II 

Calendar No. 595 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3123 

To provide for the standardization, consolidation, and publication of data 

relating to public outdoor recreational use of Federal waterways among 

Federal land and water management agencies, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 25, 2023 

Mr. BARRASSO (for himself and Mr. KING) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

NOVEMBER 21, 2024 

Reported by Mr. MANCHIN, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To provide for the standardization, consolidation, and publication of data relating to public outdoor recreational 

use of Federal waterways among Federal land and water 

management agencies, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Modernizing Access 

3 to Our Public Waters Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this Act: 

6 (1) FEDERAL FISHING RESTRICTION.—The 

7 term ‘‘Federal fishing restriction’’ means a defined 

8 area in which all or certain fishing activities are 

9 temporarily or permanently prohibited or restricted 

10 by a Federal land or water management agency. 

11 (2) FEDERAL LAND OR WATER MANAGEMENT

12 AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal land or water man13 agement agency’’ means— 

14 (A) the Bureau of Reclamation; 

15 (B) the National Park Service; 

16 (C) the Bureau of Land Management; 

17 (D) the United States Fish and Wildlife 

18 Service; and 

19 (E) the Forest Service. 

20 (3) FEDERAL WATERWAY.—The term ‘‘Federal 

21 waterway’’ means any portion of a body of water 

22 managed partially or wholly by 1 or more of the rel23 evant Secretaries. 

24 (4) FEDERAL WATERWAY RESTRICTION.—The 

25 term ‘‘Federal waterway restriction’’ means a re26 striction on the access or use of a Federal waterway 


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1 applied under applicable law by 1 or more of the 

2 Secretaries. 

3 (5) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 

4 means— 

5 (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 

6 through the Chief of the Forest Service; and 

7 (B) the Secretary of the Interior. 

8 SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY DATA STANDARDIZATION. 

9 Not later than 30 months after the date of enactment 

10 of this Act, the Secretaries shall jointly develop and adopt 

11 interagency standards to ensure compatibility and inter12 operability among applicable Federal databases with re13 spect to the collection and dissemination of geospatial data 

14 relating to public outdoor recreational use of Federal wa15 terways and Federal fishing restrictions. 

16 SEC. 4. DATA CONSOLIDATION AND PUBLICATION. 

17 (a) FEDERAL WATERWAY RESTRICTIONS.—Not later 

18 than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, each 

19 of the Secretaries, to the maximum extent practicable, 

20 shall digitize and make publicly available online, as appli21 cable, geographic information system data that includes, 

22 with respect to Federal waterway restrictions— 

23 (1) status information with respect to the con24 ditions under which Federal waterways are open or 


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1 closed to entry or watercraft, including watercraft 

2 inspection or decontamination requirements; 

3 (2) the dates on which Federal waterways are 

4 seasonally closed to entry or watercraft; 

5 (3) the areas of Federal waterways with restric6 tions on motorized propulsion, horsepower, or gaso7 line fuel; 

8 (4) the areas of Federal waterways with an9 choring restrictions, no wake zones, or vessel speed 

10 restrictions; 

11 (5) Federal waterway restrictions on the direc12 tion of travel, including upstream or downstream 

13 travel; and 

14 (6) the types of watercraft that are restricted 

15 on each area of a Federal waterway, including the 

16 permissibility of— 

17 (A) canoes; 

18 (B) rafts and driftboats; 

19 (C) motorboats; 

20 (D) personal watercraft; 

21 (E) airboats; 

22 (F) amphibious aircraft; 

23 (G) hovercraft; and 

24 (H) oversnow vehicles and other motorized 

25 vehicles on frozen bodies of water. 


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1 (b) FEDERAL WATERWAY ACCESS AND NAVIGATION

2 INFORMATION.—Not later than 4 years after the date of 

3 enactment of this Act, each of the Secretaries, to the max4 imum extent practicable, shall digitize and make publicly 

5 available online, as applicable, geographic information sys6 tem data that includes, with respect to Federal waterway 

7 access and navigation information— 

8 (1)(A) the location of boat ramps, portages, and 

9 fishing access sites under the authority of the Fed10 eral land or water management agency; and 

11 (B) the identification of the dates on which the 

12 facilities and sites identified under subparagraph (A) 

13 are open or closed, as applicable; and 

14 (2) bathymetric information and depth charts. 

