Background
Connecticut does not have a central GIS coordinating body or an official state data clearinghouse. Mapping professionals have been working towards statewide coordination for decades without success. As a result, Connecticut is a patchwork of datasets, data access and data quality with both extreme redundancy and large holes.
Important Links
⇒ Information about HB6647, An Act Concerning Geographic Information Systems
⇒ The Need for a Statewide GIS Center in Connecticut written by the CT Legislative Working Group.
⇒ Story Map that graphically and interactively explains the Need for a GIS, GIS in Connecticut, information collected by the Legislative Working Group including recommendations, and more.
Benefits of a State GIS Center
There are MANY benefits of a State GIS Center. The Executive Director of the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) reports the following benefits:
- Reduces duplication of efforts
- Builds and maintains foundational data layers
- Ensures access to public data
- Leverages economies of scale for products, software, and services
- Augments the knowledge base of professionals in the field
- Establishes standards and best practices through collaborative
processes
The Legislative Working Group, by way of talking with other New England States, identified similar benefits. Studies and reports from other states are listed on the State GIS Centers page.
A big benefit is cost avoidance. GIS coordination saves lots of money by preventing duplication of efforts. In the absence of coordination, different entities build the data themselves or pay someone else to do the work with varying quality. The return on investment for collaborative GIS is exponential.
Some benefits of GIS Technology are:
- Improved efficiency in delivery of government services
- Enhanced public safety
- Improved decision-making
- Improved management of natural resources
- Support planning and implementation of transportation projects
- Identify gaps in delivery key of services
- Augment data analytics through visualizing spatial patterns
Coordination means:
- Reduced duplication of efforts
- Efficient creation and maintenance of foundational data layers
- Ensured access to public data layers
- Leveraging economy of scale for products, software and services
- Augmenting the knowledge base of professionals in the field
- Establishing standards and best practices to improve data creation and collection across the state.
How You Can Help
Visit the CT GIS Legislation page for updates. Submit written and/or live testimony.