IIB 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 187 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JANUARY 22, 2025 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources 
AN ACT 
To provide for the standardization, consolidation, and publi-
cation of data relating to public outdoor recreational 
use of Federal waterways among Federal land and water 
management agencies, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Modernizing Access 
to our Public Waters Act of 2025’’ or the ‘‘MAPWaters 
Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) FEDERAL
FISHING
RESTRICTION.—The 
term ‘‘Federal fishing restriction’’ means a defined 
area in which all or certain fishing activities are 
temporarily or permanently prohibited or restricted 
by a Federal land or water management agency. 
(2) FEDERAL LAND OR WATER MANAGEMENT 
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal land or water man-
agement agency’’ means— 
(A) the Bureau of Reclamation; 
(B) the National Park Service; 
(C) the Bureau of Land Management; 
(D) the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service; and 
(E) the Forest Service. 
(3) FEDERAL WATERWAY.—The term ‘‘Federal 
waterway’’ means waters managed by 1 or more of 
the relevant Secretaries. 
(4) FEDERAL WATERWAY RESTRICTION.—The 
term ‘‘Federal waterway restriction’’ means a re-
striction on the access or use of a Federal waterway 
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applied under applicable law by 1 or more of the 
Secretaries. 
(5) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 
means— 
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
through the Chief of the Forest Service; and 
(B) the Secretary of the Interior. 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, and 
each territory of the United States. 
SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY DATA STANDARDIZATION. 
Not later than 30 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretaries, in coordination with the Fed-
eral Geographic Data Committee established by section 
753(a) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (43 
U.S.C. 2802(a)), shall jointly develop and adopt inter-
agency standards to ensure compatibility and interoper-
ability among applicable Federal databases with respect 
to the collection and dissemination of geospatial data re-
lating to public outdoor recreational access of Federal wa-
terways and Federal fishing restrictions. 
SEC. 4. DATA CONSOLIDATION AND PUBLICATION. 
(a) FEDERAL WATERWAY RESTRICTIONS.—Not later 
than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, each 
of the Secretaries, to the maximum extent practicable, 
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shall digitize and make publicly available online, as appli-
cable, geographic information system data that includes, 
with respect to Federal waterway restrictions— 
(1) status information with respect to the con-
ditions under which Federal waterways are open or 
closed to entry or watercraft, including watercraft 
inspection, decontamination requirements, low-ele-
vation aircraft, or diving; 
(2) the dates on which Federal waterways are 
seasonally closed to entry or watercraft; 
(3) the areas of Federal waterways with restric-
tions on motorized propulsion, horsepower, or fuel 
type; 
(4) the areas of Federal waterways with an-
choring restrictions, no wake zones, exclusion zones, 
danger areas, or vessel speed restrictions; 
(5) Federal waterway restrictions on the direc-
tion of travel, including upstream or downstream 
travel; and 
(6) the uses, including by watercraft, that are 
restricted on each area of a Federal waterway, in-
cluding the permissibility of— 
(A) canoes and other paddlecraft; 
(B) rafts and driftboats; 
(C) motorboats; 
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(D) personal watercraft; 
(E) airboats; 
(F) amphibious aircraft; 
(G) hovercraft; 
(H) oversnow vehicles and other motorized 
vehicles on frozen bodies of water; 
(I) oceangoing ships; 
(J) swimming; and 
(K) other applicable recreational activities, 
as determined to be appropriate by the Secre-
taries. 
(b) FEDERAL WATERWAY ACCESS AND NAVIGATION 
INFORMATION.—Not later than 5 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, each of the Secretaries, to the max-
imum extent practicable, shall digitize and make publicly 
available online, as applicable, geographic information sys-
tem data that includes, with respect to Federal waterway 
access and navigation information— 
(1)(A) the location of boat ramps, portages, and 
fishing access sites under the authority of the Fed-
eral land or water management agency; and 
(B) the identification of the dates on which 
the facilities and sites identified under subpara-
graph (A) are open or closed, as applicable; and 
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(2) bathymetric information and depth charts, 
as feasible. 
