysis can provide a regional understanding of the probability of natural hazards as well as a more specific local characterization of the associated risks.

This study considers four types of natural hazards: droughts, floods, earthquakes, and locust infestations. The analyses determine the annual probabilities from each hazard source individually and from drought, flooding, and locusts collectively. (Seismic probabilities are not included in this combined probability analysis because damaging earthquakes occur an order of magnitude less frequently than the other hazard types.) The resulting probability estimates for each hazard type are combined with measures of societal exposure to derive and map the risk associated with these four natural hazards.

In analyzing drought, we find that eastern and western Ethiopia and western Kenya are the areas most frequently affected by severe drought, with a greater than 40% annual probability of moderate to severe drought during the rainy seasons. The Shabeelle River floods on average once a year and the Juba, Awash, and Tana Rivers flood once every two years. The densely populated areas along these rivers in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia face the highest risk associated with flooding within the HOA. Locust infestations are clustered in northern Eritrea and near the conjunction of Somalia, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, and the annual probability in these regions can exceed 30-40%. Over the past 15 years there have been 106 documented infestations, with 57% occurring in Eritrea, 26% in Ethiopia, and 17% in Somalia. The largest earthquakes (greater than M 6.0) are most likely to occur along the Rift Valley regions of Djibouti, southern Eritrea, and northeast Ethiopia; however, due to the relative infrequency of large damaging earthquakes in the HOA, the risk from seismic hazard is not an annual concern like the other hazard types. Calculations of joint probability of drought, flooding, and locust infestation suggest that most regions of the Horn could expect to receive a natural disaster on an annual to semi-annual basis with drought being the most probable over the most land area, followed by flooding.

Travel Time to Markets in the Horn of Africa

—Paul Bartel, U.S. Department of State�Humanitarian Information Unit

Research Problem: The Humanitarian Information Unit (HIU) refined an existing analytical model and applied it to the Horn of Africa (HOA) in order to answer questions concerning market access from a regional perspective, travel time to market (TTM) in cross-border trade, and the catchment areas of key markets. The results of the analyses are closely related to anecdotal information on travel times and reported impacts of localized phenomena. We conducted three analyses of market access:

Methodological Approach: The analysis used a model to estimate travel time to market based upon inputs of roads, key cities, land cover, and elevation data. The data were processed to create �friction layers� for each set of data. These friction layers were then processed using a cost allocation algorithm to produce time to market maps for the region of interest.

Three test analyses were conducted for market access travel time: first for nine major capital cities and ports; second for 43 key cities and towns; and third for the impact of heavy flooding on regional access.

Results: The first analysis revealed overall travel times to capital cities and key ports to be, not unexpectedly, closely related to terrain considerations and the availability of all-weather roads. The analysis of capital cities and key ports revealed extensive market catchment areas for Somali locations that extended deep into Ethiopian territory, a significant implication for addressing livestock trade in Somali ethnic areas, as well as for the development of regional trade policies in the HOA.

The second analysis revealed overall travel times to 43 major cities and towns. The results from this analysis were similar to the first but demonstrate a more detailed market network. This market network may be considered as a secondary level where goods are collected from smaller towns and the countryside for transshipment to the key markets described in the first analysis.

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names: Why Should I Care about Standardized Place-Names?(GLO)

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names: Why Should I Care about Standardized Place-Names?

—Lou Yost, DOI/USGS

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is a Federal body created to maintain uniform geographic name usage throughout the Federal Government. The Board comprises representatives of Federal agencies concerned with mapping and geographic information, population, ecology, management of public lands, foreign affairs, and national security. The Board promulgates official geographic feature names with locative attributes as well as principles, policies, and procedures governing the use of domestic names, foreign names, Antarctic names, and undersea feature names.

In this age of geographic information systems, the Internet, and homeland defense, geographic names data are even more important and more challenging. Applying the latest technology, the BGN continues its mission. It serves the Federal Government and the public as a central authority to which name problems, name inquiries, name changes, and new name proposals can be directed. In partnership with Federal, State, and local agencies, the Board provides a conduit through which uniform geographic name usage is applied and current names data is promulgated.

This panel session will introduce the role of the BGN and Federal agency roles and responsibilities from members of the Board.

Health

Emergency Planning and Collaboration for Health Care Response (HEA)

GIS, Optimization Modeling, and Trauma Center Siting

—Charles Branas, Megan Heckert, University of Pennsylvania Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

The difference between life and death for severely injured people depends upon the amount of time it takes to get them to a trauma center hospital. The siting of trauma center hospitals, however, is more complex than just maps of land area coverage showing ringed bands around each hospital. Surrounding helicopter and ambulance location and speed, the number and location of trauma centers in a region, and the spatial relationships between these facilities need to be considered. To be viable, the hospital must serve a large enough population of severely injured people to maintain the skills of its healthcare providers and offer high quality care. To address these concerns, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University have developed the Trauma Resource Allocation Model for Ambulances and Hospitals (TRAMAH), a mathematical optimization model that uses population and access to existing trauma centers based on geographic relationships to ambulances and helicopters to simulate the effects of newly sited trauma centers. TRAMAH is supported by an interactive website that uses ArcIMS and ArcSDE to enable visitors to identify the locations of current hospitals and trauma centers and their accessibility via ambulance or helicopter.

Collaborated Use of GIS and Internet Technology in VA Health Care Planning

—Yurong Tan, Department of Veterans Affairs

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is mandated to provide and make health care services available and accessible to all Veterans. To achieve that goal, GIS and internet technologies were utilized to develop collaborated web-based GIS applications and tools for improving the processes in the review, planning, placement, and assessment of health care service sites. With easy-to-use web-based interactive tools and GIS spatial and graphic capabilities, planners can quickly identify service gaps and under-served areas, develop alternatives of potential service sites, and evaluate the efficacy of a candidate site in improving overall geographic access within a large health care system. The collaborated web-based GIS-oriented implementation in an ArcGIS Server environment appeared to be an effective and efficient approach in health care service planning. It truly enables planners by effectively delivering an array of planning information (current and potential service users, existing service sites, travel time, etc.) and tools through an integrated platform.

Emergency Preparedness Atlas: U.S. Nursing Home and Hospital Facilities

—Justine Allpress, RTI International

RTI International, under a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), created a map atlas illustrating bioterrorism-related planning region, nursing home locations, and hospital locations across the United States. The atlas, called the Emergency Preparedness Atlas: U.S. Nursing Home and Hospital Facilities, supports local and regional agencies� planning and response efforts in the event of a bioterrorism attack or other public health emergencies. The atlas demonstrates how nursing homes may be used to handle a surge in patients in response to emergency situations. The atlas includes statebased case studies to illustrate the ways nursing homes could be utilized to accommodate a surge in patients in six selected states across the country. The case studies are supplemented with maps of all fifty states and Washington, D.C., which show the distribution of hospitals and nursing homes (along with their bed capacities) across their territory in relation to elderly populations.

The need for research into the role of nursing homes in a potential public health emergency is due to wide variability in coordination between preexisting and newly funded geographically- based bioterrorism preparedness regions. Overlaps or gaps between bioterrorism preparedness service regions might lead to problems coordinating response or recovery efforts. The atlas offers the ability to compare and integrate multiple sources of data and display them in relation to one another. The atlas will be a valuable tool when planning urgent healthcare response during an emergency event.

Environmental and Animal-Borne Analysis (HEA)

Recent Enhancements to TOXMAP, an Environmental Health GIS
View Presentation [PDF]

—Colette Hochstein, National Library of Medicine

Almost every day, concern about a particular chemical facility, chemical, or chemical waste site is mentioned in the news; health professionals are often consulted by their own or by other institutions, by the press, and/or by concerned citizens to provide accurate, relevant information. TOXMAP, a Webbased mapping resource, can be an ideal reference in such cases. TOXMAP (http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov) uses maps of the United States to help users visually explore data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency�s (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and Superfund Program.

Maps are a powerful way of visualizing data, but presenting geospatial data to users can be complex. To guide us in approaching this challenge, we collected feedback from potential users via a series of focus group sessions, both web and non-web based, professionally and non-professionally moderated, over a period of about two years.

This session will discuss recent enhancements of TOXMAP�s features and functionality, specifically, addition of advanced search options, the ability to create and save custom geographic regions and regional maps and chemical release summaries based on these regions.

Will This Building Make Me Sick? Deploying an Asbestos and Lead-Based Paint Management Program for Interior Spaces

—Brian Dye, U.S. Air Force

As part of the United States Air Force requirement to maintain a Toxic Material program, Minot Air Force Base is mapping the location and condition of asbestos and lead based paint within its buildings. Using ArcGIS, the Air Combat Commands (ACC) common GIS environment, Minot is converting legacy hardcopy inspection reports into GIS data by digitizing sample locations over georeferenced floor plans, linking sample photographs and reports to the points, and displaying the data by floor via ArcIMS on the Air Force portal using a customized reporting tool.

Because the data is stored in ACC�s common GIS environment, it is now easier to sustain the toxics program. As new inspections are planned, contractors can use ArcPad to make updates while inspecting a building, bringing the data directly back into the GIS reducing turnaround time. In addition to easing the upkeep, making the data available on the Air Force portal is allowing multiple Air Force functionals to make better decisions about space utilization, renovations and potential health impacts to workers.

The ability to track the type, quantity and condition of asbestos and lead based paint and potentially integrate it with other portal applications is compelling enough that the program will be expanded to another ACC base as an additional pilot in order to better define a consistent management program.

A Synthetic Database of Poultry and Livestock Operations in Support of Infectious Disease Control Strategies
View Paper [PDF]

—Mark Bruhn, RTI International

Controlling the incidence and propagation of animal-borne infectious disease, such as avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease, is important to the agriculture industry and public health officials because of the potentially devastating economic consequences and the possibility of transmission to humans. The lack of national geographic information systems (GIS) layers of animal farm locations is hampering efforts to develop control strategies. RTI International collaborated with the University of Pennsylvania through the Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study (funded by the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences) to generate nationwide spatial layers for several types of livestock and poultry operations which approximate the true sizes and locations of these operations on the landscape. Developing these layers involved generating and placing appropriate numbers of farms within each county based on predictive location surfaces. The number, types, and sizes of the generated farms were derived from the U.S. Census of Agriculture�s county totals. These GIS layers allow disease modelers to more realistically simulate outbreaks and compare different control strategies.

