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NSPS
Register now for the 2nd annual National Surveying, Mapping, and Geospatial Conference to be hosted by NSPS and MAPPS on March 14-18 at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City (Arlington), VA. The conference will feature a series of technical sessions presented by individuals, as well as by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS); an exhibit hall; a mock trial educational workshop; and briefings by federal agencies on programs, budgets, and upcoming contracting opportunities; the NSPS Student Competition, an all day workshop on the new ALTA/NSPS standards; and our annual "Lobby Day" meetings with Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill, as well as committee meetings and a gathering of the NSPS Board. Click here to view the full program. Registration is now open at www.surveyingandmapping.net. Click on icon for NSPS member registration. Make your hotel reservations TODAY!!! The cutoff to reserve rooms at the Crystal City (Arlington), VA Hilton Hotel at the MAPPS conference rate is February 19. Click here to make your hotel reservations and to register for the conference.
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NSPS
Last week, the leadership of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure introduced H.R. 4441, the "Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act", legislation that is a six-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and maintains the FAA’s role as the Nation’s aviation safety regulator. The bill also establishes an independent, not-for-profit corporation, outside of the federal government, to modernize and provide U.S. air traffic control (ATC) services. The federally chartered air traffic control (ATC) corporation will be governed by a board representing the aviation system’s users and the public interest. The comprehensive reauthorization bill also streamlines the FAA’s aviation equipment and aircraft certification processes, provides additional consumer protections, addresses aviation safety issues, gives the FAA more tools for the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and provides for airport infrastructure improvements across the country. While Committee is scheduled to hold a markup hearing on the bill this week, it also recently introduced a summary of the bill. The current authorization of the FAA and aviation programs expires at the end of March.
NSPS
This week the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a markup hearing on infrastructure-related legislation such as H.R. 3021, the "Aerial Infrastructure Route (AIR) Survey Act of 2015" introduced last year by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS). Earlier this month, the Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a hearing on the bill. The bill amends the Natural Gas Act to allow the use of aerial survey data for certain applications. Based on an analysis by the Committee, specifically, the legislation includes the following provisions: Section 1: This section provides the short title of the “Aerial Infrastructure Route Survey Act of 2015” or the “AIR Survey Act of 2015.” Section 2: Section 2 amends section 7 of the existing gas law to clarify that data collected by aerial survey is acceptable for the purposes of (1) completing any pre-filing process established to facilitate the formal application process for obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a natural gas transportation facility, or (2) an application associated with a Federal authorization concerning a certificate application. The section also provides the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with the discretion to require, as a condition of approval, that data gathered by aerial survey be verified through the use of ground survey data before construction or extension of proposed facilities.
NSPS
Last week, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced legislation to improve how the federal government manages its buildings and other property across the country. S. 2509, the "Federal Property Management Reform Act of 2016" introduced by Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Rob Portman (R-OH), would establish a framework for federal agencies to better manage existing space in a more cost-effective manner and help facilitate the disposal of unneeded federal property. Specifically, the Federal Property Management Reform Act would require federal agencies to maintain an up-to-date inventory of the property it owns, incentivize agencies to dispose of excess property by allowing them to retain and reinvest sale proceeds, and establish a Federal Property Council to develop uniform guidance for agency property managers to follow and share best practices in property management among agencies. The federal government’s real property holdings are vast and diverse, incorporating hundreds of thousands of buildings and permanent structures across the county, and making it the largest property owner in the United States. In fact, every year since January 2003, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has placed real property management on its list of "high risk" government activities, citing long-standing problems with excess and underutilized property; deteriorating and aging facilities; unreliable property data; and a heavy reliance on costly leasing instead of ownership to meet new needs. The bill would require agencies to maintain a current inventory of real property, including information about the cost and use of their facilities and how these properties fit into the agencies broader management plan; codify and expand the duties of the Federal Real Property Council to ensure this body develops guidance and ensures the implementation of strategies for better managing federal property; incentivize agencies to dispose of excess property through retention of the net proceeds of sale as long as those proceeds are used to further disposal activities, investments in federal buildings personnel or for deficit reduction; and codify the broader management framework of the Administration’s National Strategy for the Efficient Use of Real Property, ensuring these actions become a permanent framework for agency property management. A markup hearing is scheduled for this week. Meanwhile, a comprehensive energy bill, S. 2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, a comprehensive, bipartisan bill that includes an NSPS-endorsed provision that authorized an inventory of Federal land, is still being debated in the full Senate. A modified version of the Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform (FLAIR) Act, that NSPS has long supported, is included. The energy bill is being held up as Senators attempt to reach agreement on an aid package for Flint, Michigan’s drinking water crisis.
