IB 

Union Calendar No. 687 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6127 

[Report No. 118–842, Part I] 

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 1, 2023 

Mr. MOORE of Utah (for himself and Mr. FULCHER) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in 

addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Additional sponsors: Mr. PANETTA, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. COSTA, Ms. LEE of 

Nevada, Mr. KILMER, and Ms. PEREZ

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment 

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

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the Committee of the 

Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on November 1, 2023] 


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•HR 6127 RH

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. 


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•HR 6127 RH

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

5 Our Public Waters Act’’ or the ‘‘MAPWaters Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) FEDERAL FISHING RESTRICTION.—The term 

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

10 which all or certain fishing activities are temporarily 

11 or permanently prohibited or restricted by a Federal 

12 land or water management agency. 

13 (2) FEDERAL LAND OR WATER MANAGEMENT

14 AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal land or water manage15 ment agency’’ means— 

16 (A) the Bureau of Reclamation; 

17 (B) the National Park Service; 

18 (C) the Bureau of Land Management; 

19 (D) the United States Fish and Wildlife 

20 Service; and 

21 (E) the Forest Service. 

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

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

24 managed partially or wholly by 1 or more of the rel25 evant Secretaries. 


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•HR 6127 RH

1 (4) FEDERAL WATERWAY RESTRICTION.—The 

2 term ‘‘Federal waterway restriction’’ means a restric3 tion on the access or use of a Federal waterway ap4 plied under applicable law by 1 or more of the Secre5 taries. 

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

7 means— 

8 (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 

9 through the Chief of the Forest Service; and 

10 (B) the Secretary of the Interior. 

11 (6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 

12 several States, the District of Columbia, and each ter13 ritory and possession of the United States. 

14 SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY DATA STANDARDIZATION. 

15 Not later than 30 months after the date of enactment 

16 of this Act, the Secretaries, in coordination with the Federal 

17 Geographic Data Committee established by section 753(a) 

18 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (43 U.S.C. 

19 2802(a)), shall jointly develop and adopt interagency stand20 ards to ensure compatibility and interoperability among 

21 applicable Federal databases with respect to the collection 

22 and dissemination of geospatial data relating to public out23 door recreational access of Federal waterways and Federal 

24 fishing restrictions. 


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1 SEC. 4. DATA CONSOLIDATION AND PUBLICATION. 

2 (a) FEDERAL WATERWAY RESTRICTIONS.—Not later 

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

4 of the Secretaries, to the maximum extent practicable, shall 

5 digitize and make publicly available online, as applicable, 

6 geographic information system data that includes, with re7 spect to Federal waterway restrictions— 

8 (1) status information with respect to the condi9 tions under which Federal waterways are open or 

10 closed to entry or watercraft, including watercraft in11 spection, decontamination requirements, low-elevation 

12 aircraft, or diving; 

13 (2) the dates on which Federal waterways are 

14 seasonally closed to entry or watercraft; 

15 (3) the areas of Federal waterways with restric16 tions on motorized propulsion, horsepower, or fuel 

17 type; 

18 (4) the areas of Federal waterways with anchor19 ing restrictions, no wake zones, exclusion zones, dan20 ger areas, or vessel speed restrictions; 

21 (5) Federal waterway restrictions on the direc22 tion of travel, including upstream or downstream 

23 travel; and 

24 (6) the types of watercraft that are restricted on 

25 each area of a Federal waterway, including the per26 missibility of— 


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•HR 6127 RH

1 (A) canoes; 

2 (B) rafts and driftboats; 

3 (C) motorboats; 

4 (D) personal watercraft; 

5 (E) airboats; 

6 (F) amphibious aircraft; 

7 (G) hovercraft; 

8 (H) oversnow vehicles and other motorized 

9 vehicles on frozen bodies of water; and 

10 (I) oceangoing ships. 

