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<br />A Position for
<br />Free Access
<br />
<br />U)' .lack nan~ermond.
<br />I)rt'sid<'nt. ESIU
<br />
<br />Over lhe pa.st several years.
<br />I have advocated lhe po..i~
<br />tion thai GIS development
<br />in the public seClor should
<br />considcr providing, as pan
<br />of GIS dl'ploymcnt. a pro-
<br />gram for making GIS data
<br />publicly accessihlc, It is
<br />my opinion that taking
<br />such a position will ulti-
<br />mately provide great ulil-
<br />ity to the citizens at large
<br />who have paid for Ihe cre-
<br />ation of these systems,
<br />While there are many IS-
<br />sue.. and point!- of view
<br />being debated on the sub-
<br />ject. it remains my pa-
<br />.wmal point of view that ....'c
<br />should stru!:gJc carnestly
<br />10 reinforce the (,'()fwept of
<br />cilizcn~owned governmcnt
<br />through fn."C access to pub-
<br />lici)' funded GIS dala.
<br />It i.. my c1car sen<>c that
<br />GIS will be used by liter-
<br />ally millions of people by
<br />the end of the decade. Gov-
<br />ernment produced data
<br />publicalions will fuel and
<br />enable GIS aduption, Pri-
<br />vale sector involvemcm in
<br />d:.lla publishing ami the
<br />need for private/puhlic
<br />panfk'rship in dat:l financ~
<br />ing arc lmponant also, But
<br />I place !!:real value on free
<br />acces<>(0 nur knowlcdge.1
<br />urge GIS mamlgers to lake
<br />cvery upponunity to dc-
<br />sign Ihi... kind of acces.. into
<br />their systems. K e c n e
<br />Matsunaga. one of the
<br />ESRllcgal staff. ha., spenl
<br />thl' last year cxamining
<br />Ihese is'ioucs from a legal
<br />perspective, I encouragc
<br />you to read his paper,
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<br />...
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<br />Free Access
<br />
<br />n~' Kl'ene :\latsuf1aga. Conlracl Spl'cinlist. E."\IU
<br />
<br />Gu\'crnmenl infonnatioll I' .1 na-
<br />tinnal re~OUTce lhal Ihe pul;llic
<br />Iweu, in oruer tll funcliull \..nowl-
<br />eugeahly and holu lhe governmenl
<br />a("coul1l.lhle, ii, .""ce,, anu u..e i,..
<br />fundamenlal HT'I Anwndment
<br />right. GIS uala, whio:h hnld.. and
<br />1l\C,' tLlta dt''Ol.'rihlng ,pt.'Cllic pl;lCc~
<br />on Iht" earth, i, mOTe lk-.o:ripli\'e
<br />and u..cful for gt'ogTill"hic ana]y~'
<br />and thcmallc 1ll;IP creation which
<br />arc l.",sc:ntial fOT gOH:rnmemal
<br />pl.lllnmg. P'Uhlic acce'<>10 go\'ern-
<br />mcnt-hl'ld GIS data i, a lopic of
<br />majoT ("mll'em for g\l\'l'nlllll'",'.
<br />U'oCf"\, individuals, and hu,inl"..c~.
<br />Gm'eml1le'nls ami valm:';KllIl-J de-
<br />vdopcf"\, as thl." hoIJl."f"\ of the' GIS
<br />dolfa. Teillile Ihl." Ircmendolt\ mil:
<br />they play in the way they ,lnKluTe
<br />and CUlllll1unit'at\." \lK'h filS dala
<br />for pul;llic acee"
<br />
<br />Fin.IAlllt'lldllll'nl
<br />
<br />TIlt.' U.S. Con'tilulllll1 in Ihc Fif"\1
<br />AlTwn\hnenl of thc Bill of Rights
<br />,tall", "Congre" ,hallll1akc no
<br />]awrespt.'Ctingan\."'lahlishrnenluf
<br />religillTl, lJr JYl.lhihiulIg the fn:e CXl"f-
<br />ri.......thr.."fl.of;IJTahrldgingtill: fl"l"lulln
<br />I" ']ll'CCh.IJTof(he pn.~,: or the right
<br />of die p..'uplc pco",,'ahly Itl a,scrnhlc,
<br />and In fll1itillll till: G.IH'nlllll'flt fur a
<br />n.'\lre"ofgrit.'\'oulll."S:'
<br />The Fif"\t Amendment ("an tle
<br />characlerilell a.' e't;lhh,hing a
<br />'lmng h.:1~i, for the gnvernmcntlo
<br />CII11,ilkr its citi/cn." righi' 10 3('-
<br />ces~ the gOVl'rnmelll', puhlic
<br />m:wus and infurmalion.Alfun..ling
<br />('iii/en' lilt.' ri):tlllo know of their
<br />govemnk'nfs workin};" pulicies,
<br />and administnttinn i, rno~1 conve-
<br />niently ou'omplishl"l.l by giving lhe
<br />t-iti/.('ns act..."S, !LIthe guWmTlle'llt\
<br />ualaand infonnatilll1, Fl1l"example.
