[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 15 (Monday, April 18, 1994)]
[Pages 779-781]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 12906--Coordinating Geographic Data Acquisition and 
Access: The National Spatial Data Infrastructure

April 11, 1994

    Geographic information is critical to promote economic development, 
improve our stewardship of natural resources, and protect the 
environment. Modern technology now permits improved acquisition, 
distribution, and utilization of geographic (or geospatial) data and 
mapping. The National Performance Review has recommended that the 
executive branch develop, in cooperation with State, local, and tribal 
governments, and the private sector, a coordinated National Spatial Data 
Infrastructure to support public and private sector applications of 
geospatial data in such areas as transportation, community development, 
agriculture, emergency response, environmental management, and 
information technology.
    Now, Therefore, by the authority vested in me as President by the 
Constitution and the laws of the United States of America; and to 
implement the recommendations of the National Performance Review; to 
advance the goals of the National Information Infrastructure; and to 
avoid wasteful duplication of effort and promote effective and 
economical management of resources by Federal, State, local, and tribal 
governments, it is ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Definitions. (a) ``National Spatial Data Infrastructure'' 
(``NSDI'') means the technology, policies, standards, and human 
resources necessary to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve 
utilization of geospatial data.
    (b) ``Geospatial data'' means information that identifies the 
geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed 
features and boundaries on the earth. This information may be derived 
from, among other things, remote sensing, mapping, and surveying 
technologies. Statistical data may be included in this definition at the 
discretion of the collecting agency.
    (c) The ``National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse'' means a 
distributed network of geospatial data producers, managers, and users 
linked electronically.
    Sec. 2. Executive Branch Leadership for Development of the 
Coordinated National Spatial Data Infrastructure. (a) The Federal 
Geographic Data Committee (``FGDC''), established by the Office of 
Management and Budget (``OMB'') Circular No. A-16 (``Coordination of 
Surveying, Mapping, and Related Spatial Data Activities'') and chaired 
by the Secretary of the Department of the Interior (``Secretary'') or 
the Secretary's designee, shall coordinate the Federal Government's 
development of the NSDI.
    (b) Each member agency shall ensure that its representative on the 
FGDC holds a policy-level position.
    (c) Executive branch departments and agencies (``agencies'') that 
have an interest in the development of the NSDI are encouraged to join 
the FGDC.
    (d) This Executive order is intended to strengthen and enhance the 
general policies described in OMB Circular No. A-16. Each agency shall 
meet its respective responsibilities under OMB Circular No. A-16.
    (e) The FGDC shall seek to involve State, local, and tribal 
governments in the development and implementation of the initiatives 
contained in this order. The FGDC shall utilize the expertise of 
academia, the private sector, professional societies, and others as

[[Page 780]]

