GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a continually advancing technology. It is a method for analyzing, sharing and presenting data through a number of formats, including computer generated maps. These computer generated maps are an end product of several layers of information. GIS utilizes numbers and words from the rows and columns in databases and spreadsheets and depicts them visually. It can display various natural and man-made physical features over a landscape in a series of layers for location analysis and use as a decision support and planning tool. Data which is depicted visually can help spot trends, highlight customer bases, manage projects, along with numerous other applications. GIS allows you to view, understand, question, interpret and visualize your data in ways simply not possible in the rows and columns of a spreadsheet. There are many GIS software packages offering a variety of applications for interpreting and graphically depicting data.

GIS On-Site Capabilities. NEPA currently has GIS software from ESRI, ArcView 9.0. It is a user-friendly system and offers several formats to view data. This software can display data in tables, charts and graphs as well as maps. To provide a professional-looking product to our customers, NEPA has a Hewlett Packard Design Jet 500 PS plotter.

Data Available

County and municipal boundaries
Transportation systems
Government boundaries
University locations
Airport locations
Recreational facility boundaries
Demographic data
Statistical data

Program Contacts:

Brian Langan
blangan@nepa-alliance.org

Alan Baranski
abaranski@nepa-alliance.org