dorsey plunk – nrcs ngmc
TRANSCRIPT
Aerial Photography Privacy
Dorsey Plunk – NRCS NGMC
Aerial Photography Issues –June 14, 2012
• Suddenly a hot topic.• The Hill wants to know where we
use it and for what purpose.
Iowa Compliance Review
• Aerial photography contracted through APFO for random status reviews.
• Ephemeral gullies –No, review completed in office–Yes, full field review
Iowa Highly Erodible Lands (HEL) Sites
Love, Orlan. June 12, 2012.Conservation officials using aerial photography to monitor farmers.The Gazette.http://thegazette.com/2012/06/12/conservation-officials-using-aerial-photography-to-monitor-farmers/
Dugan, Joe. June 4, 2012. EPA defends aerial surveillance.World-Herald Bureau.
http://www.omaha.com/article/20120604/NEWS01/706049932
Smith, Ian. June 20, 2012.Congresswoman Capito Introduces Legislation to Ban EPA’s AerialSurveillance. FedSmith.com.
http://www.fedsmith.com/article/3474/congresswoman-capito-introduces-
legislation-ban-epas.html.
Supreme Court Cases• 1946 – United States v. Causby
– Justice William O. Douglas announced: "We have said that the airspace is a public highway.”
– Craig, Brian. Online Satellite and Aerial Images: Issues and Analysis. North Dakota Law Review [online]. Vol. 83:547, pages 559-560. http://zxc10.law.und.nodak.edu/LawReview/issues/web_assets/pdf/83/83-2/83NDLR547.pdf
Supreme Court Cases• California v. Ciraolo
– Warrantless aerial observation of a person’s backyard does not violate the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_v._Ciraolo
– This has been interpreted to mean “anything capable of being viewed from a public space is considered outside the realm of privacy in the United States, aerial photography may legally document features and occurrences on private property.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_photography
Supreme Court Cases
• DOW CHEMICAL CO. v. UNITED STATES– Use of aerial observations and photography is within EPA’s
statutory authority.– EPA’s taking, without a warrant, of aerial photographs of
petitioner’s plant complex from an aircraft lawfully in public navigable airspace was not a search protected by the Fourth Amendment.
– http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=case&court=us&vol=476&invol=227
Discussion