Use of Data in Health Care Applications (HEA)

The Central Role of Place as an Integrating Factor in Data Fusion for Public Health Situational Awareness

—Virginia Lee, CDC

Data fusion has a variety of definitions, most of which encompass the movement from data collection through processes of integration of data from multiple sources into knowledge that is then further processed and communicated to produce an understanding of the current situation that decision makers are addressing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established a program for the integration and exchange of critical information to improve the day to day situational awareness for public health. Place is a natural referencing factor in integrating data together. This paper will discuss the use of GIS to integrate placed referenced public health data for increased situational awareness at CDC.

A U.S. Synthesized Agent Database for Agent-Based Models

—Bill Wheaton, RTI International

To support agent-based modeling of infectious diseases (under the MIDAS project sponsored by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences), scientists at RTI International have developed a national, geo-spatially explicit synthesized population that represents every household and individual in the 2000 U.S. population. The synthesized agent database provides an infrastructure for agent-based modeling in which behaviors are assigned to individuals (or �agents�) based on demographic, socio-economic, and location-based characteristics of the population. Previously, data at a sufficiently detailed individual level for agent-based models have not been readily available. The synthesized population represents the entire 2000 U.S. population and includes the assignments of agents to schools and workplaces as appropriate. Such characteristics help determine estimates of daily interaction among individuals, which are central factors in studying the emergence and spread of infectious disease. The synthesized agent database provides a solid foundation on which modelers can add other behaviors and characteristics of interest. Using the synthesized population, modelers can study the dynamics of disease emergence and spread, the effects of different policies and containment strategies, and can formulate and test hypotheses.

This presentation will describe the methods and data sources used to generate the database, the structure and format of the database, and will provide an example of how it is used to study seasonal influenza.

MHS Geographic Analysis System

—James Laramie, Altarum Institute

The DoD/TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) maintains a centralized data store for the Military Health System (MHS), serving 9.2 million beneficiaries. TMA collects, processes, and manages nearly 100 terabytes of enterprise data using decision-support tools. With active interfaces around the world, TMA receives, processes, and stores billions of health care records on MHS operations.

Early in 2008 EIDS will add the MHS Geographic Analysis System: specialized GIS applications developed in ArcGIS Server 9.2 with Web ADF Framework (.NET v2.0), ArcSDE, and Oracle. The initial release offers a geographic analysis tool (GAT) and a custom market area tool (CMAT).

The Geographic Analysis Tool (GAT) is a generalized map production and geospatial analysis tool. It has customized import functions that significantly simplify uploading data from Microsoft Excel, Access, text, and XML files. The upload feature accepts data at the ZIP Code, County, and State/Country levels. Uploaded data is imported into DBF format with normalized column names for the automated spatial join by ArcGIS Server. Class breaks, type of classification, and colors may be set by the user. An import function also accepts data directly from the Managed Care Forecasting and Analysis System (MCFAS), TMA�s official source for population forecasts used for programming and budgeting. MCFAS now lets users send forecasts directly to the GAT where their results are available for uploading and mapping.

The Custom Market Area Tool (CMAT) is a specialized application for creating drive-time or distance-based market areas around the U.S. CMAT uses both a map interface and textual to identify market areas. CMAT produces a ZIP Code-to-market area mapping in an XML file that may then be joined with other MHS data systems containing ZIP Code-level data. MCFAS, for example, has been adapted to read and parse the output of CMAT, producing population reports for the market areas created in CMAT. A user can ask how many MHS beneficiaries have access to some type of health care professional (e.g., mental health services) within a 60-minute drive of the service. Mental health provider locations can be uploaded to CMAT, which will create the drive-time market areas for uploading to MCFAS to determine the MHS population within 60 minutes of mental health services.

The presentation will describe the applications, architecture and operation and present sample use cases.

Homeland Security

DHS Geospatial Data Model

DHS Geospatial Data Model
View Presentation [PDF]

—Mark Eustis, DHS Geospatial Management Office

This session will introduce the Homeland Security Geospatial Data Model, which is sponsored and managed by the DHS Geospatial Management Office. The session will address why and how to use the model.

Data for Homeland Security: HIFLD (HS)

Homeland Security Infrastructure Program (HSIP)
View Presentation [PDF]

—James Neighbors, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

The release of HSIP Gold 2007 represents an increase in both quantity and quality of data. HSIP Gold 2007 was developed from the original HSIP Gold 2005, which contained 185 feature classes. HSIP Gold data was drawn from six federal providers and eight commercial vendors. In comparison, HSIP Gold 2007 includes over 300 feature classes. Twenty-five federal providers and eight commercial vendors provided data for HSIP Gold 2007.

HSIP is moving toward a data model that leverages fully distributable data that can be more readily shared with state and local homeland security partners. HSIP Freedom�s development is currently under contract and the initial data sets focus on emergency response (fire stations, police, ambulance, etc.).

HSIP provides the �minimum essential data set� of information for Federal level decision makers necessary to support readiness, response, and recovery efforts for events such as natural or man-made disasters or for terrorist attacks.

Homeland Infrastructure Foundation Level Data (HIFLD) Geospatial Information Sharing
View Presentation [PDF]

—Justin Sherin, Booz Allen Hamilton

The Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Database (HIFLD) Working Group is sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and American Security Affairs, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Department of Homeland Security and United States Geological Survey. The HIFLD was established in February 2002 to address identification, sharing and protection of homeland infrastructure geospatial information to be used for visualization and analysis on all classification domains. The HIFLD is a coalition of over 2,200 members, representing federal, state, and local government organizations and supporting private industry partners. The HIFLD has supported the development and improvement of the HSIP Gold data sets. The HIFLD brings together geospatial data providers, users and geospatial expertise. Within the Homeland Defense and Homeland Security (HD/HLS) mission areas, HIFLD members are involved in a wide range of different functions including: Critical Infrastructure Protection, Risk Management, Decision Support, Crisis and Consequence Management, Threat Analysis, Antiterrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP), Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA), Man- Made and Natural Hazard Modeling, Continuity of Operations (COOP) and Continuity of Government (COG) Planning, and Government Facilities Management.

Program Partners Working Group (PPWG): A Partnership to Build and Maintain Geospatial Information for Homeland Security
View Presentation [PDF]

—Wendy Budd, USGS/National Geospatial Program Emergency Operations

Formed late in FY 2007, the Program Partners Working Group (PPWG) is a collaboration among the National Geospatial Program of the USGS, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create and maintain geospatial information needed to support homeland security. The intersection of the USGS mission for geospatial information, NGA�s mission in support of national security objectives and DHS�s role in homeland security makes this partnership essential to providing comprehensive geospatial information to Federal, state, local and military organizations responsible for homeland security. Initial work of the PPWG will center on identifying essential geospatial information necessary for Federal, state, local and military organizations responsible for homeland security, establishing a schedule for data collection and priorities, and identifying information sharing processes and procedures for data across all government sectors. By working through the USGS network of geospatial liaisons in the states, the PPWG develops and executes plans to leverage funding from Federal and state sources for the purchase and distribution of critical geospatial data saving the tax payers dollars each year.

FGDC Homeland Security Working Group

FGDC Homeland Security Working Group
View Presentation [PDF]

—Michael Lee, DHS

The Federal Geographic Data Committee�s (FGDC) Homeland Security Working Group ensures that the National Spatial Data Infrastructure supports the preparation for, prevention of, protection against, response to, and recovery from (1) threats to the nation�s population centers and critical infrastructure that are of terrorist, criminal, accidental, or natural origin and (2) related adverse events. The working group has regular participation from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, the Interior, Justice and Transportation; the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, U.S. Postal Service, and Tennessee Valley Authority; and the National Association of Counties, National States Geographic Information Council, and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association. Presentation will consist of accomplishments and recent activities of the Working Group.

Homeland Security Data Requirements Collection, Collaboration and Interoperability
View Presentation [PDF]

—Robert Barnard, SAIC

The Geospatial Management Office was established with the goal of increasing data sharing internally as well as with state/local/tribal partners. One of the key elements needed as a foundation for GIS is current imagery. The GMO has taken several steps to improve the understanding of requirements for imagery and to develop partnerships with other federal agencies to leverage existing programs to obtain current coverage that is both usable and sharable.

The GMO developed a requirements template that is based on operational specifications. Therefore the process of requirements collection leads directly to scope development and acquisition. The template is completed through an interview process and then vetted in a work group within the DHS governance structure that is charged with examination of issues related to imagery. The vetted requirement is then available to the DHS enterprise to coordinate mission specific programs.

DHS has an ongoing relationship with USGS and NGA and coordinates efforts through several working groups. In 2006, the three agencies jointly funded an imagery purchase coordinated by USGS which resulted in the development of 100 state/local/ regional programs with an estimated ROI of 14:1.

This presentation will provide an overview of the DHS requirements collection process with a specific focus on post-disaster imagery to support response and recovery efforts. This presentation will also provide a briefing on the status of the DHS geospatial governance process.

Why Standards Matter (HS)

Mobile, Interoperable, Near Real-time Sensor Networks: Two Consecutive Case Studies in Combining Geospatial Standards with Proprietary Software through Custom Development
View Presentation [PDF]

—Daniel Getman, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

In systems where network and processing performances are paramount and the integration of existing proprietary software is a requirement, the use of geospatial standards is counterintuitive. In developing mobile sensor networks designed to be used in conjunction with a wide range of other organizations during an emergency, the first set of priorities is expanded to include vendor neutrality and enhanced system interoperability which are benefits offered through the use of geospatial standards. Developing a system for the purpose of near real-time performance and high availability necessitates small data packages, fast data processing, and as few system components as possible. The use of geospatial standards to promote interoperability multiplies the data package size and adds components, several of which can hinder performance greatly, that would otherwise be unneeded. Balancing these priorities within a single development strategy can be a difficult calculation in which all the variables seem to have the same level of importance. A research effort in which GML based feature services are combined with proprietary data storage and visualization software through an integration involving custom component development is presented. The proposed development strategy is applied to a mobile sensor network and then refined and applied to a second system which integrates a mobile sensor network with a central operations center. Details of the design of both systems are presented along with an outline of the decision process and thoughts on potential improvements to both systems.

Working Toward Geographic Data Exchange Standards
View Presentation [PDF]

—Jim Smalley, NFPA

In 2007, the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS submitted a request to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to establish a consensus standard for the emergency response community. The initial charge of the new committee will be to develop data standards to ensure local abilities to exchange geographic information between local and national systems to support risk assessment, resource coordination, monitor preparedness levels, and the unified mission of emergency response organizations. This presentation will provide an overview of the development process and information about the committee and its work through the first half of 2008.

