H.R. 2731

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2731 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2731

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

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>