If you've ever tried to figure out where you can legally boat, fish, or swim on federal waterways, you know the information is scattered across multiple agencies. This bill would require the Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service to standardize their data and publish it online within five years — covering everything from boat ramp locations and watercraft restrictions to fishing closures and seasonal access. The agencies would also need to update the information at least twice a year and let the public submit questions and corrections.
Congressional Summary
Modernizing Access to our Public Waters Act or the MAPWaters Act of 2025 or the MAPWaters Act of 2025This bill directs the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to standardize and publish data relating to public's access to federal waterways for recreational use.Specifically, the Forest Service and Interior must jointly develop and adopt interagency standards for data collection and dissemination of geospatial data relating to public outdoor recreational access of federal waterways and federal fishing restrictions. The standards must ensure compatibility and interoperability among applicable federal databases with respect to collection and dissemination of such data.Within five years, the Forest Service and Interior must also digitize and make publicly available online certain geographic information system data about (1) federal waterway restrictions, (2) federal waterway access and navigation information, and (3) federal fishing restrictions. They must also update the data about waterway restrictions, waterway access, and navigation information at least twice per year. Data about fishing restrictions must be updated in real time as changes go into effect. Finally, the Forest Service and Interior must develop a process to allow members of the public to submit questions or comments regarding the data regarding waterway restrictions, waterway access, and navigation information.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-07-31
- Date Added
- 2026-04-09
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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