Grid Systems in Emergency Response�A FEMA Implementation
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—Aimee Preau, FEMA

GIS plays a key role in the integral emergency response components of planning, operations, and progress tracking. Use of an appropriate, nested map grid system has proven invaluable in a disaster the scale of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This presentation will provide a brief overview of FEMA�s recent implementation of such a system, from the process of selecting a grid system to its utilization within a FEMA mapping application. In addition, it will include the importance of using a single grid system to enhance communication among intra-agency sections and other federal and state agencies.

Ensuring Topological Integrity for Use in the USCG Enterprise GIS Solution
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—Max Squires, USCG Operations Systems Center

This brief will focus on techniques applied to HSIP Gold and other data sources to ensure topological integrity for use in the USCG Enterprise GIS solution. Default and custom tools in ArcGIS Desktop will be demonstrated along with before and after results. Focus will be placed on geometry to attribute relationships, projections, and coincidence of polygons.

Modeling for Homeland Security (HS)

Infrastructure Mapping Tool (IMT)

—Giang Huynh, National Communications System

The NCS developed the Network Design and Analysis Capability (NDAC) because of significant NS/EP telecommunications reliance on the PSN. The NDAC has traditionally been used to model and analyze the national telecommunications infrastructure, assess vulnerabilities and technological impacts, evaluate NS/EP program effectiveness, and facilitate response and recovery efforts. These activities have better positioned the NCS to identify those assets that are the most critical to the successful operation of NS/EP missions and to predict and mitigate the effect of telecommunications failures on the national leadership�s ability to communicate during times of crisis.

To support these analyses and as part of the NDAC tool suite, the NCS designed and built the Infrastructure Mapping Tool (IMT) using Esri ArcGIS. The IMT provides critical infrastructure analyses for incident management, decision support, and status tracking. When an event occurs that has the potential to disrupt network infrastructures, the IMT has the ability to create detailed infrastructure analyses for specific geographic areas of concern. The IMT can layer near real-time data (such as weather, traffic incident, and earthquake data) over infrastructure data pulled from numerous proprietary and government databases. The results can support several activities during an event, including:

• Defining the scope of impact.
• Creating specific impact area characterizations.
• Running initial assessment reports.
• Creating up-to-date visual representations of asset status.
• Conducting telecommunications impact analyses relevant to specific users, businesses and government agencies.

This presentation will inform the audience of IMT capabilities and demonstrate how the IMT has been used to support various activities.

GIS for Wilderness Search and Rescue
View Presentation [PDF]

—Don Ferguson, National Energy Technology Laboratory�U.S. DOE

The objective of any search and rescue mission is to locate the missing subject and return them to a stable and safe environment. To do this, search managers must employ tactics that are efficient and do not pose unnecessary risk to rescue personnel. Modern search strategies involve the use of behavioral profiling, probability theory, terrain interpretation and resource management. Geographic information systems provide a platform to integrate these various elements into an effective tool for managing search operations.

This paper discusses the application of GIS to manage the search for a missing autistic youth in the Dolly Sods Wilderness area of West Virginia. Through this example, details are provided for segmenting the designated search area into probability regions based on statistical analysis and a behavioral profile of the missing subject. An operational basemap was developed by integrating digital raster graphics, elevation datasets, and aerial imagery with various shapefiles in order to further segment the probability regions into searchable areas. Attribute tables provided a database to track resources, clue logs and area coverage as well as perform basic probability estimates. Recommendations for the use of GIS during search operations focus on improving search efficiency and effectiveness, as well as reducing operational costs and response times with the goal of finding the missing subject as quickly as possible.

Enterprise GIS at DHS (HS)

GIS Enterprise Data Warehouse and How It Enables the Coast Guard�s Many Missions
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—Cmdr. Lane Johnson and Peter Noy, USCG

Cmdr. Johnson and Mr. Noy will discuss the USCGs GIS Enterprise Data Warehouse and how it enables the Coast Guard�s many missions.

Disaster Recovery Interactive (DRIVE)

—Valenta Encarnacio, FEMA

Disaster Recovery Interactive (DRIVE) is a Web-based interactive system that merges GIS and web technologies to provide an integrated decision support tool for planning, monitoring, and executing emergency management recovery operations. It was created for use within the Federal Emergency Management Agency�s (FEMA) Florida Long Term Recovery Office (FLTRO) an operation that oversees almost $12 billion in federal disaster aid related to the unprecedented 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.

Utilizing webpage displays, DRIVE�s backbone is Geographic Information System (GIS) data layering combined with a variety of interactive Web-based charting and graphing tools. This allows DRIVE to integrate the power of existing databases, the functionality of maps and intuitive nature of visual displays like charts and graphs. By using DRIVE�s ability to group and organize data and produce maps, charts and graphs, a user can get a quick snap shot or summary of a situation. A user can view information from a statewide perspective as well as summaries tailored to a specific applicant, municipality, county, or region.

Development of DRIVE currently is in v3.5, which reflects the third version of ArcView for this project. This latest version of DRIVE principally utilizes FEMA recovery program information from national databases. Subsequent versions will incorporate more extensive FLTRO-specific recovery program data, improved field-level data and field reports to plan and monitor specific recovery efforts. Because DRIVE provides visual displays and graphing capabilities, the application can be expanded to capture the full range of FEMA emergency management activities including response operations, logistical staging, and the deployment of staff and supplies.

DRIVE is currently specific to Florida but because of its programming flexibility, it can be adapted to any state involved in FEMA recovery operations. The initial use of national recovery data facilitates the quick startup of DRIVE for any state or disaster. The interface for a national model has been formatted and the Louisiana model was provided for review and testing in mid-September 2007. In addition, the Mississippi Transitional Recovery Offices has also expressed an interest in the system.

Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS)
View Presentation [PDF]

—Robert Netsch, U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard conducts thousands of searches for missing mariners every year. As of Spring 2007, the Coast Guard began using the Search And Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS), an ArcGIS desktop application, to help plan these searches.

SAROPS is deployed and used operationally at over 50 U.S. Coast Guard command centers by hundreds of trained SAR Mission Controllers. These controllers use SAROPS to understand the geospatial dynamics of a SAR event. This involves modeling pre-distress motion and animated visualization of the effects of wind and current forces on search object drift. Of course, this is all done against a canvas of vector maps, nautical charts and web served imagery.

The SAROPS rollout has been a great success and the system continues to evolve with improvements in software features, map data, training and support. There have also been, and continue to be, a number of challenges in regard to fielding a mission critical GIS based system to a diverse group of non-GIS professionals. This paper describes the high points and valleys of SAROPS� inaugural year.

Installations, Assets, and Facilities Management

Advancing Policy and Data Sharing across Defense (IAF)

Army IGI&S�Leveraging Policy, Practices, and Technology to Advance Program Goals

—Jim Furlo, OACSIM IGI&S

The Army Installation Geospatial Information & Services (IGI&S) Program Office supports the overall management and resourcing of world-wide Army installation geospatial data and services by providing policy and guidance, cross-program coordination and integration, and geospatial information technology infrastructure. A major initiative is to improve business processes and reduce redundant IT investments and systems with the consolidation of numerous Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into a centrally-available enterprise geographic information system, Army Mapper. The desired outcome of this priority is to improve operational effectiveness by employing standardized integrated IT solutions that reduce redundant or stove-piped IT investments. The Program is working to accomplish its objectives with a combination of policies, practices, and technological implementations. This presentation will describe progress to date, plans toward the FY09 full operating capability, and challenges of transforming GIS for Army installation management from ad hoc efforts to a funded, coordinated and standardized capability.

Army National Guard Geo-Spatial Data for Installation Management

—Mark Parthum, NGB-ARE

Over the last few years, the Army National Guard has experienced a growing requirement for geo-spatial data at the federal level to effectively perform land management functions and to meet ever increasing requests for geo-spatial data. To meet these needs, the ARNG required a process to systematically identify, develop, and manage geo-spatial data resources. Furthermore, the process required a method that stores and maintains the geo-spatial data in the ARNG geo-spatial repository. This process has become known as the Common Installation Picture (CIP). By allowing the CIP process to identify federal geo-spatial data requirements, develop the data, and publish specifications for the data, the ARNG is more effectively meeting the mission of land management. Additionally, the ARNG has been developing methodologies and applications to further enhance the federal geo-spatial repository. The presentation will outline the timeline, creation and current state of the CIP.

SDSFIE Update: Toward a New Logical Data Model
View Presentation [PDF]

—Marc Beckel, Northrop Grumman Information Technology, TASC

The Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment (SDSFIE) is an evolving data dictionary and database schema designed to meet the geospatial data representation requirements for the Installation and Environment requirements of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Civil Works activities.

The future of the SDSFIE stands on three pillars required for the success of the user community. These three pillars are: 1) The standard itself and the tools required for utility, 2) Communication, and 3) Training. Currently, the SDSFIE is going through an evolutionary change as the advancement of a new Logical Data Model (LDM�release 3.0) is developed through a series of modeling activities with DoD subject matter experts (SMEs). In addition, the SDSFIE website and training components have been evolving with the LDM development.

This presentation will address the current status of the SDSFIE development process. Key concepts to be addressed will be the current status of the modeling activities of the Business Mission Areas (BMA), communication updates, and training opportunities.

Environmental Applications for Defense (IAF)

Using GIS Analysis to Estimate MEC Clearance Costs
View Presentation [PDF]

—Tommy Hunt, U.S. Army Engineering Support Center, Huntsville

The scope of work for these projects includes an onsite ground survey conducted by technical personnel with ordnance related specialties, GIS analysis of field collected and other acquired data, and a report summarizing the current range conditions depicting the level of MEC and severity of risk necessary to clear the proposed land for new range construction. Through the aid of GIS, ZAPATA ENGINEERING and the Corps of Engineers analyzed the sample field data collected and projected values across the subject area to provide prediction models for the remediation and removal efforts associated with MEC, munitions debris, and other scrap debris. Additional data for determining soil and vegetation conditions that would affect digging rates, along with historical range maps to determine historical activities that took place in the subject area. The results of the scoped effort were integrated into a report with numerous maps displaying current conditions of the subject site determined from the GIS models.

