I don't know for sure, but I think this is more of Western USA thing than a universal coordinate system.
Map Geeks R Us!
It's a Western US thing for sure since the Colonies some eastward Midwestern states use the English "metes and bounds" system of legal descriptions. Much of the West and much of the Midwest is under the PLLS, notably excluding Texas and large parts of NM and AZ and generally areas which were deeded by Spanish and French land grants prior to annexation/purchase by the US. We ancient geologists schooled in Eastern colleges often got our first exposure to PLLS nomenclature and map skills in Field Camp, as was the case with yours truly.
While on my first field geologist job in Mississippi, where I bird-dogged 3 buggy mounted "shot hole" drill rigs, most of the newbies from Eastern schools were hazed by the older guys who would send us off to solve urgent problems at "Junior's drill site over in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 37". All productive activity would stop while we tuned in our CB radios to listen to the trainers' and trainees' radio traffic as he/she anxiously tried to find out exactly where Junior's rig was.
Keep an eye out for PLLS re-enactors at various festivals in the West. I've had the pleasure of seeing one group twice at Bannack Days in Montana. They roll out lots of totally cool transits, levels, plane tables, chains, etc.
Foy
