An obscure state board is getting some special attention in the legislature. The agency might be little-known but it has major impacts on all of the places in the state, and has an impact on national security.

The Missouri Board on Geographic Names was created a long time ago by a Governor’s Executive Order to make sure our place-names are not chaotic. But the board has never had the permanence that creation under state law would give it.

A proposed law this year would do that. The board coordinates the naming of geographic places or their re-named, provides uniformity in naming and retains the historic nature of Missouri place names. Vice-chairman Lynn Morrow says its work is more important than you might realize to national security.

He ayes the board keeps track of all government buildings including their altitude, windows, basements, and entries. He says all federal agencies must use the database of Missouri information compiled by the board for all federal maps and publications.

The bill has picked up no opposition so far.

Download Bob Priddy’s story (:62 mp3)