[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 135 (Thursday, July 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34557-34558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16896]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Publication of North American Datum of 1983 State Plane 
Coordinates in Feet in Utah

AGENCY: National Geodetic Survey (NGS), National Ocean Service (NOS), 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) will publish North American 
Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) State Plane

[[Page 34558]]

Coordinate (SPC) grid values in both meters and U.S. Survey Feet (1 ft 
= 1200/3937 m) in Utah, for all well defined geodetic survey control 
monuments maintained by NGS in the National Spatial Reference System 
(NSRS) and computed from various geodetic positioning utilities. The 
adoption of this standard is implemented in accordance with NGS policy 
and a request from the Utah Department of Transportation, the Utah 
Council of Land Surveyors, and the Utah Automated Geographic Reference 
Center.

DATES: Individuals or organizations wishing to submit comments on the 
Publication of North American Datum of 1983 State Plane Coordinates in 
feet in Utah, should do by August 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the attention of David 
Doyle, Chief Geodetic Surveyor, Office of the National Geodetic Survey, 
National Ocean Service (N/NGS2), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
Maryland, 20910, fax 301-713-4324, or via e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to David Doyle, Chief Geodetic Surveyor, National 
Geodetic Survey (N/NGS2), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910, Phone: (301) 713-3178.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Abstract

    In 1991, NGS adopted a policy that defines the conditions under 
which NAD 83 State Plane Coordinates (SPCs) would be published in feet 
in addition to meters. As outlined in that policy, each state or 
territory must adopt NAD 83 legislation (typically referenced as Codes, 
Laws or Statutes), which specifically defines a conversion to either 
U.S. Survey or International Feet as defined by the U.S. Bureau of 
Standards in 59 FR 5442. To date, 48 states have adopted the NAD 83 
legislation however, for various reasons, only 33 included a specific 
definition of the relationship between meters and feet. This lack of 
uniformity has led to confusion and misuse of SPCs as provided in 
various NGS products, services and tools, and created errors in 
mapping, charting and surveying programs in numerous states due to 
inconsistent coordinate conversions.

    Dated: July 7, 2009.
Juliana P. Blackwell,
Director, Office of National Geodetic Survey, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-16896 Filed 7-15-09; 8:45 am]
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