The FGDC encourages State, Tribal, local governments, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, the commercial sector, and other segments of the geospatial community to review and comment on the draft standard to ensure the widest possible review. Comments are critical to assure that the draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard will meet the needs of the geographic information community.

The location of our national shoreline is a baseline for legal boundaries, nautical charts, and commercial and natural resource utilization and management. Effective use of shoreline data requires a highly defined logical data structure that is interoperable, efficient, and applicable to a broad base of government and private sector demands.

Current practices and protocols have led to a highly variable shoreline data infrastructure that limits agencies and organizations from effectively sharing and using shoreline coincident data. The draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard ties related protocols and existing content together in a new model using recognized reference material, definitions, semantics, and structures. Harmonized shoreline content will lead to cost savings by reducing the time in design, data re-use, training, and implementation and will assist in areas such as coastal research, historical shoreline change analysis, shoreline change prediction analysis, and the effects of relative sea rise. The draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard provides a framework for shoreline data development, data sharing, and shoreline data transformation and fusion.

The geographical scope of the standard comprises all shorelines within the coastal and inland waterways for the United States, its Commonwealths, and Territories and any other possession that the United States exercises sovereignty.

The functional scope of the standard includes the definition of data models, schemas, entities, relationships, definitions, and cross-walks to related standards. Legal controversy has historically surrounded shoreline definitions because of the boundary implications. This standard will provide a framework inclusive of multiple shoreline interpretations, and will not attempt to resolve disputed terminology.

The draft National Shoreline Data Content Standard may be found at www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/shoreline-data-content/200701_ShorelineDataContentStandard.doc. Reviewers are strongly encouraged to complete the comment form (Word, Excel) using the instructions provided in FGDC Standards Directive #2d, Standards Working Group Review Guidelines: Review Comment Template. Proposed changes are needed to ensure that the question /problem is correctly addressed and adjudicated.

Comments shall be submitted to Julie Maitra of the FGDC Secretariat (Email: jmaitra @ usgs.gov) no later than Friday, June 8, 2007 at 12:00 midnight Eastern Time.

Comments resulting from public review will be adjudicated following the close of the public review on Friday, June 8, 2007. After public review comments have been adjudicated and a revised draft standard based on comment adjudications has been prepared, the revised draft standard and supporting documentation will be submitted for endorsement as an FGDC standard.