(c) FEDERAL FISHING RESTRICTIONS.—Not later 
than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, each 
of the Secretaries, to the maximum extent practicable, 
shall digitize and make publicly available online geo-
graphic information system data that describes, with re-
spect to Federal fishing restrictions— 
(1) the location and geographic boundaries of 
Federal fishing restrictions on recreational and com-
mercial fishing, including— 
(A) full or partial closures; 
(B) no-take zones; and 
(C) Federal fishing restrictions within or 
surrounding marine protected areas; 
(2) Federal fishing restrictions on the use of 
specific types of equipment or bait; and 
(3) Federal requirements with respect to catch 
and release. 
(d) PUBLIC COMMENT.—The Secretaries shall de-
velop a process to allow members of the public to submit 
questions or comments regarding the information de-
scribed in subsections (a) and (b). 
(e) UPDATES.—The Secretaries, to the maximum ex-
tent practicable, shall update— 
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(1) the data described in subsections (a) and 
(b) not less frequently than 2 times per year; and 
(2) the data described in subsection (c) in real 
time as changes go into effect. 
(f) EXCLUSION.—This section shall not apply to irri-
gation canals and flowage easements. 
(g) DISCLOSURE.—Any geographic information sys-
tem data made publicly available under this section shall 
not disclose information regarding the nature, location, 
character, or ownership of historic, paleontological, or ar-
chaeological resources, consistent with applicable law. 
SEC. 5. COOPERATION AND COORDINATION. 
(a) COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THIRD-PARTY PRO-
VIDERS.—For purposes of carrying out this Act, the Sec-
retaries may— 
(1) coordinate and partner with non-Federal 
agencies and private sector and nonprofit partners, 
including— 
(A) State natural resource agencies; 
(B) Tribal natural resource agencies; 
(C) technology companies; 
(D) geospatial data companies; and 
(E) experts in data science, analytics, and 
operations research; and 
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(2) enter into an agreement with a third party 
to carry out any provision of this Act. 
(b) UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.—The 
Secretaries may work with the Director of the United 
States Geological Survey to collect, aggregate, digitize, 
standardize, and publish data on behalf of the Secretaries 
to meet the requirements of this Act. 
(c) REQUIREMENT.—With respect to data developed 
and distributed under this Act, the Secretaries shall— 
(1) develop the data in accordance with applica-
ble Federal, State, and Tribal laws (including regu-
lations); and 
(2) include a notice that any geospatial data 
are subject to applicable Federal, State, and Tribal 
laws (including regulations). 
(d) EXISTING EFFORTS.—To the extent practicable, 
the Secretary concerned shall use or incorporate existing 
applicable data, maps, and resources in carrying out this 
Act, including data, maps, and resources developed and 
published under— 
(1) the Modernizing Access to Our Public Land 
Act (16 U.S.C. 6851 et seq.); 
(2) section 103 of division DD of the Consoli-
dated Appropriations Act, 2023 (43 U.S.C. 776); or 
(3) other applicable law. 
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SEC. 6. REPORTS. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act and annually thereafter through March 30, 
2034, the Secretaries shall submit a report that describes 
the progress made by the Secretaries with respect to meet-
ing the requirements of this Act to— 
(1) the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives; 
(2) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of 
the House of Representatives; 
(3) the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives; 
(4) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate; and 
(5) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry of the Senate. 
SEC. 7. EFFECT. 
Nothing in this Act— 
(1) modifies or alters the definition of the term 
‘‘navigable waters’’ under Federal law; 
(2) affects the jurisdiction or authority of State 
or Federal agencies to regulate navigable waters; 
(3) modifies or alters the authority or jurisdic-
tion of Federal or State agencies to manage fish-
eries; or 
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(4) authorizes or is intended to result in a 
change in the accessibility of waters open to hunting, 
fishing, or other forms of outdoor recreation as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Passed the House of Representatives January 21, 
2025. 
Attest: 
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Clerk. 
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