The report results were then used by the Corps of Engineers to determine the best practices to use to remediate or avoid highly contaminated areas, and determine the cost associated with preparing the site for construction activities. In some cases the actual design of the new range and target locations were impacted by high risk MEC areas and subsequently moved to lower risk areas. ZAPATA ENGINEERING was later awarded the clearance tasks at some of these sites. After the clearance actions were completed, comparisons were made between the actual counts to the estimated range recon counts. This report contains our comparisons and provides our recommendations for this type of project execution. Throughout this project several lessons were learned ranging from data collection to data modeling methodologies.

Naval Installation Restoration Information Solution

—Mark Barnes, NAVFAC Midatlantic

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Environmental Business Line has developed a web-based centralized GIS database for their multi-million dollar Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) and deployed it in 2007. NIRIS (Naval Installation Restoration Information Solution) is being implemented across all NAVFAC offices and will be used by Navy and contractors to manage, evaluate, and visualize data, documents and records, including the Administrative Record, for Navy and the Marine Corps sites. NIRIS manages all ERP analytical and spatial data, which includes the Munitions Response and Installation Restoration Program (Navy�s Superfund/CERCLA program) data, ensuring institutional memory is preserved, land use controls are maintained, and remedial actions are effective. This presentation will provide a quick overview and: 1) demo of ArcIMS and ArcGIS via Citrix including tools for querying, visualizing data, creating buffers, time-trend charts, and printing maps; 2) discuss GIS implementation aspects of NIRIS including management of the data using Oracle 10G Enterprise Geodatabase with Esri ArcSDE.

Defining an Environmental Mission Data Set

—Susan Kil, NGB/A7CV

The Environmental Restoration branch at the Air National Guard is currently working to define its Mission Data Set (MDS) and develop a control document to meet their geospatial data requirements. The overall requirements and process toward developing a final draft of the Environmental Restoration MDS Control Document will be presented.

Innovative Uses of GIS at NASA (IAF)

Presenting History through GIS
View Presentation [PDF]

—Mary Gainer, NASA Langley Research Center

The historical aspect of government facilities is not often addressed. NASA Langley Research Center, the first in the agency, had its beginnings as NACA in 1917. Many of the buildings are more than 50 years old and have historical significance associated with famous researchers or the testing and developments made at the facilities. Additionally, NASA Langley is located near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, a short distance from Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. The area and the property now occupied by NASA Langley is rich in colonial and Civil War history. This presentation will focus on collecting historical information from a variety of sources and using GIS to organize and present the data for facility management as well as public access. This visualization provides a valuable function in increasing the understanding of the historical roles of Hampton Roads, Virginia and NASA Langley Research Center by integrating the changes in land use over time.

Using Geographic Information Systems to Develop Virtual Tours by Use of Photography
View Presentation [PDF]

—James Baldwin, NASA LaRC

Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas is one of the most popular tourist destinations for people interested in the space program. One of the best features at JSC is a guided tram tour of the center. Unfortunately not everyone has the time or ability to travel to far off places. Using the same process utilized at the NASA Langley Research Center for historic documentation, virtual tours of the campus and buildings at JSC are being developed. Interactive panoramic images are linked to GIS and supporting documents accessible through a standard web browser. Applications such as this, commonly used in the real estate industry, are being applied here to document these sites and create a virtual tour of the center that people can access from the comfort of their home, office, or classroom. Used in conjunction with 3D modeling of facilities, this technique provides a complete picture of the Center, past, present, and future.

Managing DoD Assets (IAF)

Standardizing Real Property Parcel Data for Army Installations
View Presentation [PDF]

—Jordan Gibb, OACSIM IGI&S

The Army Installation Geospatial Information & Services (IGI&S) Program is working with the Corps of Engineers and HQDA Real Property proponent to create certified geospatial parcel data from hard-copy maps. The process involves converting audited hardcopy land acquisition maps into SDSFIE-compliant feature classes. This data is incorporated with installation base map data into a functional GIS map which can be easily reviewed for certification by the Chief of Real Estate. Certified data can be used to support the same functions and purposes as hardcopy maps to include Army real estate activities in planning, acquisition, management, and disposal. In addition, the digital geospatial parcel data can be combined with other data layers to enable queries, comparisons, and support of land analysis related to environmental liabilities.

Facility Management Solutions Technical Panel (IAF)

Technical Issues of Using GIS for Facility Management Solutions

—Don Kuehne, Esri

No abstract available.

GIS-Enabling CAFM systems

—Chris Albert, Esri

Discussion will focus on the current state of GIS-enabled CAFM solutions as well as the direction of future integration. The panel will also discuss some of the technical issues being addressed related to integrating GIS and CAFM systems.

Building Interior Space Data Model

—Steve Gris�, Esri

Esri is facilitating a GIS data model for interior spaces in collaboration with a number of end-user organizations and business partners. A workshop was held in October 2007 to kick off the project, and a first draft of the data model has been developed since then. This session will provide an introduction to the data model purpose and content and an opportunity to provide feedback.

Using Spatial ETL with Raster, Vector and 3D BIM Data

—Don Murray, Safe Software

In the past, people needed to use separate tools and systems to leverage different types of spatial data. One tool for raster data; another set of tools for vector; and, yet another set of systems and tools for Building Information Modelling (BIM) users. This session will explore how FME, the industry standard for spatial ETL, can now be used to address a variety of data translation, transformation, federation and distribution challenges� regardless of the type of data you need to work with. Using demonstration, we will illustrate several common �data fusion� scenarios, such as how to use FME to combine data from vector and raster into a single data flow using capabilities such as mosaicking, reprojecting and retiling.

After participating in this session, you will have a clearer understanding of how you can perform a whole new set of spatial ETL operations through data fusion and thereby leverage your data assets even further.

We will demonstrate at least 3 examples of data fusion, including one of a very new �hot topic� in GIS, using 3D BIM data. We will show how you can take a 2D CAD drawing of a floor plan and quickly mock up a 3D scene for a flythrough in ArcScene. We will also show how to move BIM data from cityGML and IFC into a traditional GeoDatabase.

3D GIS Research in Support of Modeling the Built Environment

—Eric Wittner, GeoDesign Group

As the world�s population has shifted from the rural hinterlands to cities and suburbs, representing these built environments has become increasingly important to decision makers and planners. Esri is conducting research and development to support this shift in focus from the natural landscape to the 3D urban view. A key component of these environments are buildings, and being able to support analysis and visualization of building exteriors and interiors is critical to sound decision making. This includes developing building/site/city specific data models, enhancing the capacity of existing database structures to support building specific needs, investigating methods of improving visualization performance and capabilities, enhancing the navigation to facilitate data viewing, and investigating analysis methods for conducting many different types of analysis on and between buildings.

Facility Management Solutions�User Applications (IAF)

The NIH One Map

—Ed Pfister, National Institutes of Health, DHHS

The �NIH One Map� is in a nascent stage of development in forming the foundation level intended to bring GIS to the desktop workplace for use in facilities planning, operation and management. The authors will share their experiences through a presentation of a series of projects that are forming the backbone of this effort. Projects include the use of GIS to incorporate the real property database and enhance grounds maintenance, environmental compliance and facilities construction. Additional projects to be portrayed include Building Use and Condition Index, Urban Forest Conservation Plan, Inventory and Management of Emergency Power Supply Systems (and related fuel storage systems), Stormwater Management, Pollution Control, Solid and Hazardous Waste Management and Environmental Assessment and Master Planning.

Building Interior Space Optimization and GIS Based Space Management Tools

—William Ball, NASA

LaRC is developing Space Optimization tools to support more objective planning and use of the center�s limited and extremely valuable office and technical space. The decision support capability leverages LaRC�s long term maintenance of building interior data (room level details) in GIS.

Methods by which the GIS and associated relational databases are used to capture, maintain, and feed the optimization process for existing spaces will be addressed. Due to the complexity of the optimization tool, the tool is broken down into components to facilitate understanding of the capability. Components of the tool include: constraints and metrics (such as organizational synergy), application of optimization algorithms (greedy, genetic, etc.), visualization tools for solution evaluation (dashboard concept), and web based data maintenance and reporting tools. Lessons learned and future plans for this activity will be discussed.

Visualizing the Future of NASA Langley
View Presentation [PDF]

—Jonathan Flynn, NASA

When updated information for a large redevelopment project at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is received, it is incorporated into GIS to produce maps of the proposed center infrastructure and an up-to-date 3-D model. The main concept of the redevelopment project is not only to update aging research facilities but also create a pedestrian campus environment. New parking and pedestrian walkways are being designed in addition to demolition of buildings that have outlived their usefulness, new construction of administrative and research facilities, and rehabilitation of selected buildings. Each phase in the project will include work for the pedestrian areas as well as construction of facilities. A base map of the future pedestrian pathways, details on parking areas, and artist�s renderings of proposed buildings are used to create a detailed conceptual video. The video provides a visualization of the demolition and construction of buildings, additional parking, pedestrian plaza, and focal points. Phases in the video correspond to demolition and construction phases and give planners and managers a visual perspective of the project through time. This approach has proven to be an effective tool in securing needed funding through the various phases. Software used includes ArcGIS and 3D Studio Max.

GIS Inside the Building?

—Nancy Towne, U.S. Army Corps

GIS analysts are quite familiar with landscaping, building footprints, lakes, etc. Now you want us to go inside the building? An effort has been initiated for GIS for Interior Spaces by Esri, private vendors, and the Federal Government. In addition to space optimization functions, GIS can be utilized for spatial analysis inside the building. This will also entail interoperability with Building Information Modeling (BIM) efforts as well as utilities. The possibilities are endless.

Land and Environment

Ecosystems Management Leverages GIS (LAE)

Coastal Structures Condition Assessment and Standardized Reporting Application

—Rose Popsovic, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Spatial Data Branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District is developing a Coastal Structures Condition Assessment and Standardized Reporting application (CoSCA). The first phase of development, completed in December 2007, produced an ArcGIS 9.2 toolbar that allows users to 1) view/analyze survey and associated as-built design data of a jetty structure, including cross-section graphs, 2) view past and add new inspections for selected structures, 3) view structure details from the Coastal Structure Project Viewer database, and 4) calculate and report the volumetric change (damage) in the jetty structure and the associated cost for repair. Additional functionality will be added in subsequent phases including an in-field collection system synchronized with the CoSCA database.

