Summit: Creating Spatial Data Standards for Cultural Resources

The purpose of the summit is to review current efforts to collect spatial data for cultural resources, explore how these data are organized, and examine what metadata are attached to such data. In addition, the Summit will examine draft standards as a starting point for creating FGDC cultural resource spatial data standards, as well as where they overlap with other standards activities.

The Summit is scheduled for March 11 (1:00am - 5:00pm), March 12 (8:30 am - 5:00pm), and March 13 (9:00am - 12:00pm), 2009 in Washington D.C. at the Hall of the States. The meeting follows directly on the end of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers annual meeting to encourage participation by State, Tribal, and local preservation organizations.

The National Park Service (NPS) has been tasked by OMB under Circular A-16 as the lead agency for the cultural resources data theme. One of the responsibilities under A-16 is to develop standards, where needed, to facilitate the exchange of spatial data. For cultural resources, no standards currently exist to exchange cultural resource spatial data.

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is responsible for coordinating and assisting in developing such standards. Standards formally adopted by the FGDC are mandatory for all Federal agencies. In February 2008, the FGDC endorsed the proposal to create standards for cultural resources and the plan for developing them. Part of the plan is to kick off the standards making process by convening a summit of Federal agencies, State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal preservation offices, and local governments.