Highlights for June 6, 1997
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• DOI LANAG NT Subgroup Meeting: On May 28-30, Mike Mulligan (CBI) participated in the DOI Local Area Network Advisory Group (LANAG) NT Subgroup meeting to review the draft Microsoft NT Standards, Guidelines, Reference document. The final document is expected to be released in early August, after review by the LANAG and senior DOI Bureau Information Resources Management Council members. (Mike Mulligan, Denver, 303/202-4242)
  
  
• USGS BRD Provides NPS with GPS Units for Vegetation Mapping Program: On June 5, Karl Brown of CBI assembled six kits of Global Positioning System (GPS) loaner equipment for the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. The PLGR+96 GPS receivers are part of a cache of equipment developed to assist the NPS with the geospatial needs of the vegetation mapping project. Each kit contains a 4- to 8-meter position capability receiver with accessories and software to download data to a PC/geographic information system environment. Voyageurs (MN), Isle Royale (MI), Wind Cave/ Badlands (SD), and Point Reyes(CA) are using the equipment. (Karl Brown, Denver, 303/202-4240)

II. Agency Works on Presidential Initiatives:

• ITIS Name Change Reflects International Role: At its Spring 1997 meeting (May 13-15) in Silver Spring, Maryland, the Steering Committee of the Interagency Taxonomic Information System voted to change the name of the Interagency Taxonomic Information System to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, retaining the acronym ITIS. ITIS has been asked to allow Agriculture-Canada and CONABIO - Comision Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad to become partners in the development and maintenance of the ITIS database. Upon approving the request, the Steering Committee recognized that this new international partnership can no longer legitimately be referred to as an interagency group. (Gary Waggoner, Denver, 303/202-4222)

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.