Conserving Bolivia�s Critical Resources through Land Cover Change Modeling
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—James Toledano, Clark Labs

The Bolivian lowlands have experienced a tremendous amount of economic growth in recent decades causing great pressure on the landscape. Forests have been under attack by all sides�government, farmers, and local and outside groups, primarily due to intensification of agricultural and related industries. Indeed, between the years of 1992 and 2004, forest loss totaled almost 3 million hectares. Clearly, people and land must coexist, yet with forests dominating over 50% of the land cover in Bolivia, special planning tools are essential to manage, monitor and prioritize the risks associated with economic development. This paper describes a modeling tool to analyze forest change in particular and model future scenarios of change with the goal of assessing the impacts of these scenarios on biodiversity, specifically endemic to the Bolivian lowland forests.

Using GIS for Community-Based Natural Resource Management: Diountou, Guinea
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—Blessing Asuqou, Johns Hopkins University

The management of natural resources in the provinces of Guinea, West Africa, remains one of the principal occupations of the Guinean National Directorate of Water and Forests (DNEF). However, long-term management of these resources can only be done if one knows their locations and existing potentials, to facilitate developing management plan which respects the environment while responding to community needs. It is in this context that the DNEF, in conjunction with United States Peace Corps and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), initiated a community mapping project not only to know the existing potentials of resources but also to mobilize Diountou community members to understand and manage its fragile environment. The Diountou Sous-prefecture is a resourcerich community, located in the highlands of the Fouta Djallon Region. The creation of Diountou Community map provided a venue for analyzing socioeconomic activities that must be taken into account in planning development projects. For the realization of the map, DNEF agents were trained on how to capture geographic coordinates using Garmin 12 handheld GPS. Using ArcMap professional software, field data were added as layers to already existing streams, roads and contour lines digitized from 1980�s Russian-made Guinea maps. Overall, we used participatory diagnostics, which allowed representatives from each of the nine Diountou districts to express their ideas on the visual layout of the map. At each stage of the production, a survey of the beneficiaries was performed for amendments.

Geospatially Based Land Management Applications (LAE)

Updating the Worcester County Comprehensive Land Use Plan Map

—Keota Silaphone, Worcester County Government

Maryland�s only coastal county, Worcester County is characterized by its rural landscape, pristine natural resources, small communities, and premier resort area. These characteristics are why Worcester County experienced a tremendous amount of growth pressure in recent years. Combined with existing non-point and point source pollution, county staff needed to figure out a way to accommodate future growth and preserve the natural resources enjoyed by all visitors and residents. The comprehensive plan update process gave Worcester County residents, stakeholders, staff and elected officials the opportunity to reexamine its land use development pattern and plan for the county�s future growth for the next 20 years. To develop the comprehensive land use plan map, the planning commission and county staff developed criteria for future growth areas and selected appropriate GIS layers for this analysis. By overlaying these GIS layers and visualizing the potential growth areas through GIS, a comprehensive land use plan map was developed and adopted by the County Commissioners on March 7, 2006.

Developing a comprehensive land use plan map using GIS was a landmark event in Worcester County�s GIS history for the following reasons: (1) Demonstrates support of the GIS technology from elected and appointed officials; (2) Citizens and stakeholders understood that selected growth areas were based on computer functionality, not personal preference; (3) The values and goals voiced during the process are reflected on the adopted comprehensive land use plan map: the land use plan helps to protect our natural resources and follows Maryland�s smart growth model.

Using BLM�s National Integrated Land System to Find and Derive Land Descriptions Using GeoRSS
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—Leslie Cone, BLM

The National Integrated Land System (NILS) is a joint development project between the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) conducted in partnership with states, counties, and private industry to provide a comprehensive solution for integrating survey data with parcel-based land records in an enterprise GIS environment.

NILS provides the capability for offering GeoRSS Web services that can be used with other applications or within our NILS GeoCommunicator (geocommunicator.gov). The web services use the NILS Public Land Survey System (PLSS) data in NAD 83 Geographical Coordinate System. BLM is the authoritative data source for the PLSS data. Download of survey data is also available from the NILS GeoCommunicator application (geocommunicator. gov).

GeoRSS or Geographic Really Simple Syndication is a web feed format used to publish content for geographic locations. GeoRSS is a simple XML-based file format used for passing location information.

NILS Find Land Description (LD) GeoRSS provides the capability to enter in a land description that includes state, meridian, township, range, section aliquots, survey type, survey number, and suffix. The system will return the latitude and longitude of the polygon. The latitude and longitude information can be copied and pasted; you can also zoom to the polygon on the map.

NILS Derive Land Description (LD) GeoRSS provides the capability to click or draw a box on a map such as Google Earth and have a land description containing state, meridian, township, range, section, and aliquot returned.

This presentation will include a demonstration of all of these new features.

Integrated Geographical Information System (IGIS) for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
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—David Wyatt, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

�GIS is the core component of improving geographical related workflow operations in a Tribal service oriented economy.�

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian (EBCI) Reservation is located in the southern Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina and consists of approximately 56,000 acres of remaining Tribal lands. Historically the Cherokee tribe was one of the largest tribes east of the Mississippi covering approximately an 8 state region.

The Tribal Integrated Geographic Information System (IGIS) will serve as central GIS database. EBCI has chosen Esri software as the core GIS �out of the box� technology component of improving geographical related data and workflow operations in its service oriented government.

The goal of Tribal GIS (Geographic Information System) system is to provide a GIS centric database repository workflow, data management, document storage and resource planning/management system for the Tribal Government. The EBCI is currently integrating existing geographically related workflow such as parcel transactions, parcel transaction history, parcel surveys, cultural and archeological data/history, historical documents, residential and commercial development inspection/permitting, utilities, housing, infrastructure, EMS services, environmental, regulations, logging, economic planning/development, project management and disaster planning.

The IGIS will provide a tool to improve: the management of Tribal lands, the communication and sharing of related project information and other data within the Tribal governments and to its Tribal members.

Using GIS in Ecosystems Restoration and Landscape Planning (LAE)

Evaluating Corps of Engineers Ecosystem Restoration Projects: Using GIS as the Framework for Environmental Benefits Analysis
View Presentation [PDF]

—Jim Henderson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The high costs and future commitments incumbent with Federal ecosystem restoration projects has the Office of Management and Budget encouraging agencies to recommend projects based on the broader public services provided, rather than being justified solely on the basis of habitat, water quality or other ecological attributes alone. Agencies are struggling with how to expand the analysis to include human or ecosystem services within study funding and timing constraints. One challenge is to determine how ecosystem services that the public values and consumes are related to resource changes resulting from a project. An emerging approach to ecosystem services is through Environmental Benefit Indicators (EBI) (Boyd and Wainger 2002, Boyd 2004). EBI uses changes in GIS based indices to evaluate changes in ecosystem services, incorporating human use factors with the natural resources analysis from the GIS into an index that is evaluated for different alternatives. Changes in natural resources, analyzed with GIS, are used to identify the human uses and values associated with the project. In a Corps riparian restoration project in the southwest U.S., the primary ecological analysis used ArcGIS 9.2 to analyze the distribution of cottonwood and riparian vegetation in the urban corridor. Using the cottonwood distribution, the analysis was expanded from the river to include the adjacent city and county. The expansion of the study area allowed incorporation of data to evaluate the ecosystem services of Public Education and Awareness, Natural and Cultural Integrity, Recreation Access, Catastrophic Fire Risk Reduction, and Aquifer Recharge and Infiltration.

Naval Installation Restoration Information Solution

—Mark Barnes, NAVFAC Midatlantic

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Environmental Business Line has developed a web-based centralized GIS database for their multi-million dollar Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) and deployed it in 2007. NIRIS (Naval Installation Restoration Information Solution) is being implemented across all NAVFAC offices and will be used by Navy and contractors to manage, evaluate, and visualize data, documents and records, including the Administrative Record, for Navy and the Marine Corps sites. NIRIS manages all ERP analytical and spatial data, which includes the Munitions Response and Installation Restoration Program (Navy�s Superfund/CERCLA program) data, ensuring institutional memory is preserved, land use controls are maintained, and remedial actions are effective. This presentation will provide a quick overview and: 1) demo of ArcIMS and ArcGIS via Citrix including tools for querying, visualizing data, creating buffers, time-trend charts, and printing maps; 2) discuss GIS implementation aspects of NIRIS including management of the data using Oracle 10G Enterprise Geodatabase with Esri ArcSDE.

GIS Enhanced Remediation Evaluation, Optimization, and Performance Monitoring
View Presentation [PDF]

—Kalem Sessions, AEEC, LC

Geographic Information System (GIS) and Geospatial data analysis tools enable project managers to make informed decisions in the evaluation, optimization, and performance monitoring of groundwater and soil remediation solutions. Remediation projects� performance evaluation and optimization require the ability to identify an implemented solution�s restrictions and/or deficiencies by analyzing extensive amounts of data collected over numerous years.

Ultimately, the proof of an implemented solution�s effectiveness at progressing toward site closure is decreasing contaminants of concern concentrations over space and time as evidence of source removal, plume capture, and/or plume treatment. GIS provides a powerful tool for analyzing and presenting site information in a concise, logical, and illustrative format with dynamic capabilities. The information developed and depicted with GIS can be utilized by project managers as a key component to simplify remediation performance evaluation, identify limitations, and make strategic decisions toward site closure. The discussion will focus on the GIS tools and integration with existing database utilized to develop the dynamic, illustrative information.

Defining an Environmental Mission Data Set

—Susan Kil, NGB/A7CV

The Environmental Restoration branch at the Air National Guard is currently working to define its Mission Data Set (MDS) and develop a control document to meet their geospatial data requirements. The overall requirements and process toward developing a final draft of the Environmental Restoration MDS Control Document will be presented.

Decision Support Systems for Managing Protected Lands (LAE)

New Progress on a National Evaluation of Forest Fuels and Budget Allocation for Fuels Treatment
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—Keith Reynolds, USDA Forest Service

Previously, we reported on a prototype decision-support application for the USDA Forest Service, designed to support evaluation of wildfire danger associated with forest fuels and budget allocation for fuels treatment at scales of USFS Regions and National Forests. This prototype was built with the Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system, an extension to ArcMap 9.2, and tested in 2006. In 2007, the application was extended to include all natural resource bureaus in the Department of the Interior with responsibilities for forest fuels management. In this paper, we summarize results from 2007 and illustrate ways in which the application has addressed key issues raised by the General Accountability Office concerning agency and bureau business processes for allocating fuels budgets.

