Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Land Remote Sensing Policy Act
Land Remote Sensing Policy Act -- Public Law 102-555, signed October 28, 1992 (106
Stat. 4163) repeals the Land Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984 (15
U.S.C. 4201 et seq.) and makes the following changes to the Landsat system which are of interest to the Service:
- Transfers management of the program from the Department of Commerce to the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense.
- Directs NASA and DOD to establish an integrated program management structure for the
Landsat system.
- Provides for Landsat 7, the proposed 7th in a series of satellites, to be launched by
1998.
- Directs that Landsat 7 acquire high priority land remote-sensing data in order to meet the
needs of the U.S. Global Change Research Program.
- Requires Landsat Program Management to seek impartial advice and comments on the
system from various users, including representatives from U.S. Government agencies.
- Directs that Landsat 7 data be provided to the Government, certain educational
institutions,
and other non-profit users.
- Directs the Landsat Program Management, in consultation with appropriate U.S
Government agencies, to develop a data policy for Landsat 7.
- Requires the Landsat Program Management to assess and report to Congress on the options
for Landsat 8, and on turning over management of the system to the private sector.
- Transfers the responsibility for archiving land remote sensing data from the Department of
Commerce to the Department of the Interior.
- Allows the Secretary to license private sector parties to operate private remote sensing
space systems.
- Authorizes and encourages the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to conduct programs
of research and development in the applications of remote sensing, using funds appropriated for
such purposes.
Section 114 of P.L. 102-567, signed October 29, 1992 (106 Stat. 4270) transfers the remote
sensing archiving responsibility from the Department of Commerce to the Department of
Interior, and:
- instructs the Secretary of the Interior to explore ways to facilitate the use of archived data
for research purposes, and
- requires the Secretary to consult with the Secretary of Commerce with respect to certain
contracts and licenses issued through the Landsat program.
The legislative history of these new laws include: Senate Report 102-445, House Report
102-539, and House Report 102-133. The Congressional Record pages include H8365 - 69,
October 23, 1991; H10688, November 20, 1991; S2575 - 78, February 27, 1992; H4359 - 370,
June 9, 1992; H11712 - 18, October 5, 1992; S17131 - 142, October 7, 1992; S17393, October 7,
1992; S17456 - 461, October 7, 1992; and E3235, October 9, 1992.
The Assistant Director for Policy, Budget
and Administration (Division of Information Resources Management) has been
delegated responsibility for implementation of the provisions of this law
for the Service, in coordination with the Assistant Director for Ecological
Services and the Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey.
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