As part of the transition to the new 2022 Terrestrial Reference Frames — which will replace NAD 83 — the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) will update the nation’s State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS).
A Federal Register Notice was published on April 12, 2018, announcing that draft SPCS2022 policy and procedures are available for public comment. Links to these documents are as follows:
Through the Federal Register Notice NGS is seeking input and comments regarding:
1. Current usage of SPCS and plans to use/migrate to SPCS2022.
2. Whether the proposed SPCS2022 definitions will impose any hardship or benefits.
3. Whether there is insufficient or excessive flexibility in the characteristics of SPCS2022 that can be established through user input.
4. Whether the deadlines are acceptable and realistic for making requests or proposing characteristics for SPCS2022.
5. Whether including “special purpose” zones as part of SPCS2022 would be beneficial or problematic.
Comments will be accepted until Friday, August 31, 2018.
As detailed in the Draft SPCS2022 Procedures document, NGS will also be accepting input from stakeholder groups on SPCS2022 preferences, including recommendations and requests for particular SPCS2022 characteristics and proposed SPCS2022 zone designs. This input has a December 31, 2019, deadline. For this phase of work the NGS defines “stakeholders” to mean NGS customers and users of SPCS within a state most involved in the use, collection, and distribution of spatial data, and who have a substantial stake in how SPCS2022 is designed. Stakeholders consist of one or more of the following organizations:
1. State departments of transportation
2. State GIS or cartographer offices
3. State professional surveying and engineering societies
4. State GIS or other professional geospatial organizations
5. Universities or other post-secondary educational institutions
6. Other departments, offices, and organizations within a state with roles similar to those listed above
In Wisconsin, an effort is underway to form a work group to help facilitate the transition to the 2022 Reference Frame, including considering options for SPCS2022. The composition of this group will include stakeholders groups as defined by NGS to enable input on SPCS2022 design. The intent will be for this group to communicate with NGS.
The formation of this group was initially discussed at the Wisconsin Land Information Council Meeting in Elkhart Lake on March 7, 2018. We expect an announcement about this group to be released in mid-May, with information on how interested associations, and individuals can participate. The transition to the new 2022 Reference Frame will be a significant undertaking, with impacts across the geospatial profession. Input from a broad range of users will be necessary to make sure the transition is as smooth as it can be.
Please watch this space for more information over the next few months.