<br />the pre~' h1L>;tradilionally t-..."l'ndes-
<br />ignall.-J i1" the t'ilill'ns' sum'gate
<br />10 ohtain infonnation ahoul their
<br />gu\'emment, In Ihi.. Illodern ..ge,
<br />char.lCIL'rill-d by the e.I'oC nf COI1l-
<br />pUll'r i1L'CC" ((I gO\l.'nlllll'nl uata,
<br />e'pt."l.'ially GISILIla,1hl' right llfa("-
<br />ce,.. ,hllUld re,ide '" ith t1k.'CililL'n"
<br />mouJdition tn ttwir sUml{!.lle,lhc
<br />pres,. ~k'aningJul GIS data can
<br />
<br />':=---
<br />
<br />make a significant imp'''':l on the
<br />llL'C'i,inn, Itl tle made hy ,t.UI.' and
<br />1111.:.11 gtlVernnll'nts, 111e ("ili/cn~'
<br />acl):" III ,u..:h meaningful GIS dala
<br />will inlilnn them and e4uip llk'm
<br />to e~en:i..c their fundamental per.
<br />,ona] right of l'OIN:ience and ex-
<br />pfl.'"ion concerning the working',
<br />pnlicie,,;uw;ll.bnini'lralilllloflhL-ir
<br />g:n\'l'mrncnl.
<br />
<br />"'rt't-dHIIl uf InfnmmtioTl Act
<br />
<br />In aJdllilllllo lhe Fif"\1 Amendment
<br />righl of the puhlic III knnw the
<br />wnr\.ing" pohcit.'S, anJ admini'lr;I-
<br />lioll of its gowfllmenl, lheR' i, a
<br />'tatutlIT)' right Hfpuhhc acce,..1Il
<br />g{J\,crnnlClll-hclJ informatioll. The
<br />fcdcr.tl governmenf, rcL:llrd, are
<br />accl'"ih]e 10 the puhhl' thRlugh lhe
<br />Freedom of InfoTmalion Act
<br />(FOlf\), 1'hl." guiJing principle of
<br />FOIA a, stateJ in lhe St.-nate R:l'-
<br />pOrl of the bill for FOIA i, that of
<br />"a general philo,ophy of full
<br />agcncydiscIt1,ure." AI] rl'Cllnls nIt!.