necessary to aid in the development and implementation of the objectives 
of this order.
    Sec. 3. Development of a National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse. (a) 
Establishing a National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse. The Secretary, 
through the FGDC, and in consultation with, as appropriate, State, 
local, and tribal governments and other affected parties, shall take 
steps within 6 months of the date of this order, to establish an 
electronic National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse (``Clearinghouse'') 
for the NSDI. The Clearinghouse shall be compatible with the National 
Information Infrastructure to enable integration with that effort.
    (b) Standardized Documentation of Data. Beginning 9 months from the 
date of this order, each agency shall document all new geospatial data 
it collects or produces, either directly or indirectly, using the 
standard under development by the FGDC, and make that standardized 
documentation electronically accessible to the Clearinghouse network. 
Within 1 year of the date of this order, agencies shall adopt a 
schedule, developed in consultation with the FGDC, for documenting, to 
the extent practicable, geospatial data previously collected or 
produced, either directly or indirectly, and making that data 
documentation electronically accessible to the Clearinghouse network.
    (c) Public Access to Geospatial Data. Within 1 year of the date of 
this order, each agency shall adopt a plan, in consultation with the 
FGDC, establishing procedures to make geospatial data available to the 
public, to the extent permitted by law, current policies, and relevant 
OMB circulars, including OMB Circular No. A-130 (``Management of Federal 
Information Resources'') and any implementing bulletins.
    (d) Agency Utilization of the Clearinghouse. Within 1 year of the 
date of this order, each agency shall adopt internal procedures to 
ensure that the agency accesses the Clearinghouse before it expends 
Federal funds to collect or produce new geospatial data, to determine 
whether the information has already been collected by others, or whether 
cooperative efforts to obtain the data are possible.
    (e) Funding. The Department of the Interior shall provide funding 
for the Clearinghouse to cover the initial prototype testing, standards 
development, and monitoring of the performance of the Clearinghouse. 
Agencies shall continue to fund their respective programs that collect 
and produce geospatial data; such data is then to be made part of the 
Clearinghouse for wider accessibility.
    Sec. 4. Data Standards Activities. (a) General FGDC Responsibility. 
The FGDC shall develop standards for implementing the NSDI, in 
consultation and cooperation with State, local, and tribal governments, 
the private and academic sectors, and, to the extent feasible, the 
international community, consistent with OMB Circular No. A-119 
(``Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary 
Standards''), and other applicable law and policies.
    (b) Standards for Which Agencies Have Specific Responsibilities. 
Agencies assigned responsibilities for data categories by OMB Circular 
No. A-16 shall develop, through the FGDC, standards for those data 
categories, so as to ensure that the data produced by all agencies are 
compatible.
    (c) Other Standards. The FGDC may from time to time identify and 
develop, through its member agencies, and to the extent permitted by 
law, other standards necessary to achieve the objectives of this order. 
The FGDC will promote the use of such standards and, as appropriate, 
such standards shall be submitted to the Department of Commerce for 
consideration as Federal Information Processing Standards. Those 
standards shall apply to geospatial data as defined in section 1 of this 
order.
    (d) Agency Adherence to Standards. Federal agencies collecting or 
producing geospatial data, either directly or indirectly (e.g. through 
grants, partnerships, or contracts with other entities), shall ensure, 
prior to obligating funds for such activities, that data will be 
collected in a manner that meets all relevant standards adopted through 
the FGDC process.
    Sec. 5. National Digital Geospatial Data Framework. In consultation 
with State, local, and tribal governments and within 9 months of the 
date of this order, the FGDC shall submit a plan and schedule to OMB for 
completing the initial implementation of a national digital geospatial 
data framework

[[Page 781]]

(``framework'') by January 2000 and for establishing a process of 
ongoing data maintenance. The framework shall include geospatial data 
that are significant, in the determination of the FGDC, to a broad 
variety of users within any geographic area or nationwide. At a minimum, 
the plan shall address how the initial transportation, hydrology, and 
boundary elements of the framework might be completed by January 1998 in 
order to support the decennial census of 2000.
    Sec. 6. Partnerships for Data Acquisition. The Secretary, under the 
auspices of the FGDC, and within 9 months of the date of this order, 
shall develop, to the extent permitted by law, strategies for maximizing 
cooperative participatory efforts with State, local, and tribal 
governments, the private sector, and other nonfederal organizations to 
share costs and improve efficiencies of acquiring geospatial data 
consistent with this order.
    Sec. 7. Scope. (a) For the purposes of this order, the term 
``agency'' shall have the same meaning as the term ``Executive agency'' 
in 5 U.S.C. 105, and shall include the military departments and 
components of the Department of Defense.
    (b) The following activities are exempt from compliance with this 
order:
        (i) national security-related activities of the Department of 
            Defense as determined by the Secretary of Defense;
        (ii) national defense-related activities of the Department of 
            Energy as determined by the Secretary of Energy; and
        (iii) intelligence activities as determined by the Director of 
            Central Intelligence.
    (c) The NSDI may involve the mapping, charting, and geodesy 
activities of the Department of Defense relating to foreign areas, as 
determined by the Secretary of Defense.
    (d) This order does not impose any requirements on tribal 
governments.
    (e) Nothing in the order shall be construed to contravene the 
development of Federal Information Processing Standards and Guidelines 
adopted and promulgated under the provisions of section 111(d) of the 
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended by 
the Computer Security Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-235), or any other 
United States law, regulation, or international agreement.
    Sec. 8. Judicial Review. This order is intended only to improve the 
internal management of the executive branch and is not intended to, and 
does not, create any right to administrative or judicial review, or any 
other right or benefit or trust responsibility, substantive or 
procedural, enforceable by a party against the United States, its 
agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other 
person.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
April 11, 1994.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:32 a.m., April 12, 
1994]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on 
April 13.