HR 187 · 119th CongressEnacted

MAPWaters Act of 2025

Latest updateDec 26, 2025

Became Public Law No: 119-62.

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor

Blake Moore

Introduced

January 3, 2025

Latest action

December 26, 2025

Legislative Progress

How far this bill has traveled through Congress

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

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Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

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President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 119-62.

Plain-Language Summary

AI Generated

Currently, five federal agencies—the Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service—each maintain separate databases documenting restrictions, access points, and conditions on the waterways they manage. These systems use different data formats and standards, making it difficult for the public to find comprehensive, consistent information about where they can fish, boat, or access federal waters. Recreationalists often must contact multiple agencies or visit different websites to understand what activities are permitted on a particular waterway.

The MAPWaters Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture (acting through the Forest Service) to develop unified data standards and consolidate this information into publicly accessible online maps. Within 30 months, the Secretaries must work with the Federal Geographic Data Committee to establish compatible standards for collecting and sharing geospatial data on waterway restrictions, fishing limitations, and recreational access. Within five years, each agency must digitize and publish geographic information system data showing boat ramps, fishing access sites, seasonal closures, motorized-use restrictions, anchoring rules, and fishing zone boundaries. The Secretaries must update waterway restriction data at least twice yearly and fishing restriction data in real time as changes take effect.

Implementation will occur over five years, with no new funding mechanism specified in the bill. The Secretaries may partner with state agencies, tribes, technology companies, and nonprofits to meet these requirements, and may work with the United States Geological Survey to aggregate and standardize data on their behalf. The bill explicitly preserves existing agency authority over water management and does not alter what waters are currently open or closed to recreation. Archaeological and paleontological site information will remain protected from public disclosure, consistent with existing law.

Key Provisions

1Requires the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture to develop interagency data standards within 30 months to ensure compatibility among federal waterway databases managed by five agencies.
2Directs each federal agency to digitize and publish online geographic information system data on waterway restrictions, including seasonal closures, motorized-use limitations, anchoring rules, and permitted watercraft types within five years.
3Requires agencies to make publicly available geographic information system data on federal fishing restrictions, including closure locations, equipment limitations, and catch-and-release requirements, updated in real time as changes occur.
4Authorizes the Secretaries to partner with state agencies, tribes, technology companies, nonprofits, and the United States Geological Survey to collect, standardize, and publish waterway and fishing data on their behalf.
5Requires the Secretaries to submit annual progress reports to five congressional committees through March 30, 2034, describing implementation of the Act's data standardization and publication requirements.

★ Why this matters

Recreationalists will access a single, standardized online resource showing where they can boat, fish, and access federal waterways, eliminating the need to contact multiple agencies or navigate separate websites. Real-time updates on fishing restrictions and twice-yearly updates on waterway conditions will provide current information about seasonal closures, equipment rules, and access point availability. The consolidated data will reduce confusion about which activities are permitted on specific federal waters and help prevent unintentional violations of restrictions.

● Who this affects

Recreational anglers and boaters using federal waterways managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service will gain easier access to restriction and access information. State fish and wildlife agencies and tribal natural resource agencies coordinating with federal managers will benefit from standardized data sharing. Technology companies and geospatial data firms may be contracted to assist with data consolidation and publication. Federal land and water management agencies will incur costs to digitize existing records and maintain updated online databases.

Bill Text

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H.R.187

                     One Hundred Nineteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America

                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
         the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-five

                                 An Act

 
 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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
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 management 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 restriction on the access or use of a Federal 
    waterway 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 Federal 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 
interagency standards to ensure compatibility and interoperability 
among applicable Federal databases with respect to the collection and 
dissemination of geospatial data relating to public outdoor 
recreational access of Federal waterways 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…

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448

Kristen McDonald Rivet

D-Michigan · District 8

No position

The public record contains no explicit mention of the MAPWaters Act of 2025 or any direct statement about this specific bill. While Rep. McDonald Rivet demonstrates strong concern for water issues (notably celebrating support for Flint water crisis victims) and serves a district affected by water contamination, this shows thematic alignment rather than evidence of her stance on this particular bill. Without access to her voting record on this bill, committee statements, or press releases specifically addressing the MAPWaters Act, a confident determination cannot be made. Her general Democratic affiliation and focus on constituent welfare suggest she may be receptive to water protection measures, but this remains speculative without concrete evidence.

MAPWaters Act of 2025

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MAPWaters Act of 2025

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