----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hello All,
 
        The following message was posted to Govdoc-L, so I am sorry for
the cross-posting.  I think it is of interest to Map Librarians as well.
Linda Zellmer
 
***********************************************************************
Linda Zellmer
Map Librarian
Arizona State University Libraries
P.O. Box 871006
Tempe, Arizona  85287-1006
Phone: (602) 965-5973
Fax:  (602) 965-0883
EMail: [log in to unmask]
 
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> From: Raeann Dossett [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 1:31 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Public Access to Military Data and Technology  (fwd)
>
>
Forwarded from:
 
> Date: Tue, 16 Jun 98 20:19:03 GMT
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> To: Multiple recipients of list <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Public Access to Military Data and Technology
>
> FYI. "To help increase our understanding of marine life, and to
> enhance  weather forecasting and climate change research, and
> identify valuable  ocean resources, Vice President Gore is
> announcing the declassification and release of secret and
> restricted Navy data."  See below for more...
>
> -------------------------------------
> Patrice McDermott
> [log in to unmask]
> OMB Watch/Public Access Working Group
> Date: 06/16/98
> Time: 15:52:32
> -------------------------------------
> ------------------------
>  On Tue, 16 Jun 1998 11:48 -0400  The White House
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>                             THE WHITE HOUSE
>
>                      Office of the Press Secretary
> ________________________________________________________________
>
>
> For Immediate Release                  June 12, 1998
>
>
>
>              PUBLIC ACCESS TO MILITARY DATA AND TECHNOLOGY
>
>
> To help increase our understanding of marine life, and to
> enhance  weather forecasting and climate change research, and
> identify valuable  ocean resources, Vice President Gore is
> announcing the declassification and release of secret and
> restricted Navy data. The Department of  Defense also will
> produce computer-based nautical charts replacing the  paper
> charts used by mariners for centuries -- a significant advance
> in marine safety.
>
> Declassifying Secret Data. In support of its military missions,
> the  U.S. Navy has long gathered vast amounts of ocean data.
> Much of this  data is of important scientific and commercial
> value. It can be used to  track the migration of fish and
> marine mammals, uncover illegal fishing  activities, forecast
> underwater earthquakes and tsunamis (tidal waves),  and
> understand long-term climate patterns. In response to the
> Environmental Task Force launched by Vice President Gore while
> in the  U.S. Senate, the Navy is reviewing and releasing large
> quantities of  data:
>
>        The Navy has signed an agreement with a private
>         foundation to create a mechanism to declassify secret
>         data from the Sound Surveillance Systems, an array of
>         underwater listening devices used to hunt submarines.
>         The acoustical data can be used to track whale
>         migrations, predict natural catastrophes and support
>         climate change research.
>
>       The Navy also is releasing data on ocean temperature and
>         salinity levels collected by Navy submarines on patrol
>         under the Arctic ice cap. Combined with declassified
>         data from other oceans released by the Navy in recent
>         years, this new information completes a global data set
>         that will be a valuable tool in researching long-term
>         climate change.
>
> Computer-Age Nautical Charts. Over the next five years, the
> Defense Department's National Imagery and Mapping Agency will
> prepare for  military use purposes a series of computer-based
> charts for most of the  world's oceans and coastal waters.
> Digital Nautical Charts covering  virtually all areas of
> commercial shipping activity worldwide will be  available by
> 2002.
>
> Used in conjunction with the Defense Department's Global
> Positioning System, this new technology is considered by many
> the greatest advance  in safety at the sea since the
> introduction of radar. It will allow  mariners to move cargo
> more efficiently through ports worldwide while  minimizing the
> risk of collision and environmental harm.
>
>
> Supercomputer Weather Forecasts. The Navy employs one of the
> nation's  ten largest supercomputers to provide highly accurate
> and localized  forecasts of battleground weather conditions.
> Under a new agreement, the Navy will work with the National
> Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to assess whether these
> techniques can be used to improve the prediction of severe
> weather over the United States.
>
> ---------------End of Original Message-----------------