Department of Natural Resources Policy - Content Standard for Geospatial Metadata

Department of Natural Resources Policy -
Content Standard for Geospatial Metadata
Policy Number: 93:04
See signed policy - Adobe Acrobat file
I. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all units of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) maintain the value and promote sharing of geospatial data by accurately documenting data produced “in-house” or acquired through contractual services or other sources. For the purposes of this policy, geospatial data are defined as digital files that contain a geographic reference. They include, but are not limited to, GIS and CAD files, tabular databases with a ground reference of some type (e.g. watersheds or GPS point locations), and digital orthophotos (map accurate digital aerial photography).
II Scope
This policy applies to all units, geospatial data producers and geospatial data custodians within DNR for:

Geospatial data purchased or acquired for DNR use,
Existing geospatial data on the wide-area network that is available for common use, and
Geospatial data funded through DNR grants or other funding mechanisms.
This policy is based on the DNR GIS Council’s, metadata work plan Creating and Managing DNR’s Geospatial Metadata, January 24, 2002, as amended.
For the purposes of this policy, a geospatial data custodian is defined as the person charged with the responsibility for distribution of a specific geospatial data set beyond their individual Unit of the Department of Natural Resources. A geospatial data producer is defined as anyone contracting for, acquiring, producing or maintaining digital databases with a geospatial component.
III. Policy
A. Starting July 1, 2003, geospatial data custodians shall ensure that all geospatial data delivered to customers external to DNR shall be accompanied by metadata, and all newly produced or acquired geospatial data shall be documented by the geospatial data producer in accordance with Section III C.
B. Starting January 1, 2004, all existing geospatial data stored on the wide-area network and available for common use shall be documented by the geospatial data producer in accordance with Section III C.
C. At a minimum, each geospatial database shall be documented according to the DNR Basic Metadata, which is a subset of the FGDC (Federal Geographic Data Committee’s) standard, as identified in Appendix One of the GIS Council’s metadata work plan. All metadata shall be validated with FGDC-approved metadata validation software (such as metadata parser - mp.exe) to ensure consistency with DNR standards. All validated metadata shall be submitted to the proper database repositories (clearinghouses), as identified by the metadata work plan.
D. Geospatial data producers are strongly encouraged to document each geospatial database according to the DNR Complete Metadata standard, including all seven sections of the FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998), as amended.
E. Any contract, Memorandum of Agreement, Memorandum of Understanding or other formal partnership that delivers geospatial data products to any DNR unit must have a provision for the delivery of DNR metadata. If possible, the metadata should be Complete Metadata as described in Section III D.
F. Each DNR unit shall determine the appropriate mechanism for creating its metadata, providing that it meets the metadata specifications.
G. Starting within three months of the effective date of this policy, the DNR GIS Council shall select DNR metadata experts and offer appropriate metadata training programs. These experts shall produce and maintain an annual training plan that identifies the training needs of geospatial data producers and custodians, and they shall make recommendations to the Council on implementation of the plan.
IV. Responsibilities
The Chief of Information Technology, in conjunction with the DNR GIS Council, shall implement this policy and review it annually.
Each unit shall adhere to this policy.
Appropriate PPE objectives regarding geospatial data production or acquisition, including metadata, shall be required for all DNR staff producing or obtaining geospatial data.

Wilson Parran Chief of Information Technology
Posted January 15, 2003