15 (c) FEDERAL FISHING RESTRICTIONS.—Not later 

16 than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, each 

17 of the Secretaries, to the maximum extent practicable, 

18 shall digitize and make publicly available online geo19 graphic information system data that describes, with re20 spect to Federal fishing restrictions— 

21 (1) the location and geographic boundaries of 

22 Federal fishing restrictions on recreational and com23 mercial fishing, including— 

24 (A) full or partial closures; 

25 (B) no-take zones; and 


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1 (C) Federal fishing restrictions within or 

2 surrounding marine protected areas; 

3 (2) Federal fishing restrictions on the use of 

4 specific types of equipment or bait, such as restric5 tions on the use of barbed hooks or live bait; and 

6 (3) Federal requirements with respect to catch 

7 and release. 

8 (d) PUBLIC COMMENT.—The Secretaries shall de9 velop a process to allow members of the public to submit 

10 questions or comments regarding the information de11 scribed in subsections (a) and (b). 

12 (e) UPDATES.—The Secretaries, to the maximum ex13 tent practicable, shall update— 

14 (1) the data described in subsections (a) and 

15 (b) not less frequently than 2 times per year; and 

16 (2) the data described in subsection (c) in real 

17 time as changes go into effect. 

18 (f) EXCLUSION.—This section shall not apply to irri19 gation canals and flowage easements. 

20 (g) DISCLOSURE.—Any geographic information sys21 tem data made publicly available under this section shall 

22 not disclose information regarding the nature, location, 

23 character, or ownership of historic, paleontological, or ar24 chaeological resources, consistent with applicable law. 


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1 SEC. 5. COOPERATION AND COORDINATION. 

2 (a) COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THIRD-PARTY PRO3 VIDERS.—For purposes of carrying out this Act, the Sec4 retaries may— 

5 (1) coordinate and partner with non-Federal 

6 agencies and private sector and nonprofit partners, 

7 including— 

8 (A) State natural resource agencies; 

9 (B) technology companies; 

10 (C) geospatial data companies; and 

11 (D) experts in data science, analytics, and 

12 operations research; and 

13 (2) enter into an agreement with a third party 

14 to carry out any provision of this Act. 

15 (b) UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.—The 

16 Secretaries may work with the Director of the United 

17 States Geological Survey to collect, aggregate, digitize, 

18 standardize, and publish data on behalf of the Secretaries 

19 to meet the requirements of this Act. 

20 (c) REQUIREMENT.—With respect to data developed 

21 and distributed under this Act, the Secretaries shall in22 clude a notice that any geospatial data are subject to ap23 plicable Federal, State, and Tribal regulations. 

24 SEC. 6. REPORTS. 

25 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

26 of this Act and annually thereafter through March 30, 


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1 2033, the Secretaries shall submit a report that describes 

2 the progress made by the Secretaries with respect to meet3 ing the requirements of this Act to— 

4 (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re5 sources of the Senate; 

6 (2) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 

7 and Forestry of the Senate; 

8 (3) the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

9 House of Representatives; 

10 (4) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of 

11 the House of Representatives; and 

12 (5) the Committee on Agriculture of the House 

13 of Representatives. 

14 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

15 There are authorized to be appropriated— 

16 (1) to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out 

17 this Act— 

18 (A) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and 

19 (B) $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

20 2025 through 2027; and 

21 (2) to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out 

22 this Act— 

23 (A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and 

24 (B) $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

25 2025 through 2027. 


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1 SEC. 8. EFFECT. 

2 Nothing in this Act— 

3 (1) modifies or alters the definition of the term 

4 ‘‘navigable waters’’ under Federal law; 

5 (2) affects the jurisdiction or authority of State 

6 or Federal agencies to regulate navigable waters; or 

7 (3) modifies or alters the authority or jurisdic8 tion of Federal or State agencies to manage fish9 eries. 

10 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

11 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Modernizing Access to 

12 Our Public Waters Act’’. 

13 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act: 

15 (1) FEDERAL FISHING RESTRICTION.—The term 

16 ‘‘Federal fishing restriction’’ means a defined area in 

17 which all or certain fishing activities are temporarily 

18 or permanently prohibited or restricted by a Federal 

19 land or water management agency. 

