HR 2731

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 8, 2025

Mrs. McClain (for herself, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Bergman, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Huizenga, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Barrett, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Stauber, Ms. Scholten, Mr. Lawler, Ms. Kaptur, and Ms. Craig) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct high-resolution surveying and mapping of the lakebeds of the Great Lakes, 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 “Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025”.

SEC. 2. SURVEYING AND MAPPING OF LAKEBEDS OF THE GREAT LAKES IN HIGH RESOLUTION.

(a) High-Resolution Lakebed Mapping.—Not later than December 31, 2030, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (referred to in this section as the “Administrator”) shall carry out a collaborative effort (referred to in this section as the “mapping effort”) to survey and map, in high resolution, the lakebeds of the Great Lakes.

(b) Elements.—The mapping effort shall include—

(1) completing a high-resolution map of the lakebeds of the Great Lakes;

(2) collecting and processing high-resolution bathymetric data about the lakebeds of the Great Lakes;

(3) using existing systems to catalog bathymetric data and other information regarding the lakebeds of the Great Lakes that the Administrator possesses or has access to independent of the mapping effort or as a result of the mapping effort; and

(4) collecting, cataloging, and storing metadata created during the mapping effort.

(c) Coordination.—In carrying out the mapping effort, the Administrator shall coordinate with—

(1) the Governor of any State that borders any of the Great Lakes;

(2) the head of an agency of such a State that is responsible for carrying out policy related to the Great Lakes or the lakebeds of the Great Lakes;

(3) the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council;

(4) the Lakebed 2030 Regional Initiative of the Great Lakes Observing System;

(5) other regional ocean observing systems; and

(6) any other entity the Administrator determines relevant.

(d) Data Management; Product Sharing.—The Administrator, in consultation with regional entities, shall—

(1) during the mapping effort and within a reasonable time (as determined by the Administrator) after the relevant data is collected pursuant to the mapping effort, make publicly available the parts of the high-resolution map of the lakebeds of the Great Lakes that are completed; and

(2) not later than, to the extent practicable, 180 days after completing the mapping effort—

(A) make publicly available—

(i) the complete high-resolution map of the lakebeds of the Great Lakes; and

(ii) any additional information, including metadata, collected under subsection (a) that is required to be released to the public under any other provision of law; and

(B) incorporate the data from the map into additional products, including nautical charts and other products determined appropriate by the Administrator, such products used for resource mapping and habitat characterization.

(e) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to change any process or procedure used by the Administrator in carrying out the requirements of section 4 of the Digital Coast Act (16 U.S.C. 1467) or the Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

(f) Authorization of Appropriations.—

(1) In general.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to carry out this section.

(2) Availability.—Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) shall remain available through fiscal year 2030. <all>