Using Collaborative Tools for Energy Corridor Planning
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—James Kuiper, Argonne National Laboratory

In November 2007, the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Designation of Energy Corridors on Federal Land in the Western 11 States was released. The draft proposes a network of 6055 miles of energy corridors on lands managed by seven different federal agencies. Determining the proposed locations of the corridors was a large collaborative effort among the agencies and included local, state, and federal land managers. To connect this geographically dispersed group of people, the project team employed a variety of approaches to communicate corridor siting issues, including sharing GIS layers and electronic maps, a downloadable GIS database and ArcReader project, workshops, and Internet webcast teleconferences. This collaborative approach allowed difficult siting issues to be understood and discussed from many perspectives, which resulted in rapid and effective decision making. The result was a proposed corridor system that avoids many sensitive resources and protected lands while accommodating expected energy development.

GIS-Based Landscape and Environmental Planning Instrument for the Azerbaijan Caspian Sea Coastal Nature Protected Areas
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—Emil Bayramov, Geography Institute of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

Application of the Geographical Information Systems for the Landscape planning of the Azerbaijan Nature Protected Areas located along Caspian Sea created more comprehensive technology for the management and sustainable development of Azerbaijan nature. The pilot research areas were selected along Caspian Sea and as a result, the Landscape Planning instrument was created for these research areas.

The comparison of the landscape planning principles existing in the different countries is not really simple, since these systems are quite different as a result of the past evolutionary process and because different territories have non similar biodiversity characteristics. Prior to starting the process of the landscape planning, the objectives and the challenges were determined to get correct focus for further GIS based Landscape Planning Instrument development.

In the process of the research, created GIS layers for vegetation, soil, water, landuse, climate, DEM, land-use conflict, fauna and other GIS layers played the important role for the understanding of the relations between all of these layers, and it was important criteria for the determination of the correct measures for the development of the research areas. Since the research areas are located along Caspian Sea, they are heavily affected by the impact of Caspian Sea water level fluctuation. The creation of the digital terrain model gave possibility for the calculation of the potential Caspian Sea water level fluctuation to the coastal areas, and at the same time it determined the relation of Caspian Sea water level fluctuation with the ground water level rise over the research area.

The application of the Geographical Information Systems was the most important factor as the strong integrating tool of all of the aforementioned cartographic data and at the same time of all scientific aspects focused on the study of the various nature aspects.

Law Enforcement

Leveraging GIS as a Common Platform to Transform Data into Actionable Information (LAW)

Border Patrol Enterprise Geospatial Information Services

—Brandon Steele, Office of Border Patrol

As the primary federal law enforcement agency between the ports-of-entry, the Border Patrol�s mission is to prevent the entry of terrorists and their weapons of terrorism: to enforce the laws that protect America�s homeland by the detection, interdiction, and apprehension of those who attempt to illegally enter or smuggle any person or contraband across our Nation�s sovereign borders.

Geospatial technologies are of critical importance in assisting the Border Patrol with their mission and, as such, a number of initiatives have been undertaken. For example, the Border Patrol�s geospatial needs are unique from other law enforcement entities in that many of its primary operational areas are in extremely remote locations making available spatial datasets either scarce or nonexistent. Consequently, the Border Patrol launched Operation Waypoint, a GPS data collection effort focused on the acquisition of previously unavailable, Border Patrol-specific spatial datasets. Additionally, server-based geospatial technologies have been utilized to allow field agents nationwide to define specific incident locations as well as input proposed tactical infrastructure projects. The spatial datasets resulting from these initiatives has subsequently been made available Border Patrol-wide via a service-oriented architecture. This allows users to not only utilize spatially/temporally accurate Border Patrol information but also to exploit other data resources to further reveal previously unrecognized spatial patterns and trends along the border. As the utilization of geospatial technologies continues to grow within the Border Patrol culture, they will become an even more critical asset in support of the Border Patrol mission.

The Value of Mapping and GIS in the Federal Bureau of Investigation

—Paula Kingsbury, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Ms. Amy Pepper, a Unit Chief in the Federal Bureau of Investigation�s (FBI) Directorate of Intelligence, will be discussing the value of mapping and GIS in the FBI. The FBI continues to develop its use of mapping and geospatial tools to perform its mission to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats and to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States. Ms. Pepper will also discuss some of the FBI successes related to mapping and GIS use across the FBI programs.

SMART Approach to Juvenile Justice: Geographically-Enabled Crime Analysis and Mapping
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—Dennis Mondoro, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system. OJJDP developed the Socioeconomic Mapping and Resource Topography (SMART) system to enhance their effectiveness in sharing and analyzing juvenile justice data. The web-based system leverages ArcIMS 9.1 and ArcGIS services technology to provide users access to an extensive array of socioeconomic, crime and resource data that can be mapped and analyzed at a variety of geographic levels.

The presentation will be of particular interest to any agency or organization seeking to make large geographic data sets available to a wider audience. It will discuss the technical approach taken on the development of the SMART system as well as the migration of the initial version of SMART to the ArcGIS Server platform.

Modeling and Simulation

Integrating Geographic Information Systems with Modeling and Simulation through Common Geospatial Datasets (MAS)

Geo-Enabled Modeling and Simulation
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—Thomas Stanzione, MAK Technologies

The U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center is using Esri GIS technology to bring modeling and simulation (M&S) into the command and control (C2) domain. The GIS Enabled Modeling and Simulation (GEMS) project is developing a common geospatial database approach, using the Esri components of the Commercial Joint Mapping Toolkit (CJMTK), to allow entity-based simulations to operate directly on GIS data. This re-engineering of the modeling and simulation terrain generation process links simulation and map-based visualization systems directly to the GIS environment to support medium to high fidelity modeling and behaviors. Current work is expanding these capabilities to utilize CJMTK enterprise services for data and information that support both C2 and M&S applications. Actionable geospatial information is being used for higher level simulation behaviors. This technology is an enabler for mission planning, mission rehearsal, and predictive situation awareness and supports true train as you fight capabilities.

Visualizing the National Mall
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—Matthew Safford, National Park Service

Unobstructed views of iconic memorials and other structures are fundamental qualities of the visitor experience on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The patterns created by a combination of carefully placed street alignments, federal and institutional buildings, and open spaces in the core of Washington DC were established in the 1791 plan for the city by Pierre L�Enfant. Considered fundamental resources are the reciprocal views from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and from the Thomas Jefferson Memorial to the White House. Key views and cityscapes were simulated in 3D with ArcScene for analysis during the long-term planning effort for the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue currently being done by the National Park Service. GIS will be used in forging cooperative management strategies for long-term protection of key views.

System Architecture

Architecture Design Strategies for Defense (SYS)

The Evolution of the Geospatial Enterprise (Air Combat Command, USAF)
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—Dave Williams, Earth Tech

Air Combat Command (USAF) has had an �enterprise� geographic information system for nearly eight years. In this time the �enterprise� has seen itself evolve from a set of completely autonomous and disconnected stovepipe systems to somewhat connected production centers, to a completely integrated and seamless system that is able to, in near real time, move data around the world to support the mission at hand. During this time nearly all facets of this program have changed: data maintenance, web services, content delivery, hardware management, system architecture, etc. By attending this session the audience will learn more about how this program has evolved; where it was, where it is, and where it is going (as well as many of the challenges faced along the way). The focus will be on the application of cutting edge GIS and IT technologies and best practices to place Air Combat Command GeoBase at the forefront of large-scale Federal GIS.

Next Generation Web Services within the USAF (Air Combat Command, USAF)
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—Michael Cannon, USAF ACC GeoBase

The ACC GeoBase program enables 16 different ACC Air Force Bases as well as hundreds of expeditionary locations (CENTAF and AFSOUTH) around the world to share geospatial data and information with the USAF and the DOD through a centralized system. This environment offers a single, secure, and organized access point for the user by leveraging web services and a service oriented architecture within a portal environment (GCSS-AF Portal). There are many challenges related to designing and implementing a system of this magnitude: network issues, very large web map services, functionality requirements, etc. This paper describes the old and new web architectures, the challenges & solutions, and how web services for the users have improved.

Advanced Spatial Data Management within a Large-Scale System (Air Combat Command, USAF)
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—Chris Busskohl, ACC GeoBase

This presentation details the configuration, deployment, and management of a distributed group of replicated geospatial databases. Key points include legacy configuration and workflows, migration strategies and challenges, replication configurations, key workflows, required personnel and responsibilities, lessons learned, and the road ahead. This discussion is geared toward SDE Administrators and/or RDBMS DBAs interested in implementing and managing a large-scale replicated geospatial database environment.

Examples of Federal Enterprise Architectures (SYS)

Geo-enabling the DoD Business Enterprise Architecture
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—Costi Tudan, ODUSD (I&E) BEI

The Business Enterprise Architecture (BEA) is the enterprise architecture for the Department of Defense�s (DoD) business information infrastructure and includes processes, data, data standards, business rules, operating requirements, and information exchanges.

Geo-enabling the BEA requires alignment with the Defense IT Standards Registry (DISR) mandated, International Standards for Geospatial data. The modifications to the BEA 5.0 incorporate the elements that define geospatial data in the OV-7, logical data model DoDAF view.

EAUP: Enterprise Architecture Unified Process Using GERAM Based on USDP Structure

—Mohammad Ahmadi, Tarbiat Modares University

The EAUP is about those methods, models and tools which are needed to build an �enterprise architecture�. The process is unified because it adopts potentially all types of enterprise architecture frameworks (AFs). The EAUP description and documentation are based on the process structure of the USDP (Unified Software Development Process); i.e., EAUP uses the two-dimensional structure of USDP: �disciplines� and �phases�.

A �discipline� is a collection of related activities that are related to a major �area of concern�. The disciplines in EAUP include: (1) Architecting Disciplines such as Business Architecture, Systems Architecture, and etc. (2) Management Disciplines such as Configuration Management, Project Management, and etc. In disciplines we describe the workflows, tasks, activities, artifacts, and checkpoints of the architecting process.

�Phases� are the time between two major project milestones, during which a well-defined set of objectives is met, artifacts are completed, and decisions are made to move or not move into the next phase. EAUP uses four phases for architecting process. The EAUP proposes the application of an iterative process rather than a waterfall approach.

The EAUP meets the requirements of ISO 15704 and uses the components proposed by the annex of this standard document, called GERAM (Generalized Enterprise Architecture and Methodology).Specifically, the EAUP presents a well-defined methodology which utilizes the form and structure of USDP and establishes the well-documented methods of architecting based on GERAM, EAP (Enterprise architecture Planning), and other recognized AFs such as FEAF, DoDAF, and TOGAF.

We have used the EAUP in several real projects; these case studies have demonstrated the consistency of the EAUP with different AFs (such as Zachman, DoDAF, FEAF, and TOGAF).

