In order to create a single county data interface for remote sensing and other spatial data applications in the public sector, Boulder County groups interested in spatial data organized BASIC (Boulder Area Spatial Information Cooperative). The cooperative has separate agreements with 30 to 40 public sector agencies, organizations, and jurisdictions in the region to provide unrestricted access to its data for BASIC member institutions. BASIC operates a distributed geospatial data and software capability for its members. Each participating agency or organization has its own GIS staff but draws on BASIC for software and some of its remote sensing data. When a public sector department or member jurisdiction does not have access to the common server or uses some form of dial-up access, BASIC may need to buy an extra copy of the data. In short, BASIC allows Boulder County to aggregate its members’ needs for data (other than commercial, licensed data) into a single purchase, saving all the member jurisdictions money, avoiding duplication of data purchases, and providing a central location for data access and sharing. An added advantage of BASIC for data providers is that it creates a single interface for negotiations. Instead of having to negotiate data sales and agreements with 30 to 40 organizations in the region, data providers can deal with a single organization that is experienced and knowledgeable.

Another advantage of BASIC is that it provides a means of pooling resources—financial and human—among the members to reduce costs for all. When BASIC was faced with a price tag of over $150,000 for aerial remote sensing data, for instance, the organization reduced the cost by asking members to supply people to identify and mark section corners on the ground and to locate records of section corners held at the county courthouse before the aerial data were collected.

For Boulder County, as for many other public entities, the cost of remote sensing imagery is a major issue. The problem is not only finding sufficient financial support but also persuading financial officers to approve the purchase. Boulder officials, like those in Baltimore, faced the problem of whether to categorize remote sensing data as a capital or an operating expense.

Licensing is another issue that complicates the use of remote sensing. Boulder officials told workshop participants that each type of remote sensing data came with different licensing restrictions. Differentiating among the various types of licensing restrictions has created confusion in local government agencies and among technical personnel. Localities like Boulder County may choose not to use licensed data if they cannot sell or share them with other local governments as a way to recover or mitigate data costs. The uncertainties surrounding what is allowable

Front Matter (R1-R14)

Executive Summary (1-7)

1. Introduction (8-15)

2. Public Sector Applications of Remote Sensing Data (16-37)

3. Getting Started in Remote Sensing: Common Barriers and Bottlenecks (38-49)

4. Beyond State and Local Government (50-61)

5. Findings and Recommendations (62-70)

Appendix A: Transforming Remote Sensing Data into Information and Applications, Executive Summary (71-78)

Appendix B: Biographical Information on Steering Committee Members, Workshop Speakers, and Panelists (79-89)

Appendix C: Workshop Agenda and Participants (90-95)

Appendix D: Acronyms (96-97)