There is absolutely a lack of trust from utilities (and municipalities) when it comes to sharing data. Even if the GIS professionals at the utilities understand the issues and are in support of the idea, resistance
comes from IT managers worried about security and administration worried about competition or sabotage and being sued because data obtained was incomplete or incorrect. The feds with their cybersecurity mandates also contribute to the issue. So, there are
perceived risks, and little to no perceived upside for the utilities. If you let it out, you can’t take it back and you can’t control it. I try to fight this whenever possible, but fears and previous experiences are deeply ingrained and sometimes I think that
we may have to wait another 20 years for all those people to retire. It’s probably going to take either some laws forcing the issue (with competent legislators writing them!) or probably some big corporations taking the lead, like in NY. I hear that Australia
has widespread successful data sharing for underground utilities and their incident rate is a fraction of ours. Canada has also had some success.
From: Unmoderated discussion list for Connecticut GIS Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Meghan McGaffin
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2014 2:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CTGIS-L] Utility Data Sharing in NY
I agree Mark. I think there have certainly been some improvements but there’s much more to be done. What it seems to me is that there is a lack of trust from the utilities to the local and regional governments.
I know there’s been a strong effort on the part of the electricity providers (speaking as UI community here) to develop relationships with our assigned account executives, even so far as attending our EPPI exercise
over the summer. Our UI account executive has coordinated with our Emergency Management/Hazard Mitigation people on developing local priorities for post-disaster Make Safe activities. All good steps in the right direction. Having access to their pole data
has been a big help in accident reconstruction maps and for maintaining our fiber optic network.
The Regional Water Authority in our area made an available some wonderful aerial imagery at an incredible cost savings for our COG (South Central Regional Council). That kind of effort saves everyone time and
money! I’d like to see more efforts like that. We need opportunities to meet at the same table and simple explore how we can develop trust and explore mutually beneficial business practices and in all honestly, it seems the COGs are the perfect vehicle to
manage that kind of relationship.
Meg McGaffin
GIS Analyst
City of Milford CT
70 West River St
Milford, CT 06460
203-783-3393
From: Unmoderated discussion list for Connecticut GIS Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Mark Goetz
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2014 1:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [CTGIS-L] Utility Data Sharing in NY
Came across this posting over the weekend. Would be great to see something similar initiated here in CT.
New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) Starts to Change the Game
http://espatiallynewyork.com/2014/10/10/new-york-state-electric-and-gas-nyseg-starts-to-change-the-game/
|
Mark Goetz Senior
Transportation Planner/GIS Director 203.366.5405 x27
| cell: 203.909-0882
| f: 203.366.8437
|
mgoetz@gbrct.org Greater Bridgeport Regional Council 525 Water Street, Suite 1
|
Bridgeport, CT 06604 |
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