<br />'pecifically exempled by FOIA
<br />musl ht: 1ll,ll.Ie "promptly ilv..i]ahle
<br />tU;IIlYf'l'NIn,"
<br />
<br />CClp,'ri~htl""Ul'"
<br />
<br />GIS data, by definilion, in\'oh'c
<br />both ~p'lIial fealure, and 'poltia! al-
<br />tribules, holh 1l1:.lps and ide..., l1l"e"..j
<br />prc"IIIl1'.ll1c copyright pnJtel'lion .1
<br />fl1l"!he ~patial allrihutes Jcpt.'nc..I.s IIf}
<br />'" helhl-r thl'y C;1Il he l.-hilrat:ll.'riud
<br />as an idea or an expres.,ion. While
<br />an exprc~,i(l11 of a work may he
<br />wpyrighll-J, idea, may nol he pm-
<br />tcrled by a cupyrighl. The' U,S,
<br />Copyrighl ACI pro\'ido:~, "In no
<br />ca'oC dot'S cllP)'right pmll.'l.'lion fur
<br />an original W(1I"k 'lf aUlhol'hip ex~
<br />lenJ III any ided_ pnll"cduR', pn~
<br />l"t':", sY'lem, ITwlhllJof npenllillll,
<br />concept. principlc. orJiscovcl)', re-
<br />gardb"s of lhe furm in whil"h it is
<br />de..criht.-d,expl;lincd,illu.,tr.lIL-J,or
<br />c:mlxklied,in,ul'hawork,"
<br />The dislinction bclWl"l'lI all idea
<br />and e'pre"lon has its ha,i, in the
<br />Fif"\t Amcndmenl of the' Con'tilu-
<br />lilln,whit:hglWf'J.nll't.',lht:fl't'l.'I..i'llll
<br />ohpl"l'Ch.l11e Fir'tAmendnll:nt',
<br />
<br />..,~
<br />
<br />l'u1>l1<" <1.1:<'11"'.".1 .,.,U1U,' Ih.. 1I1/i.n/l,mo" illjru.llrut"/urr U.I a fII.','!l<m;..m 10 pTlJl'iJt' ,j,-crl.\ '0 tht'ir/llIb1i<, "rlml,\.
<br />
<br />guar.ulk't.' 01 fn."t" 'Pt:t.',:h nll'.lIl' lh;lt
<br />one may no( he rc..lrick-J from ex.
<br />pre"Ing ide:!" t'ven lhough ,ul'h
<br />idl-as arc 1101 lhl' ~pcak("r', own.
<br />TIle fn.'l-dorn 10 shan:, adopl, and
<br />espouse idea, i.. a fundamental
<br />right oflhe FiN Amemlnk.'lII. GIS
<br />r.Lita al..oare"idl'.I'" Of "fal.'ls" th;ll
<br />,hould he fTcdy cJ{prL'",..d undL'T
<br />thl." Fir't Atl1l'ndrnenl guaralllec.
<br />BI.'!'ofCone Illay arr.mge ,uch GIS
<br />dlla a,;1II L'\pn.'''lon, howcwr, 001'
<br />nl'eJslhc acc!.'" 10 such GIS dala.
<br />On("c gi\"Cn ~u..:h aO:l'L''', .,ne nl'C:'d,
<br />the freedom h) use,ul"h GIS datd.
<br />GIS dala, hy nature, aTe' \-ery fac,
<br />tual. GIS dala ol1]Y inl"rea..c '1"'1-
<br />lial contlicl llt',:ath.: they address
<br />fad', nol value,. Nl.'w fill'Is, ....hICh
<br />arc synonymous wilh idea,. cre..llc
<br />inl'rc,\'>(.-J conflicts: tension i, pan
<br />nflhc dcnkllT.lti(" polI:e" which re-
<br />l(uirc:" an infurrncd cili/enry III
<br />functiun pruf"l'r1y,
<br />
<br />:\lllilllmllnforllluljlm
<br />Infrll,lmdurt'
<br />
<br />Anlllher kq concept is the CUIl-
<br />slruclion of an advancl'd NatulIl;11
<br />Infllnnatillnlnfm..lructurcINI!l,"a
<br />'oCamle".....ehofeullllllunicalilllls
<br />nelwor\..s, clmlputef"\, dalothascs,
<br />and l"JlIsurncr ek"t:lfllnics lhal will
<br />put \"a,t amnUlllslIf infnnnalillll:ll
<br />u..crs' fingenips." Underlying the
<br />Nil and olher C1inlun-Gore AJ-
<br />milli,trJ.tionilllti.l1i\'e,i,lheprin-
<br />cipk lhal encouraging and, indeed,
<br />pmmuting puhlic .\Cl-C" to gUVCfll-
<br />T1lt.'ntintilnnatilll"lalnnfl"("')flllini-
<br />mal COO-I is in (he illlcres" of hoth
<br />the govcrnmcntaJw the puhlic.ll1c
<br />privale "l"t:lnr i, alread)' develop.
<br />ing and deploying Ihc Nil; hUllhe
<br />go\'crnment mu't lake aClinn 10
<br />"l'tlrnplelTlent alld enhance the ef.
