NOAA Geospatial Metadata

This is a request for revision and extension of an existing information collection. NOAA is submitting this request for OMB approval to modify two forms that are currently in use but which have changed very slightly. 1) Send2NCEI has been modified to add a ‘License Type’ selection field. 2) InPort has been modified to replace the ‘File Type’ free text field with a ‘Distribution Format’ drop down value picker. Neither of these modifications will impact the time burden. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides several digital forms-based tools enabling data producers to create geospatial metadata conforming to International Standards Organization (ISO) standards. These tools collect very similar information but provide specific assistance for different scientific communities across the diverse spectrum of earth, ocean, atmospheric, and fisheries resources. In 1994, Executive Order 12906 established the National Spatial Data Infrastructure and directed each agency to “document all new geospatial data it collects or produces… using the standard under development by the FGDC...”. In 2010, the FGDC adopted the ISO 19115/19139 suite of standards for use by Federal agencies to document geospatial data. The voluntary information collection using these tools facilitates NOAA and others in Federal, State, or local governments, academic institutions, and others to provide clear descriptive information (metadata) about geospatial data. Metadata requested in the tools identifies the data provider, data collector(s), data collection dates, and other information that make the described data useful to other researchers and future users of the described data. Each tool reorganizes descriptive information into an XML file that conforms to the ISO19115-2 Geospatial Metadata standard and the ISO19139 Geographic information Metadata XML schema implementation. A significant advantage for a data provider using one of these tools is that the information is collected through a series of short form-based pages that provide suggestions for entries from established keyword lists and other standard responses. Data providers may opt to use suggested entries or to enter free text into the forms.

The latest form for NOAA Geospatial Metadata expires 2028-08-31 and can be found here.

NESDIS - Send2NCEI

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Natural Resources - Conservation, Marine and Land Management

Review document collections for all forms, instructions, and supporting documents - including paper/printable forms.