Federal Geographic Data Committee


The Federal Geographic Data Committee is a United States government committee which promotes the coordinated development, use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. Its 32 members are representatives from the Executive Office of the President, and Cabinet level and independent Federal agencies. The Secretary of the Department of the Interior chairs the FGDC, with the Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget as Vice-Chair.

Services

The FGDC coordinates the sharing of geographic data, maps, and online services through an online portal, geodata.gov, that searches metadata held within the NSDI Clearinghouse Network.

Member Compliance

On July 23, 2009, the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on federal geospatial data management. Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland quoted a U.S. General Accounting Office report from his briefing material saying that only 4 of the FGDC member agencies were in compliance.

History

The FGDC's role was determined by OMB Circulars A-16 and A-119 until 2018. Then the FGDC's official position and roles were codified in law in the Geospatial Data Act of 2018.