Agency Name: U.S. Census Bureau Lead: Randy Fusaro
Subcommittee: Social, Cultural, and Demographic Data Subcommittee
Background: The Subcommittee on Cultural and Demographic Data (SCDD) of the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is composed of members from Federal agencies who collect or finance the collection of cultural and demographic geospatially referenced data as part of their mission or that have direct application of these data through legislated mandate
Objectives: The SCDD's purpose is to promote the collection, use, sharing, and dissemination of cultural and demographic geospatially referenced data pertinent to the needs of the Nation. These data include the characteristics of the people, the nature of the dwellings in which they live, the economic activities they pursue, the facilities they use to support their health and recreational needs, the environmental consequences of their presence, and the boundaries, names and numeric codes of geographic entities used to report the information collected.
Responsibilities of the Subcommittee include the following:
- Develop and maintain government-wide standards for the description, documentation, and exchange of geospatially referenced cultural and demographic data.
- Promote the use of defined and published spatial data standards for cultural and demographic data.
- Identify key cultural and demographic geospatial data sets that meet critical national planning and management needs and publish classification schemes for these data. The subcommittee works to improve access to these data within the restrictions imposed by applicable confidentiality and privacy regulations.
- Facilitate the coordination of organizations' activities related to spatial cultural and demographic data as well as the exchange of such data, by formal and informal means.
- Facilitate the collection and compilation of information for spatial cultural and demographic data activities within the context of Geospatial One Stop (GOS).
- Support higher-order or crosscutting activities established or recognized by the FGDC.
- Encourage organizations to provide for the permanent preservation of historically valuable spatial cultural and demographic data.
Scope of Work
During fiscal year 2007, the subcommittee will focus on the following key items:
- Organize a meeting of the Subcommittee to discuss ongoing projects and new work items
- Facilitate the Public Review for the Street Address Data Standard and usher it through the standards adoption process to have it accepted as an FGDC standard.
- Continue to support the Governmental Unit and Other Geographic Area Boundary Framework Standard as it progresses through the ANSI process.
- Continued support for transitioning the FIPS Standards to ANSI Standards.
- Explore promoting and sponsoring the current work on defining standards for Cultural and Archeological sites as an FGDC standard.
- Explore the interest in setting standard definitions for things such as structure damage and other critical information needed by so many in emergency situations.
Milestones, Schedule, and Budget
Action Date Who Contact members and extend invitations to a Subcommittee meeting in late January, 2007 Early December Anne O’Connor Finalize Federal Register Notice for Public Review of Street Address Data Standard Early January Randy Fusaro Publish Federal Register Notice February 2007 Census Bureau Finalize FIPS 55-3 to ANSI content for Public Review February 2007 Census Bureau/USGS Explore taking up the work on the Cultural and Archeological standardization to promote to an FGDC standard At Subcommittee meeting in January 2007 Anne O’Connor Hold the Subcommittee meeting Late January, 2007 Randy Fusaro/Anne O’Connor
Points of Contact:
Randy Fusaro Anne O’Connor
US Census Bureau US Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road – MS-7400 4600 Silver Hill Road – MS-7400
Washington, DC 20233-7400 Washington, DC 20233-7400
Phone (301) 763-1056 Phone (301) 763-1056
E-mail Randy.J.Fusaro@census.gov E-mail anne.v.o.connor@census.gov