Subject: [NEXTEL-1] FCC AND NATIONAL IMAGERY AND MAPPING AGENCY SIGN INTER-AGENCY MOU FOR QUARTERLY SHARING OF DATABASES ON TOWER LOCATIONS

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 19:38:09 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
October 29, 2003      Chelsea Fallon at (202) 418-7991

FCC AND NATIONAL IMAGERY AND MAPPING AGENCY SIGN INTER-AGENCY
MOU FOR QUARTERLY SHARING OF DATABASES ON TOWER LOCATIONS

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the
National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) today to exchange unclassified database information
on tower locations on a quarterly basis.  The MOU will support the
efforts of the two agencies in maintaining accurate information on
vertical obstructions and antenna facilities for purposes of national
security, aircraft navigation safety, and the deployment of wireless
communications services.

According to the terms of the MOU, signed by John B. Muleta, Chief of
the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and Lynne Puetz, Chief of
NIMA’s Aeronautical Safety Division, the FCC will provide information
contained in its Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) database, while
NIMA will contribute its Digital Vertical Obstruction File (DVOF).  The
FCC’s ASR database contains information about antenna structures in the
United States and its Possessions and Territories.  The FCC’s rules
require that the owner of any proposed or existing antenna structure
must register the structure with the FCC if it is used by an FCC
licensee and if it requires notice of proposed construction to the
Federal Aviation Administration (see 47 C.F.R. § 17.4).

NIMA is both a national intelligence and combat support agency whose
mission is to provide timely, relevant, and accurate Geospatial
Intelligence in support of the national security of the United States.
Geospatial Intelligence is the exploitation and analysis of imagery and
geospatial information to describe, assess, and visually depict physical
features and geographically referenced activities on Earth.  NIMA’s DVOF
contains certain unclassified geospatial data about the United States
and its Possessions and Territories.

The FCC will use the information received from NIMA to improve the
accuracy of its ASR database and to monitor ASR compliance.  The FCC may
also use the DVOF to populate a proposed database of tower sites or
possible tower sites to assist its licensees in collocating their
facilities.  The information exchange will assist the FCC in
accomplishing its missions of promoting public safety and the
availability of radio communication services to the American public.

The MOU will assist NIMA in accomplishing its mission of providing
timely, relevant, and accurate imagery and imagery information to
national, military, and civilian customers in support of national
security objectives.  The information exchange will provide an
additional resource to assess the currency and accuracy of the DVOF
database, which is subject to constant change.

The FCC and NIMA agree that it is mutually beneficial to exchange this
data for internal use and for the development of publicly-available
databases by each agency.  The two agencies also find that this MOU will
provide a system of “checks and balances” that will benefit the FCC,
NIMA, and the public.

FCC Contact:  Diane Leer (717) 338-2568, [email-masked]
NIMA Contact:  Joan Mears (301) 227-2057, [email-masked]

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-240504A1.doc

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