Government Information

http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/IN10108.pdf

Describes the efforts of DC leaders to pass legislation that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana, provides a map which shows which states have passed laws decriminalizing marijuana or have passed medical marijuana laws, presents arguments for and against decriminalization, and examines controversies involving home rule.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3292/

Announces the availability of an online global geologic map of Mars which records the distribution of geologic units and landforms on the planet’s surface with data acquired from the Viking Orbiters. From the U.S. Geological Survey

http://historicalmaps.arcgis.com/usgs/

Interactive resource that allows you to find historic maps for a selected area within the U.S.  From the U.S. Geological Survey and ESRI

http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/acs/acs-27.pdf

Compares poverty data from the 2000 Census with that from the 2008-2012 American Community Survey.  Finds that in 2010 more than 77 million people lived in poverty areas, defined as census tracts with a poverty rate of 20% or more.  The percentage of people living in such areas grew from 18 to 25.7% between 2000 and 2010.  From the Census Bureau

http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0340.htm

Investigates whether high sodium and low potassium diets, which can contribute to hypertension and cardiovascular disease, may be related to the availability of healthful food in neighborhood stores. From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

http://www.census.gov/censusexplorer/censusexplorer-commuting.html

A new commuting edition of the interactive Census Explorer mapsite, which gives users click and zoom access  to commuting statistics for every neighborhood in the U.S.  Also shows how commuting has changed since 1990 at the neighborhood, county, and state level.  From the Census Bureau

http://enviroatlas.epa.gov/enviroatlas/

Interactive mapping tool that allows users to understand the implications of policy decisions on the environment.  Integrates over 300 separate data layers for the creation of customized maps that show the condition of air, water, and landscape resources.  Not yet optimized for smartphone or table use.  From the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal partners.

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3862#.U1Z0O5xntuo

Press release announcing new version of National Land Cover Database with consistent information about land cover types from forests to urban areas.  Based on Landsat satellite imagery from 2011, the database describes each 30-meter cell of land and identifies changes since 2006.  From the U.S. Geological Survey