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NSPS
Don’t wait! Just a few short weeks until the beginning of the 2nd annual National Surveying, Mapping, and Geospatial conference to be hosted by NSPS and MAPPS on March 14-18 at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City (Arlington), VA. The conference will feature on Monday April 14 the NSPS annual Student Competition finals, and a series of technical sessions presented by individuals, as well as by NGS; Tuesday will feature an exhibit hall, a mock trial educational workshop, and briefings by federal agencies on programs, budgets, and upcoming contracting opportunities; an all day workshop on the new ALTA/NSPS standards will be the feature event at the conference site on Wednesday. Wednesday will also see many attendees participating in the annual "Lobby Day" meetings with Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill; NSPS will hold its committee meetings on Thursday; the week will conclude with the NSPS annual General Membership meeting/installation of officers, and its Board of Directors meeting on Friday. Registration is now open at www.surveyingandmapping.net. Note that there are separate registration forms for NSPS attendees and MAPPS attendees. Breakfast and Lunch, as well as breaks, will be provided each day for those who register for the conference.
NSPS
Question:
A question has been brought to my attention as to prior ALTA Standards. If a client requests that we use a prior set of ALTA Standards for their survey, as if they asked us to use the 2005 Standards (today), is there anything that keeps us from using those standards? When the 2016 Standards come into effect this month, will the answer be the same?
Response:
Any contract signed after 2/23/11 must be to the 2011 Standards. Any contract signed after 2/23/16 must be to the 2016 standards. You can do a survey using the old standards, but it cannot be identified or certified as an ALTA/ACSM (or ALTA/NSPS starting 2/23/16) Land Title Survey.
Florida Surveying and Mapping Society
Supporting the National 3DEP Mapping initiative, Martin County was awarded one of just three grants from USGS in the state during 2015. The entire County is earmarked for collection of high accuracy LiDAR utilizing the County’s consultant Woolpert Inc.
Read. As NSPS News and Views readers are aware, the 3DEP initiative is among those supported by NSPS in its Government Affairs program.
NSPS
 For many years, John Matonich served NSPS in a variety of capacities, including President (as well as VP and Past President), then as Chair of the Government Affairs Committee. He served the profession well with his high intellect and authoritative voice (well-known for saying, “It’s a good day to be a Surveyor”). In the past couple of years, John has taken on the responsibility of Chair the State of Michigan Natural Resources Commission. John is retiring soon as CEO of Rowe, Inc. in Flint, and host Curt Sumner has convinced John to join him for a chat about his career, life, and future activities.
If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcast, listen to the archive of the show at americaswebradio.com/nsps-radio-hour. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.
NSPS
The group initially created through NCEES as the Future of Surveying Task Force was primarily comprised of Surveyors who are members of their respective state licensing boards, along with coordinator Donna Sentell (Executive for the Louisiana licensing board). NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner was also asked to participate. The work of that Task Force resulted in the recent hosting by NCEES of a Future of Surveying Forum whose participants include representatives of a number of organizations related to, or affected by, the practice of surveying. NSPS hopes this effort will lead to a unified multi-organizational Workforce Development initiative aimed at insuring a bright future for our profession.
Read a report from the initial meeting of the Forum.
NSPS
The surveying profession is all too often these days losing those who share the very special bond we each feel for our chosen vocation, some would say "calling". We are especially affected by the loss of one whose life has been dedicatedto not only to the profession itself, but also through education for the next generation.
On October 5, one such individual passed away. David Gibson's physical presence will be missed, but his influence will live in perpetuity through all whose lives and careers he has helped to mold.
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Sensors & Systems
The President's fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget request for the U.S. Geological Survey reflects the USGS's vital role in addressing some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st Century by advancing scientific discovery and innovation. The $1.2 billion FY 2017 request supports USGS' ability to maintain the diversity of its scientific expertise so it can continue the large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations it is uniquely qualified to carry out and provide impartial science to resource managers and planners.
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GPS World
The U.S. Air Force successfully launched the 12th Boeing-built GPS IIF satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle from Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on Feb. 5.
"Today's launch is a significant achievement in the history of GPS, as we launch the last of the GPS IIF satellites to be delivered on-orbit," said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves.
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GIS User
The Botswana Geoscience Institute is launching a Geoscience Portal that provides free access to multi-disciplinary datasets from Ngamiland, a district in the country's northwest, for a period of one year.
Building on the success of online geoscience initiatives in North America, Europe and Australia, the portal is intended to help Botswana attract new investment.
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Inside GNSS
This January/February 2016 issue of Inside GNSS features two articles dealing with satellite-based augmentation systems.
The issue also includes an article by another set of ISRO authors, describing a new approach to measuring navigation payload absolute delay to improve ranging accuracy to navigation satellites.
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Note: NSPS members may receive calls from MultiView sales associates regarding advertising opportunities in News & Views. MultiView, a partner of NSPS, produces the News & Views newsbrief each week.
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