20 (2) FEDERAL LAND OR WATER MANAGEMENT

21 AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal land or water manage22 ment agency’’ means— 

23 (A) the Bureau of Reclamation; 

24 (B) the National Park Service; 

25 (C) the Bureau of Land Management; 


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1 (D) the United States Fish and Wildlife 

2 Service; and 

3 (E) the Forest Service. 

4 (3) FEDERAL WATERWAY.—The term ‘‘Federal 

5 waterway’’ means waters managed by a Federal land 

6 or water management agency. 

7 (4) FEDERAL WATERWAY RESTRICTION.—The 

8 term ‘‘Federal waterway restriction’’ means a restric9 tion on the access or use of a Federal waterway ap10 plied under applicable law by 1 or more of the Secre11 taries. 

12 (5) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 

13 means— 

14 (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 

15 through the Chief of the Forest Service; and 

16 (B) the Secretary of the Interior. 

17 (6) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec18 retary concerned’’ means— 

19 (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 

20 through the Chief of the Forest Service, with re21 spect to Federal waterways under the jurisdic22 tion of the Secretary of Agriculture; or 

23 (B) the Secretary of the Interior, with re24 spect to Federal waterways under the jurisdic25 tion of the Secretary of the Interior. 


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1 SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY DATA STANDARDIZATION. 

2 Not later than 30 months after the date of enactment 

3 of this Act, the Secretaries, in consultation with the Federal 

4 Geographic Data Committee, shall jointly develop and 

5 adopt interagency standards to ensure compatibility and 

6 interoperability among applicable Federal databases with 

7 respect to the collection and dissemination of geospatial 

8 data relating to public outdoor recreational use of Federal 

9 waterways and Federal fishing restrictions. 

10 SEC. 4. DATA CONSOLIDATION AND PUBLICATION. 

11 (a) FEDERAL WATERWAY RESTRICTIONS.—Not later 

12 than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 

13 Secretary concerned, to the maximum extent practicable, 

14 shall digitize and make publicly available online, as appli15 cable, geographic information system data that includes, 

16 with respect to Federal waterway restrictions— 

17 (1) status information with respect to the condi18 tions under which Federal waterways are open or 

19 closed to entry or watercraft, including watercraft in20 spection or decontamination requirements; 

21 (2) the dates on which Federal waterways are 

22 seasonally closed to entry or watercraft; 

23 (3) the areas of Federal waterways with restric24 tions on motorized propulsion, horsepower, or gaso25 line fuel; 


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1 (4) the areas of Federal waterways with anchor2 ing restrictions, no wake zones, or vessel speed restric3 tions; 

4 (5) Federal waterway restrictions on the direc5 tion of travel, including upstream or downstream 

6 travel; and 

7 (6) the uses, including by watercraft, that are re8 stricted on each area of a Federal waterway, includ9 ing the permissibility of— 

10 (A) canoes and other paddlecraft; 

11 (B) rafts and driftboats; 

12 (C) motorboats; 

13 (D) personal watercraft; 

14 (E) airboats; 

15 (F) amphibious aircraft; 

16 (G) hovercraft; 

17 (H) oversnow vehicles and other motorized 

18 vehicles on frozen bodies of water; 

19 (I) swimming; and 

20 (J) other applicable recreational activities, 

21 as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary 

22 concerned. 

23 (b) FEDERAL WATERWAY ACCESS AND NAVIGATION IN24 FORMATION.—Not later than 5 years after the date of enact25 ment of this Act, the Secretary concerned, to the maximum 


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1 extent practicable, shall digitize and make publicly avail2 able online, as applicable, geographic information system 

3 data that includes, with respect to Federal waterway access 

4 and navigation information— 

5 (1)(A) the location of boat ramps, portages, and 

6 designated fishing access sites under the authority of 

7 the Secretary concerned; and 

8 (B) the identification of the dates on which the 

9 facilities and sites identified under subparagraph (A) 

10 are open or closed, as applicable; and 

11 (2) available bathymetric information and depth 

12 charts. 

13 (c) FEDERAL FISHING RESTRICTIONS.—Not later than 

14 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

15 concerned, to the maximum extent practicable, shall digitize 

16 and make publicly available online geographic information 

17 system data that describes, with respect to Federal fishing 

18 restrictions— 

19 (1) the location and geographic boundaries of 

20 Federal fishing restrictions on recreational and com21 mercial fishing, including— 

22 (A) full or partial closures; 

23 (B) no-take zones; and 

24 (C) Federal fishing restrictions within or 

25 surrounding marine protected areas; 


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1 (2) Federal fishing restrictions on the use of spe2 cific types of equipment or bait, such as restrictions 

3 on the use of barbed hooks or live bait; and 

4 (3) Federal requirements with respect to catch 

5 and release. 

