Hi everyone,
 
Sorry if you get duplicates of this, just trying to cover all the bases.
 
I wanted to update you on the status of the "Lidar for New England"
project, phase I (which actually includes a bit of New York too).
 
On Wednesday, 10/27, USGS announced the availability of ARRA funding for
lidar and orthophoto development.  There is $5.85M available for lidar
and $2.925M for orthophotos.  Since that time, the states have been in
contact with each other and have agreed to go forward with a regional
proposal, pending the ability to use a federal contracting vehicle.  We
are hopeful that we can use the USGS contract, but if not NOAA has
offered theirs for this project.
 
The states are busy looking for matching funds to help make our proposal
more appealing, and soliciting letters of support to accompany the
proposal.  If you can contribute financially contact either your state
coordinator (listed below) or me.  Likewise if you'd be willing to offer
a letter of support (and we haven't already approached you), please
contact your state coordinator or me.
 
The states hope to have an answer to the USGS contract question by Nov
13, and we hope to have financial commitments by then (and preferably
letters of support as well, though those could trickle in until Nov 20).
At that point we will know precisely how much money we have and how much
to ask for and begin drafting the proposal.  We anticipate a level of
funding less than what was in the concept proposal, but USGS is also
asking for a lesser set of products, so the geographic extent may not be
impacted that much.  We have requests out to two lidar providers for
estimates on the current USGS spec, so that we have a better estimate of
what the cost per square mile will be.
 
Deadline for submission is December 1.
 
If you can provide either financial support, or a letter of support, and
we haven't already contacted you, please get in touch with your state
coordinator or me.
 
NH: Fay Rubin [log in to unmask]
MA: Christian Jacqz  [log in to unmask]
RI:  Shane White  [log in to unmask]   or   Chuck LaBash
[log in to unmask]
CT: Michael Varney  [log in to unmask]
NY: Tim Ruhren [log in to unmask]
VT: David Brotzman [log in to unmask]  (note that phase I is coastal and
thus VT is not included, but longer-term we are looking at all of New
England)
ME: Michael Smith  [log in to unmask]
 
**********
Michael Smith
State GIS Manager
Maine Office of GIS 
 

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