For Immediate Release
July 19, 2002
Contact: Rusty Cheuvront  (502)-564-2611 

COMMONWEALTH  UNVEILS  THE KENTUCKY GEOGRAPHY NETWORK

FRANKFORT, KY - The Commonwealth of Kentucky proudly unveils the Kentucky Geography Network (KYGN) (http://kygeonet.state.ky.us), a website devoted to enhancing the appreciation and understanding of the Commonwealth’s unique geography through the use of Internet mapping. An ever-growing collection of static map images, internet mapping applications, and downloadable data for use with Geographic Information System (GIS) Software can be accessed via the site. Users can search for maps and information by entering a city, county, or even a commonplace name, or by simply using a tool to draw an area of interest on the map of Kentucky. The ability to browse categories such as boundaries, geophysical, fish & wildlife, utilities, and transportation -- coupled with pull-down lists that permit the user to limit searches based on content type, content theme, and keywords -- make it a powerful geographic search utility. Kentucky’s citizens, students, teachers, engineering community, land surveyors, GIS professionals, and anyone who loves maps and our beautiful state will be fascinated with the site.

Kentucky is one of only five (5) states that has worked to create and make this type of website and associated tools available to everyone. The Commonwealth is also a member of the Geography Network (http://www.geographynetwork.com), a website created and hosted by a joint partnership between, Environmental Research Systems Institute (ESRI) (http://www.esri.com) and Sun Microsystems, Inc. (http://www.sun.com). The Geography Network (GN) has maps and information regarding the entire planet.

For the next two months, Kentucky will be a featured site on the GN; the KYGN was featured at the opening session at ESRI’s Annual GIS Conference, a national gathering of GIS technicians and community planners in San Diego, CA on July 8th. ESRI’s regional office in St. Louis assisted in finalizing the technical setup of the KYGN by providing staff for three days on-site in Frankfort.

The KYGN is a collaborative effort between the Governor’s Office for Technology (Office for Geographic Information), Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, Kentucky Geological Survey, and other State agencies, including the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Department for Fish & Wildlife Resources, are in the process of publishing to the KYGN.  All other State agencies as well as Kentucky universities, colleges, primary and secondary education providers, cities, counties, and their associated agencies are invited to publish any of their mapped information.

For more information please visit http://kygeonet.state.ky.us.

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