11 (b) FEDERAL WATERWAY ACCESS AND NAVIGATION IN12 FORMATION.—Not later than 4 years after the date of enact13 ment of this Act, each of the Secretaries, to the maximum 

14 extent practicable, shall digitize and make publicly avail15 able online, as applicable, geographic information system 

16 data that includes, with respect to Federal waterway access 

17 and navigation information— 

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

19 fishing access sites under the authority of the Federal 

20 land or water management agency; and 

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

22 facilities and sites identified under subparagraph (A) 

23 are open or closed, as applicable; and 

24 (2) bathymetric information and depth charts, as 

25 feasible. 


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

2 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, each of the 

3 Secretaries, to the maximum extent practicable, shall 

4 digitize and make publicly available online geographic in5 formation system data that describes, with respect to Fed6 eral fishing restrictions— 

7 (1) the location and geographic boundaries of 

8 Federal fishing restrictions on recreational and com9 mercial fishing, including— 

10 (A) full or partial closures; 

11 (B) no-take zones; and 

12 (C) Federal fishing restrictions within or 

13 surrounding marine protected areas; 

14 (2) Federal fishing restrictions enacted pursuant 

15 to section 302(b) of the Federal Land Policy and 

16 Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1732(b)); and 

17 (3) Federal requirements with respect to catch 

18 and release. 

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

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

21 or comments regarding the information described in sub22 sections (a) and (b). 

23 (e) UPDATES.—The Secretaries, to the maximum ex24 tent practicable, shall update— 


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

2 not less frequently than 2 times per year; and 

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

4 time as changes go into effect. 

5 (f) EXCLUSION.—This section shall not apply to irri6 gation canals and flowage easements. 

7 (g) DISCLOSURE.—Any geographic information sys8 tem data made publicly available under this section shall 

9 not disclose information regarding the nature, location, 

10 character, or ownership of historic, paleontological, or ar11 chaeological resources, consistent with applicable law. 

12 SEC. 5. COOPERATION AND COORDINATION. 

13 (a) COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THIRD-PARTY PRO14 VIDERS.—For purposes of carrying out this Act, the Secre15 taries may— 

16 (1) coordinate and partner with non-Federal 

17 agencies and private sector and nonprofit partners, 

18 including— 

19 (A) State natural resource agencies; 

20 (B) Tribal natural resource agencies; 

21 (C) technology companies; 

22 (D) geospatial data companies; and 

23 (E) experts in data science, analytics, and 

24 operations research; and 


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

2 to carry out any provision of this Act. 

3 (b) UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.—The Sec4 retaries may work with the Director of the United States 

5 Geological Survey to collect, aggregate, digitize, stand6 ardize, and publish data on behalf of the Secretaries to meet 

7 the requirements of this Act. 

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

9 and distributed under this Act, the Secretaries shall include 

10 a notice that any geospatial data are subject to applicable 

11 Federal, State, and Tribal regulations. 

12 SEC. 6. REPORTS. 

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

14 this Act and annually thereafter through March 30, 2034, 

15 the Secretaries shall submit a report that describes the 

16 progress made by the Secretaries with respect to meeting 

17 the requirements of this Act to— 

18 (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re19 sources of the Senate; 

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

21 Forestry of the Senate; 

22 (3) the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

23 House of Representatives; 

24 (4) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of 

25 the House of Representatives; and 


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

2 Representatives. 

3 SEC. 7. EFFECT. 

4 Nothing in this Act— 

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

6 ‘‘navigable waters’’ under Federal law; 

7 (2) affects the jurisdiction or authority of State 

8 or Federal agencies to regulate navigable waters; 

9 (3) modifies or alters the authority or jurisdic10 tion of Federal or State agencies to manage fisheries; 

11 or 

12 (4) authorizes the closing of or restriction of ac13 cess to waters open to hunting, fishing, or other forms 

14 of outdoor recreation as of the date of the enactment 

15 of this Act. 


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Union Calendar No. 687 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6127 

[Report No. 118–842, Part I] 

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 

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with 

an amendment 

DECEMBER 10, 2024 

Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the 

Union and ordered to be printed Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 


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