USEPA�s Comprehensive Geospatial Information Sharing Framework
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—Michelle Torreano, USEPA

Geospatial resources are essential to USEPA�s mission of protecting human health and the environment. Due to their key role in decision-making by Agency personnel and external parties, it is critical that these assets are shared among a variety of end users in a robust, reliable, and meaningful way. To meet this need, USEPA has architected a comprehensive geospatial metadata sharing and management infrastructure using an approach that includes equal emphasis on technology implementation, policies, strategic planning, and outreach. USEPA�s service-oriented framework is now comprised of a complete set of resources that deliver an enterprise solution for geospatial information sharing that meets internal and external needs. This presentation will describe how EPA has implemented key components of this system, including developing a business case and strategic plan for maximizing benefits and cost-savings, creating an innovative technological infrastructure to meet diverse end-user needs, establishment of policies, procedures and standards that provide governance and oversight, and provision of user training, outreach and support.

Technology

ArcGIS and CAD Integration (TEC)

Advancing Louisiana State University to Become a Disaster Resistant University through the Use of GIS
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—Rusti Liner, FEMA

This presentation will bring together the efforts of Louisiana State University officials working with FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to migrate existing CAD data into a GIS. The data will be used for long term recovery, response and mitigation projects. The presenters will discuss the need for the program and show techniques on integrating various formats of CAD data into ArcGIS. End user platforms and applications are currently under development and a few of these will be highlighted also.

Applying GIS Data to Air Traffic Control Terminal Radar Video Maps
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—Diona Kakinohana, Federal Aviation Administration

Thousands of people board flights daily to travel from one place to another. These flights are among the safest method of travel. With so many airplanes in the air, air traffic control terminals rely on radar video maps to direct planes safely. In order to promote safety and efficiency in air traffic, the Federal Aviation Administration�s National Aeronautical Charting Group (NACG), Radar Video Map (RVM) section compiles and maintains over 9,000 radar video maps for more than 400 air traffic control terminals, including more than 3,000 maps per year. These radar maps, which range from 10 to 250 nautical miles, are purposely designed for the radarscope with an emphasis on the precise placement of map data. This paper explores the application of GIS data and the complexity of transforming it into useful CAD data format. In addition, this presentation highlights the cartographic nature of the RVM environment and current methodologies utilized in the creation of radar maps. Lastly, this presentation discusses the challenges in planning the future of radar video maps, including the changes in its mapping environment and cartographic methodologies in facing a possible CAD to GIS conversion.

Integrating GIS with Other IT Systems (TEC)

Customizing JTX for Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) Production
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—Carrie Muenks, Michael Baker, Jr., Inc.

Ideals of an enterprise application are to support and promote data integrity, streamline and standardize processes, and increase the efficiency of managing personnel and tasks. Esri�s Job Tracking Extension for ArcGIS (JTX) has been employed and customized to accomplish all of those ideals, while serving the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and assisting FEMA�s Mapping Partners in the production of Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs). Workflows with branches and loops have been established to account for all stages of production. Specific tasks are automatically assigned to teams that are universally responsible for their completion, such as independent QA and posting effective data to the National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL). With built-in job version security in JTX, the work of over 1200 registered users can be better controlled via asynchronous processes, cascading holds, job dependencies, automatic attachment of logfiles, descriptive histories, and restricted job access between Mapping Partners.

Using ArcGIS Technologies to Analyze GeoSAR Radar Data
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—Steven Shaffer, Fugro EarthData, Inc.

Fugro EarthData acquired airborne Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) data using the GeoSAR system in Yazoo County, Mississippi in August 2007. The purpose of this collection was to demonstrate the utility of IFSAR data for performing automated crop identification for use in USDA compliance programs. GeoSAR obtained single pass IFSAR data in X and P radar bands simultaneously. The multiple wavelength data supports investigations of the backscatter characteristics of various ground cover and crop types in both long and short wavelength radar. The GeoSAR project team is using ArcGIS technologies (ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Desktop, and the geodatabase) to perform the spatial analysis, manage large amounts of radar data through automated workflows and processing models, and to ultimately produce the maps the USDA will use in decision making. Preliminary findings of this project will be presented.

Redesigned EnviroMapper�A Services-Based Web Mapping Application of EPA Office of Water
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—Thomas Dabolt, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Redesigned EnviroMapper (EMR) is a web mapping application based on Esri ArcGIS Server that supports EPA Office of Water (OW) business objectives. Built as a services-based application, EMR aligns to EPA�s service-oriented architecture (SOA) as an integrated environment for maps and program web services. These include EPA water monitoring stations, National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) features, Impaired Waters, USGS water monitoring data, regulated facilities, and other OW programs or data sources. EMR�s design expands upon the functional capabilities of the existing EnviroMapper application for OW. It has the look-and-feel of a portal application with interactive panels, dynamic callbacks to web services, and seamless mapping functions. This translates to a productive user-experience and efficiency through reusable components. Maps are provided by ArcGIS Server, ArcIMS, and OGC WMS map services with application logic in ASP.NET providing feature identification, spatial querying, selection and highlighting, spatial analysis, and other GIS functionality. Reusable program web services provide added query functionality and access to additional data, integrated into the application as report queries that drill down into program data and link to external sources providing additional information.

National Geographic Maps Uses Meta Lens to Manage Digital Assets
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—Renee Walmsley, National Geographic Maps

Presentation Objectives: Bring media together into one system, Integrate with modern platforms, Manage assets with secure, real-time data. Digital assets are increasingly becoming the primary asset base for many organizations, including National Geographic. Managing those assets requires a nimble asset management system�one that can handle all of your media, your data, and your maps.

Importantly, many organizations want to be able to manage, distribute, and license digital media and dynamic cartography out of their operations or library functions. This requires that the application be intuitive, easy to use, and robust. National Geographic Maps has developed Meta Lens with an eye toward turning the �lens� on whichever of your asset groups you want to bring into focus. This presentation shows you how National Geographic employs Meta Lens to tie media, content, data, and maps together in a spatially intelligent system that uses Esri�s most modern architectures (ArcGIS Server, AWX Framework, etc.). Meta Lens can connect governmental units and agencies to each other by providing a unified intel platform as a common operating picture. Sharing diverse sets of digital asset types in real-time allows for more informed situational analysis.

GIS Solutions for Improving Operational Intelligence and Readiness (TEC)

Army Use of Esri Products for Production and Use of GeoPDF
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—Ray Caputo, U.S. Army Topo Eng Cnt

The U.S. Army�s GeoPDF Project has implemented a third party extension for creation of the GeoPDF file format from ArcGIS and using a custom created extension for bringing in GeoPDFs into ArcGIS. The use of these two tools gives the Army the ability to produce better �looking� mission specific products that are easier to view by the non mappers in the Army. These files created using Esri tools and extensions will give all soldiers the geospatial information they need to make better battlefield decisions.

Enabling the Image Analyst to Use the Geodatabase
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—Rick Racine, BAE

The tradecraft of the image analyst is undergoing a dramatic transformation as the benefits of geographic databases become apparent, especially in terms of data sharing. It has become possible to connect image analysis software to a sophisticated database, such as Esri�s geodatabase, so that geographic information such as points, lines and areas can be stored in terms of its ground coordinates. Thus this information can be queried and viewed against new imagery, facilitating temporal analysis and change detection. A popular, modern software application, BAE Systems� SOCET GXP�, which is in wide use throughout the image analysis community, includes a capability called SEE (Spatially Enabled Exploitation) that makes use of ArcGIS Engine to access the Geodatabase. The product�s image import and sensor modeling capabilities enable users to measure accurately on an extremely wide range of government and commercial image sources, so that the Geodatabase is updated easily and efficiently.

GeoRover Software Product Solutions for Operational Intelligence Users
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—Jeff Wilson, SAIC Operational Intelligence Solutions

Presentation will focus on the use of GeoRover products as a technology enabler within the operational intelligence world. GeoRover products are extensions for ArcMap that provide robust, fast, and flexible interface solutions for users in an operational and/or disconnected environment. GeoRover software tools specialize in rapid creation and editing of feature data, powerful management/display of file-based raster product format (RPF) maps and imagery, and much more. GeoRover products promote the expansion of Esri-based technology and data management deep into the operational intelligence field.

Using Semantic Modeling to Characterize Buildings and Neighborhoods
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—Danielle Forsyth, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center

No abstract available.

Virtualization of the Esri Platform (TEC)

Supporting the Army Enterprise with Esri and Citrix
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—Julie Carter, U.S. Army

The Army�s Installation Geographic Information and Services (IGI&S) Program has recently established centrally available geospatial software to support the needs of physically and organizationally distributed users as part of its Army Mapper enterprise GIS. Both software and data, secured with permissions-based access using AKO and CAC authentication, is accessed via a connection through Citrix. Using Citrix to distribute desktop GIS and CADD functionalities has many potential benefits, including improved performance, more effective license management, support to more users, and reduced desktop maintenance. This presentation will provide an overview of the Citrix environment for Army Mapper, outline the basic advantages of the Citrix environment, and discuss challenges discovered in migrating users to this new configuration.

Delivering Large-Scale GIS Services with ArcGIS and Grid Technology
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—Scott Crawford, Appistry

At GEOINT 2007 Symposium, Appistry announced and demonstrated the world�s fastest geocoding application based on ArcGIS and Appistry�s grid-based application platform. Presented with 1.5 million randomly selected U.S. addresses, the distributed solution bulk-coded the addresses in just over 30 seconds yielding an average rate in excess of 40,000 geocoding transactions per second. Yet geocoding is only the beginning. The approach and architecture used to achieve this level of scalability are applicable to building any coarse-grained GIS service using ArcGIS so that it can be easily deployed and operated in a highly distributed manner.

This presentation introduces some key challenges faced by users seeking to achieve extreme levels of scalability for their GIS applications. A survey of grid-based platforms is presented, with particular attention paid to how they help users achieve scalability for compute- and data-intensive applications like GIS. The architecture developed to support the geocoding application is presented in detail. Finally, extensions to the architecture are presented which allow it to accelerate a wide variety of GIS applications.

Throughout the presentation, the author draws from his experience developing and delivering GIS and geospatial solutions for firms such as GeoEye and FedEx.