<br />forts "fthl' private' 'oI.'ctor and ll"
<br />sure the grnwth of an information
<br />infrastruclure availahle 10 all
<br />Americ:.U1' al reaSlffiahk cost:'
<br />
<br />Nalional Splltial Hulll
<br />Infrd,tnJchlrt'
<br />
<br />Al lhe t'ederallC\cl. thc National
<br />Sp;lliall)alalnfrJ..,truClurcINSl)I)
<br />
<br />a
<br />
<br />-
<br />
<br />I'
<br />"0 --
<br />
<br />is an e,,:.unph: 01 an ellon ,,-"din~
<br />"to promole oplimal u,e of
<br />gl"ll>;p;llial <ill;1 thrnugh l110re dfi-
<br />~'il-1lI d.lla rnanagl'IlK'1lf and l'll>;l-
<br />dt'cl'live 0.1;1101 pmt..luctilln." and "It I
<br />0.10 a hellcr jnh pmducing Jolla l-U-
<br />l'1lCr.ltiwly.uldmaJ..ingr.LII;lllrany
<br />,g'l'Ogr.lpluc ;lrC.I' ,ll"u'"ihlc:' ]n-
<br />hercnt in lhi, appro.ll"h is an apprc-
<br />l'iatilllJ th.ll 10 he 'Uf.:l'e"tu] lhe
<br />NS()I mu't he a collilhtmnive pm-
<br />cc" allll.lIlg li:LlTJ.], !'>lalL', Io.:al. pri-
<br />Vatc, and puhlic enwie" antllhat
<br />hcnclits 10 Ihe nalion re,ult fWIll
<br />partnerships alllong producer>;,
<br />manage", 01111.1 U\Cf"\ Ilfdata ,uKI in-
<br />fllnll;ll1.m,
<br />
<br />('IUldu,jOTl
<br />
<br />GIS data play' a unique wle as a
<br />puhlic glklli in lenn' Ill' the FiN
<br />Ank.'ndmenl and lhe U,S, Copy-
<br />righl A("I, 111e UJHllul'llC" of GIS
<br />i, lhilt unly OIS i, ..hie 10 amwcr
<br />'f'aliallllll.'ril"S hy using 1;llilll&'" alld
<br />longilude datil and othcr gcn.
<br />gmphic lI1fl1l11lalil 'n. CiIS a].;o lIIall-
<br />a~es the hnl.. and re]oltionships
<br />hclween d.da of dillercnt \Cl' In
<br />inlegrall." all..p.llially rdt'rellccd
<br />infonllalillll log\'lhl'r rapidly anu
<br />I1cll.ihly mlo a comple" 'oC1 of fea-
<br />ture, which i, able Illrepresenlthc
<br />fl.'ill worlJ complexities.lhe h.:lsic
<br />premise m Ihe Firsl f\mendmelll i,
<br />Ihal lhe public has a "right In
<br />kn"w" what its govcfllllll'nl is Jo-
<br />ing. Incluued III thai right i, lhe
<br />hclicf thallhe ~ovcml1lent "a dc,
<br />Jll.NtOI)' lor puhlic data and infoI"
<br />m.llion.
<br />St,ll!!, nl'ed to rea]ll-c lhe re'pIIIl-
<br />sihilitlL"lhey havctlllheir("iti/....IIT)'
<br />ill pnl\'iding lhl' fIlo't cO'I-l.'lfoc.
<br />live ;lIlll u\<:ful (lIS data ('<-'C rc.
<br />lall'J ..nide on page 22l. TIII.'re is
<br />lhe dear R-"Cognitil,nthal lTklft' hen.
<br />ctitsre,ulttol.'nduscr,frommaJ..,
<br />ing inlunllalion re..uun:e, willcl)'
<br />availahleal a minimal ('O,t ofdi,-
<br />semination \'ef"\lI' lIl'lllullIlgl'Il't
<br />TCl-OH'TY rm'dlani'IIl' that plal'I.'
<br />~'Conol1lic hamel' in the W,IY ul oll.~-
<br />l'ountahilll) III government, inno-
<br />\atlon, and fl.'''l'.ll'l.'h and devl']op-
<br />lIlenlcITHn.,.
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<br />21 ESJU ARC !\l\\' SI'Ml'I, 1'JII.!\
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