ment (BLM), Census Bureau, Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). The second meeting was a Land Parcel Data Summit held on May 23, 2006, at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. The summit consisted of structured presentations from 15 invited speakers who made formal responses to a set of questions and then participated in a question-and-answer session. The agenda and list of speakers are included in Appendix C. The speakers came from federal government agencies that had not been covered by the first meeting, the private sector, and professional organizations that represent a variety of parcel data producers and users. The summit provided an excellent opportunity to ascertain a current perspective on the need for and benefits of a national perspective on land parcel data. It also provided a forum for the exchange of ideas and interests among different user groups.

The second method of gathering information was a web-based forum of stakeholders to assess their views regarding the needs and benefits of nationally integrated land parcel data. Participants in the online forum consisted of a wide range of stakeholders and professionals from the field who decided to participate and provide feedback on this topic. Table 3.1 shows the range of professions among the respondents. Box 3.2 lists the questions asked of the stakeholders.

The input from the approximately 400 respondents provided an extremely beneficial synopsis of the perceived need for a national vision for land parcel data. Although many users were skeptical about how such a system would operate, there was a fairly consistent message that there would be substantial benefits, that this was a necessary function of intergovernmental cooperation, and that it is the right time to move ahead with system design and implementation. While the needs and benefits