[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 172 (Wednesday, December 12, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S13043]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CIVILIAN FEDERAL AGENCY USE OF REMOTE SENSING

  Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, I commend to your attention a report 
entitled ``Assessment of Remote Sensing Data Use By Civilian Federal 
Agencies,'' which was prepared by Dr. Sherri Stephan of the 
Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on International Security, 
Proliferation, and Federal Services and the Congressional Research 
Service. The report will be available on the Subcommittee's website.
  In January 2001, I asked the CRS to conduct a survey of remote 
sensing data and technology use by Federal non-military agencies. 
Subcommittee staff used the CRS survey results, included in the report 
as an appendix, and collected agency responses to analyze how Federal 
agencies use remote sensing. It is my hope that this report will enable 
Congress to better understand the issues that arise in obtaining and 
applying the technology.
  The widespread availability of detailed and accurate satellite 
imaging data has made the world increasingly transparent. Observational 
capabilities that only a few decades ago were classified and strictly 
limited are now owned and operated by both government and private-
sector organizations. For example, Space Imaging, a private satellite 
data company's web site contains satellite photos of the attack on 
Kandahar.
  Satellite images have also revolutionized the study of the natural 
environment and global hazards, agriculture, transportation and urban 
planning, law enforcement, education, energy use, public health trends, 
and international policy. Researchers in my State of Hawaii, in 
partnership with NASA, NOAA and others, use remote sensing data for 
many purposes, such as to monitor water temperature and climate 
variability for tsunami early warning and evacuation planning, 
environmental impacts on fisheries, and volcanic activity monitoring.
  There is now a national capability to provide remote-sensing data 
products and value-added information services directly to end users, 
such as farmers, foresters, fishermen, natural resource managers, and 
the public. Just this fall, researchers demonstrated on the island of 
Kauai how remote sensing data from unmanned aerial vehicles could be 
used to help determine precisely when a coffee crop is ready for 
harvesting.
  New imaging technology and new data systems provide a rich 
opportunity for federal agencies to improve their services. The 
nineteen agencies included in this study span the roles of the federal 
government from basic research centers to law enforcement. All but four 
report some use of remote sensing data and technology. These agencies 
use data for environmental and conservation purposes, early warning and 
mitigation of natural disasters; basic and applied research, mapping 
activities, monitoring and verifying compliance with laws and treaties, 
agricultural activities, and transportation and shipping.
  We also asked the agencies to share their concerns with remote 
sensing data. These concerns expressed their desire to use the data and 
technology more fully and efficiently. Many agencies had difficulties 
due to cost and licensing of commercial data and value-added products 
and analysis, as well as other access concerns. Several agencies were 
concerned about their capacity to exploit fully remote sensing data and 
technology, mostly due to a shortage of trained personnel within the 
agencies to analyze and interpret data.
  This report offers several options to alleviate these concerns, but 
these are not the only possible solutions. Nor are they suggestions for 
action. The Federal Government uses remote sensing data in many ways, 
and it is unlikely that a single solution will solve all the problems 
associated with this use.
  Since the first photographs of enemy troop positions from a hot air 
balloon in 1860, there have been military and intelligence applications 
of remote sensing data. Today, in this new age of terrorism and 
homeland security concerns, users now include local first responders, 
city planners, and State officials. This creates a new challenge for 
commercial and government data providers to translate our impressive 
imagery technology into a capability that can be exploited by users 
quickly and easily.
  I would like to thank the staff of the Congressional Research 
Service, especially Marcia Smith, for her able assistance in preparing 
this report.

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