6 (d) PUBLIC COMMENT.—The Secretaries shall develop 

7 a process to allow members of the public to submit questions 

8 or comments regarding the information described in sub9 sections (a) and (b). 

10 (e) UPDATES.—The Secretary concerned, to the max11 imum extent practicable, shall update— 

12 (1) the data described in subsections (a) and (b) 

13 not less frequently than annually; and 

14 (2) the data described in subsection (c) in real 

15 time as changes go into effect. 

16 (f) EXCLUSION.—This section shall not apply to irri17 gation canals and flowage easements. 

18 (g) DISCLOSURE.—Any geographic information sys19 tem data made publicly available under this section shall 

20 not disclose information regarding the nature, location, 

21 character, or ownership of historic, paleontological, or ar22 chaeological resources, consistent with applicable law. 


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1 SEC. 5. COOPERATION AND COORDINATION. 

2 (a) COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THIRD-PARTY PRO3 VIDERS.—For purposes of carrying out this Act, the Sec4 retary concerned may— 

5 (1) coordinate and partner with non-Federal 

6 agencies and private sector and nonprofit partners, 

7 including— 

8 (A) State natural resource agencies; 

9 (B) technology companies; 

10 (C) geospatial data companies; and 

11 (D) experts in data science, analytics, and 

12 operations research; and 

13 (2) enter into an agreement with a third party 

14 to carry out any provision of this Act. 

15 (b) UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.—The Sec16 retaries shall work with the Director of the United States 

17 Geological Survey to collect, aggregate, digitize, stand18 ardize, and publish data on behalf of the Secretaries to meet 

19 the requirements of this Act. 

20 (c) REQUIREMENT.—With respect to data developed 

21 and distributed under this Act, the Secretaries shall— 

22 (1) develop the data in accordance with applica23 ble Federal, State, and Tribal laws (including regula24 tions); and 


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1 (2) include a notice that any geospatial data are 

2 subject to applicable Federal, State, and Tribal laws 

3 (including regulations). 

4 (d) EXISTING EFFORTS.—To the extent practicable, 

5 the Secretary concerned shall use or incorporate existing 

6 applicable data, maps, and resources in carrying out this 

7 Act, including data, maps, and resources developed and 

8 published under— 

9 (1) the Modernizing Access to Our Public Land 

10 Act (16 U.S.C. 6851 et seq.); 

11 (2) section 103 of division DD of the Consoli12 dated Appropriations Act, 2023 (43 U.S.C. 776); or 

13 (3) other applicable law. 

14 SEC. 6. REPORTS. 

15 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 

16 this Act and annually thereafter through March 30, 2033, 

17 the Secretaries shall submit a report that describes the 

18 progress made by the Secretaries with respect to meeting 

19 the requirements of this Act to— 

20 (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re21 sources of the Senate; 

22 (2) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 

23 Forestry of the Senate; 

24 (3) the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

25 House of Representatives; 


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1 (4) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of 

2 the House of Representatives; and 

3 (5) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 

4 Representatives. 

5 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 There are authorized to be appropriated— 

7 (1) to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out 

8 this Act— 

9 (A) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; and 

10 (B) $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 

11 through 2029; and 

12 (2) to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out 

13 this Act— 

14 (A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; and 

15 (B) $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 

16 through 2029. 

17 SEC. 8. EFFECT. 

18 Nothing in this Act— 

19 (1) modifies or alters the definition of the term 

20 ‘‘navigable waters’’ under Federal law; 

21 (2) affects the jurisdiction or authority of State 

22 or Federal agencies to regulate navigable waters; 

23 (3) modifies or alters the authority or jurisdic24 tion of Federal or State agencies to manage fisheries; 

25 or 


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1 (4) expands or restricts access to Federal water2 ways. 


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Calendar No. 595 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3123 

A BILL 

To provide for the standardization, consolidation, 

and for other purposes. Federal land and water management agencies, recreational use of Federal waterways among and publication of data relating to public outdoor 

NOVEMBER 21, 2024 

Reported with an amendment 


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