Exploiting Virtual Technology for Army Mapper Application Development
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—Micke Schmidt, Booz Allen Hamilton

Army Mapper, the Army�s enterprise geographic information system, is developed and tested in an environment utilizing VMware�s virtual technology. The current environment consists of eighteen to twenty virtual servers running on Windows 2003 Enterprise Edition R2. The typical server has 10 to 60 GB of disk space and anywhere from 1 to 3 GB of RAM. These servers provide and house multiple services such as Oracle 10g RDBMS, Esri�s ArcGIS and SDE servers, Citrix Presentation Server, Microsoft�s IIS and Red Hat�s JBoss web servers. Virtual technology provides the Army Mapper development team with faster server deployments, consistent server configuration management and the flexibility to add resources on the fly such as additional RAM, more hard disk space or even additional processors.

GEOFidelis Nation
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—Frances Railey, Headquarters, USMC (I&L)

The Marine Corps has established the GEOFidelis Program to manage its installations and environmental (I&E) geospatial information, services, and infrastructure. A key component of this infrastructure has been the establishment of Regional Centers on the East and West coasts to consolidate common program operations and establish robust data and application hosting environments. This presentation will focus on the operational aspects of the GEOFidelis Regional Centers, including how installations access data and applications through a Citrix based remote terminal environment.

Enterprise Geospatial Data Management (TEC)

Creating a Topology on a Mature Dataset
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—Shane Wolf, NASA LaRC

A topology is a valuable tool for finding and fixing problem areas in almost any kind of map. Creating a topology in a new geodataset is rather easy. However, should one decide to create a topology on a mature dataset or one that is continuously being edited, a few problems can arise. The purpose of this presentation is to examine the problems and the solution process that came out of creating a topology on a preexisting, surface feature dataset.

The NASA Langley surface feature geodataset contains all the feature classes one would expect on a base map. Creating a topology for this dataset requires that it be unversioned. This presents the most challenging problem in achieving the Surface topology goal. A compromising solution was required�one that allowed for the creation of the topology but also did not leave users locked out of the geodatabase.

The solution to the problem lies in the ArcSDE command line. The sdetable alter_reg command provided a viable solution to the problem of versioning.

Validation of the new topology posed another problem. Initial validation was unsuccessful due to previously unknown errors in geometry. One solution to this problem is to export the feature class to a personal geodatabase. Also, an easier solution can be found in forgoing initial validation in favor of validating only small portions of the map at a time.

Cluster tolerance is also an important issue once the topology was created. Leaving the cluster tolerance at the default value created added work for the user. As this value cannot be changed once the dataset is registered as versioned, it is important to determine a value based on map accuracy.

Enterprise Systems Management for Large Spatial Systems (Air Combat Command, USAF)
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—Sean Kyzar, ACC GeoBase

This presentation provides information and strategies regarding the management of enterprise geospatial systems. It details the design and maintenance of a geospatial enterprise environment in contrast to a traditional IT enterprise environment. Backup scenarios, hardware and operating system management, server sizing, and change management are the primary topics discussed in this presentation. This paper is intended for IT professionals currently in or entering the GIS field and GIS specialists desiring to expand their technical knowledge regarding systems fundamentals and planning.

Improved Hydrographic Survey Efficiency and Efficacy Using the Esri Geodatabase

—Vitad Pradith, NOAA

The primary use of an Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) is the display of nautical charting information. An ENC utilizes the International Hydrographic Office (IHO) S-57 data model developed as an international exchange format to standardize display information. This model, called an S-57 Feature Object, contains two components: (1) A spatial component describing where the object is and (2) the feature component to describe what the object is. This indispensable information promotes and provides safe navigation of maritime traffic throughout the United States. One ENC can contain several hundred objects that are not conducive to spatial analysis, nor does it provide a means of metrics through a Geographic Information System (GIS). Moreover, it becomes unmanageable without a means to containerize and control the multitude of layers that may be present in any S-57 Feature Object. The Esri Geodatabase data model provides a means for this spatial analysis to occur through a format widely utilized in the GIS community. This allows information such as bathymetric data and bottom type to be extricated from an ENC allowing comparisons of prior and current hydrographic survey data.

This paper details a case study on the implementation of the Esri Geodatabase data model using the ENC data handler extension for ArcGIS developed by the NOAA Coastal Services Center. With the incorporation of the S-57 Feature Object into a Geodatabase format, appropriate metrics can be measured to provide positional accuracies of charted natural/anthropogenic features and the quantification of bathymetric dynamics. The resulting data provides important information that affects field operations by improving the efficiency and efficacy of hydrographic survey data acquisition.

Other

Innovative Applications of Esri Technology across the Federal Government (OTH)

Hail to the Chief: GIS Challenges of Cross-Organizational Teams
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—Greg Bury, U.S. Navy

Conventions, terms, and roles vary widely among agencies. This is challenging for teams dealing with organization-specific issues such as contracts. It can be helpful to think of the parties as tribes. In fifteen years of applying geographic information systems at the Naval Air Engineering Station (NAES), budgeting and contractual issues have posed the most challenging hurdles. Technologies, data models, accuracy�these change over time; but often gradually and ultimately making things easier. Organizational culture seems to go through revolutionary change every few years. Add the constant need to do more with less, and each year�s budget drill can be a hair-raising sequel to last year�s thriller.

In recent years at NAES, contracting actions started mid-year were still in jeopardy as deadlines loomed at year�s end. Joint Basing complicated things in 2007, when a DoD contract award by the GSA was needed to keep all parties �flying in formation�. In another case, unclear invoicing and mix-ups between the DoD, Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), and the consultant led to a year of resubmittals, with back payments totaling over $200,000.

The involvement of multiple agencies added to the confusion. The Joint Base award included the Navy (base, region and national offices), the Air Force (contract lead), the GSA (assisting agency), and the consultant. The invoicing issues required attention by the Navy site, regional comptroller, DFAS, and the consultant�s accounting office. Documents were prepared, submitted, and rejected as people struggled to get the latest formats, understand processes, and get the right approvals. It may be helpful to think of organizations as tribes, each with its own dialect and organization. Different words and customs may apply for the same ends. This includes power issues: approval may depend on an accountant, or a chief.

How does this apply to cross-organizational teams? Translators will help to understand what is required on all sides. For example, GSA and DoD staff can speak in common budget terms that a consultant may not understand. The formal and informal leader(s) must be identified�the signing official may not be the person who really understands the need. Finally, the team represents a �tribal gathering,� where all must be satisfied to their respective standards.

HUD Aggregated USPS Administrative Data on Address Vacancies
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—Robert Renner, Department of Housing and Urban Development�Office of Policy Development and Research

HUD has entered into an agreement with the United States Postal Service (USPS) to receive quarterly aggregate data on addresses identified by the USPS as having been �vacant� or �No-Stat� in the previous quarter. HUD is making these data available for researchers and practitioners to explore their potential utility for tracking neighborhood change on a quarterly basis. The potential power of these data is that they represent the universe of all addresses in the United States and are updated every three months. Under the agreement with the USPS, HUD can make the data available publicly at the Census Tract level. This presentation will focus on how to acquire, decipher, and use this dataset for mapping or research applications.

Building the National Map and Geospatial One-Stop (GOS) with Local Government Web Mapping Services
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—Sam Wear, USGS/Westchester County, NY

The rapid development and expansion of web mapping services in local governments provide new and previously unavailable opportunities for federal agencies to access large scale and high accuracy geospatial datasets being developed at the local level.

This paper will provide an overview of local government web services now available for several major U.S. metropolitan areas which can be accessed through the Geospatial One-Stop (GOS) at www.geodata.gov. Accompanying metadata records provide access to Map Server URLs and Map Service names which enable users to �fuse� web services in both browser and desktop environments.

Local government GIS web mapping services provide federal agencies with a wide range of detailed planimetric and cadastral datasets including street centerlines, hydrology, and building footprints. Tax parcel boundaries and high resolution digital orthophotography are also often available. Furthermore, leveraging local government web services provides a unique opportunity for federal agencies to build and expand partnerships with several local government associations including the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC).

Spatial Data Standards (OTH)

The North American Profile

—Sharon Shin, Federal Geog. Data Committee

The North American Profile: write, review, and write, public review, write public review. It seems like a never ending process but the geospatial community is truly in the final stretch for American National Standards Institute approval. This presentation will briefly review the process and the content of the standard but in detail review what the Federal Geographic Data Committee has/ or will do to aid in the new standard�s implementation. This paper will conclude with an open forum to allow the federal community to comment and make recommendations.

A Strategic Framework for the NSDI: The States Perspective
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—Gene Trobia, State of Arizona

Services, products, and decisions based on spatial location are critical to all levels of government, the public and the business communities across the United States. A National Spatial Data Infrastructure as described by OMB as the �technology, policies, standards, human resources and related activities necessary to acquire, process, distribute, use, maintain and preserve spatial data� would provide the foundation for these critical spatial services. The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) has focused on an effort to describe the role of participants working together within individual state geographies to fulfill the goals of the NSDI. Individuals, governments, organizations, and businesses collaborating within state geographies can best target resources to create and maintain the components of the NSDI for that area. We believe the coordinated process of creating State Spatial Data Infrastructures (SSDI) across the nation, working within and with minimal impact to existing government processes, will be the most productive way to implement the NSDI. That process will be generally presented here, including strategies for key data components that have come to be known as ��For the Nation� initiatives, such as Imagery For the Nation, Transportation For the Nation, Addresses For the Nation, and Cadastral For the Nation. Every state will add definition to this process by developing its unique Strategic and Business Plans. As the creation of the NSDI is a cross-governmental, collaborative effort, following the presentation there will be a facilitated discussion to solicit feedback and ideas from the audience on steps to move forward.

Technical Workshops

Using Cartographic Representations in ArcGIS 9.2
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Putting It All Together: the Esri Product Line
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Introduction to ArcGIS Defense Solutions
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Enterprise GIS Architecture
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Enterprise GIS: Design Using Citrix
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ArcGIS for Developers
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Developing Web Applications with ArcGIS Server
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PLTS Configuration and Solutions
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Introduction to PLTS
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Future Battle Command: Geospatially-Enabled
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Analysis & Geoprocessing: Case Studies � Problem Solving
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GIS Portal Toolkit
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Introduction to ArcGIS Server - Creating and Using GIS Services
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Tracking Analyst
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Real-Time Decisions with Tracking Server
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Building Powerful, Integrated Mobile Applications with ArcGIS Mobile
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North American Profile
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North American Profile ISO 19115
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Interoperability For Enterprise GIS Technology
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Esri�s Support for Interoperability Standards
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Working with the Geodatabase
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