The West Virginia GIS Program: A Decade of Progress, A Future of Promise Craig A. Neidig WV Geological & Economic Survey WV State GIS Coordinator Chairman, WVSAMB

WV GIS Program History Ad Hoc GIS User Group (1989) State GIS Development Plan (1992) Executive Order No. 4-93 H.B. 2222 (1995) Mineral Lands Mapping Program (1996) Information Technology Committee (1997) State Information Technology Plan (1998) Statewide Addressing and Mapping Board (2001) GIS Coordination Reorganization Subcommittee (2005)

Major State GIS Initiatives Mineral Lands Mapping Program Statewide Digital Orthophotography Program Digital Line Graph Project National Hydrographic Database Statewide Addressing and Mapping Project Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps High-Resolution Satellite Imagery Enhanced Digital Elevation Model

State GIS Accomplishments Creation of framework geospatial data layers Moved from 1:24000 to 1:4800 scale < 10 yrs USGS "quad" sheets to 1"-400' local data Paper maps to digital coverages Model for other states and feds History of cooperation and cost-sharing Growing in-state technical expertise Maturing GIS community (state, local, private sector, NGOs)

Main State Agency GIS Users (see 2006 WV GIS Agency Roll Call for complete list) Division of Environmental Protection Division of Natural Resources Dept. of Health and Human Resources Geological & Economic Survey Tax Department Division of Highways Legislative Services Agriculture

Other Major State GIS Cooperators West Virginia University Rahall Appalachian Transportation Institute Canaan Valley Institute Glenville, Concord, Shepherd, etc. Miss Utility of West Virginia "Call Before You Dig" WV Society of Land Surveyors WV Association of Counties

Major Federal GIS Cooperators US Geological Survey US Department of Agriculture NRCS, FSA, Forest Service US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Surface Mines, MHSA Dept. of Homeland Security (ODP) FEMA Census Bureau

How GIS benefits the State Planning and Zoning ("Smart Growth") Environmental Compliance Infrastructure Development Disaster Management Public Safety and Homeland Security Redistricting, voting, and boundary issues Revenue (e.g., Streamline Sales Tax) Cost savings (via standards and interoperability) Jobs (high-tech surveying and engineering)

Measures of State GIS Success Statewide Addressing and Mapping Program Underground Mine Map Initiative (MHSA) FEMA FIRM Mapping Partnerships Federal Co-op Awards (USGS, FGDC, USDA) Multiple ESRI Innovative Projects awards Framework data development, e.g., 1/9 arcsecond (3-meter) DEM first in nation ! National geospatial program recognition (NSGIC, URISA, AAG, etc.) www.mapwv.gov internet mapping portal (3/2006) Mine Safety Incident system

Future Steps for GIS Program Revise and renew Executive Order 4-93 Revise sections of W.Va. Code pertaining to mapping Propose legislation "legitimating" GIS Revise and update State GIS Strategic Plan Restructure GIS Council at Executive Level Elevate GIS in state IT organization Provide core funding for GIS Coordination Maintain base funding in agency GIS offices Make GIS a mission critical agency function Create Land Records Modernization Program

Possible GIS cost recovery models Tax Map sales Tax parcel maps (currently $5.00/sheet [paper]) Price structure for shapefiles and custom maps eCommerce - Internet sales (credit card) Permits and Legal notices Modest surcharge for map maintenance Utility and 9-1-1 fees Split with counties and agencies for long-term database maintenance Licensing e.g., royalties from sale of commercial GIS products using WV data (Google, etc.)

Strategies for State GIS Growth Build on existing IT capabilities (e.g., Oracle, Web) Leverage and enhance existing data resources Provide usable products and services at minimal cost Identify mapping and GIS as "mission critical" Invest in geospatial data as a "capital" asset Implement and enforce geospatial "best practices" Tie to regulatory requirements (i.e., permitting) Water Resources Protection Act (2005) Recruit and retain in-state GIS technical workforce Inform and educate decision makers and political leaders Make GIS "transparent" part of everyday state business

The West Virginia GIS Program: A Decade of Progress, A Future of Opportunity Craig A. Neidig WV GIS Coordinator Greenbrooke Bldg. 1124 Smith St., Rm LM-10 Charleston, WV 25301 Phone: (304) 558-4218 Fax: (304) 558-4963 cneidig@gis.state.wv.us