geodata.gov Policies

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The information posted on the geodata.gov Web site includes hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and/or private organizations. geodata.gov provides these links and pointers solely for our users' information and convenience. When users select a link to an outside Web site, they are leaving the geodata.gov site and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside Web site.

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Accessibility

geodata.gov is committed to making every possible effort to ensure that all information is accessible to people with disabilities. If you experience any difficulty accessing the information on our Web site, please use our contact us form to send us an e-mail. We will try to assist you as best we can. This may include providing the information to you in an alternate format.

For additional information on Accessibility within DOI, visit the Accessibility Technology Center Web site at http://www.doi.gov/atc/. For further information about the regulations governing the accessibility of Federal electronic information products, visit the Section 508 pages listed below:

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Linking Policy

geodata.gov is a government portal and contains thousands of metadata records that contain links to external Web sites. The metadata records are submitted by public and non-public entities that wish to share their geospatial data, information, and resources with others. The metadata records contain information about the kind of data, quality, currency, access, distribution, publication, availability, and more to help you determine the value of the data for your needs. The metadata records on geodata.gov can be harvested directly from a clearinghouse repository or submitted directly to a geodata.gov by the data provider. Because the metadata can be harvested in bulk from other repositories most of the metadata records on geodata.gov are not reviewed. Although the records are not reviewed, the repository sites are checked to make sure they are from trusted sources. The metadata records published directly to geodata.gov through non-harvesting are reviewed by staff before they are approved for the portal. The staff doesn't judge the quality or relevance of the data.

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External Linking

geodata.gov contains thousands of external links. Every time you click on the "GO TO WEBSITE" button you will be leaving the geodata.gov domain and entering an external Web site. These external Web sites can be to other federal, state, commercial, university, organization or other sites that have geographic information or data.

The "VIEW MAP" link connects to map and feature services that are being streamed live from an external Web site into the geodata.gov Map Viewer.

DOI or USGS cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by other Web sites or control whether their map services are running. Providing links to a non-federal Web site does not constitute an endorsement by DOI or USGS or any of its employees of the sponsors of the site or the information or products presented on the site. Also, be aware that the non-federal sites may not necessarily operate under the same laws, regulations, and policies as federal sites.

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