Sponsors (4)
The bill standardizes and publishes geospatial data and definitions to improve safety, planning, and interagency coordination for waterways—but it does so at measurable cost and administrative burden, risks reducing local flexibility and access, and could create privacy/security and equity challenges if redaction, support, and funding are insufficient.
State, local, Tribal officials and the public get clearer, standardized maps and definitions for fishing closures and waterway restrictions, improving safety, compliance, and coordinated management.
Regulators keep and clarify authority to manage navigable waters, reducing regulatory gaps and making enforcement and interagency coordination clearer.
State, local, and Tribal governments and non‑federal partners can access standardized geospatial data and use third‑party agreements to plan, coordinate, and implement projects more quickly, reducing duplication.
Rural residents, recreational and commercial fishers, and some local governments may face broader or more uniform federal restrictions and reduced local flexibility over fishing and water access, increasing the risk of lost access and intergovernmental disputes.
Federal agencies must invest substantial staff time and funds to develop standards, digitize and maintain GIS layers, and produce reports, diverting resources from other priorities and imposing costs on taxpayers.
States, localities, and Tribes may face compatibility costs and administrative burdens to update systems to federal standards, which could slow data publication and add to implementation delays.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Requires Federal agencies to standardize, digitize, and publish GIS data on Federal waterways, access points, and fishing restrictions with set timelines and update rules.
Creates interagency standards and a timeline to digitize, standardize, and publish geospatial (GIS) data on Federal waterways, public access points (boat ramps, portages, fishing access), and fishing or waterway restrictions so the public and partners can find current information online. Agencies must complete standards within 30 months, publish most data within five years with regular updates, accept public comment, coordinate with states/tribes/partners, and report to Congress annually through 2034 while preserving existing jurisdiction and fisheries rules.
Official title: 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.
Introduced January 3, 2025 by Blake D. Moore · Last progress December 26, 2025