[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 66309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31909]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC); Public Review of 
Spatial Data Transfer Standard, Point Profile

ACTION: Notice; Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FGDC is sponsoring a public review of the draft ``Spatial 
Data Transfer Standard, FIPS 173, Part 6: The Point Profile'' to be 
considered for adoption as an FGDC standard. If adopted, the standard 
must be followed by all Federal agencies for data collected directly or 
indirectly (through grants, partnerships, or contracts).
    In its assigned leadership role for developing the National Spatial 
Data Infrastructure (NSDI), the FGDC recognizes that the standards must 
also meet the needs and recognize the views of State and local 
governments, academia, industry, and the public. The purpose of this 
notice is to solicit such views. The FGDC invites the community to 
review, test, and evaluate the proposed SDTS Point Profile. Comments 
about the content, completeness, and usability of the proposed SDTS 
Point Profile are encouraged.
    The FGDC anticipates that the proposed SDTS Point Profile will 
provide consistency in the conveyance of geographic point data among 
FGDC members and will support related standards to collect, process, 
and/or transfer geographic point data. The standard may be forwarded to 
other standard organizations for adoption if interest warrants such 
actions.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 1, 1997.

CONTACT and ADDRESSES: Requests for written copies of the SDTS Point 
Profile should be sent to mail to Standards Working Group, FGDC 
Secretariat (attn: Jennifer Fox), U.S. Geological Survey, 590 National 
Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia, 20192; telephone 
703-648-5514; facsimile 703-648-5755; or Internet ``[email protected]''. The 
proposed standard is also available for viewing on the Internet on the 
Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee Home Page; the URL is: http://
www.ngs.noaa.gov/FGCS/fgcs.html. The standard may be downloaded from 
the FGDC Home Page at the following URL: www.fgdc.gov (select Public 
Documents).
    Reviewer comments should be sent to the FGDC Secretariat at the 
above address. Please send one hardcopy version of the comments and a 
soft copy version, preferably on a 3.5'' diskette in WordPerfect 5.0 
format.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Objectives: This profile shall provide for the transfer of higher 
precision geographic point data in compliance with SDTS, FIPS 173.
    Scope: Part 6, the Point Profile, contains specifications for a 
SDTS profile for use with geographic point data only, with the option 
to carry high precision coordinates (by increasing the number of 
decimal places or significant figures) such as those required for 
geodetic network control points. (This profile is a modification of 
Part 4, the Topological Vector Profile, and follows many of the 
conventions of that profile.) Geographic point data herein describes 
real-world features, rather than a symbolized map graphic. The data may 
be derived from a cartographic product (map), but the scope of the 
Point Profile is to convey high precision point data, such as data 
derived from high precision geodetic network control surveys, rather 
than information about geographic features displayed on maps. The 
profile does not include the transfer of topological structures.
    Maintenance Authority: The FGCS, as the lead subcommittee, will 
suggest and/or provide changes to the SDTS maintenance authority, when 
received from other FGDC subcommittees and working groups in order to 
maintain this Point Profile for the FGDC user communities.

    Dated: December 9, 1996.
Richard E. Witmer,
Acting Chief, National Mapping Division.
[FR Doc. 96-31909 Filed 12-16-96; 8:45 am]
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