Bill > HR2731

This bill directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct a comprehensive mapping project of the Great Lakes' lakebeds by December 31, 2030. The mapping effort will involve creating a high-resolution map of the lakebeds, collecting and processing bathymetric data (underwater depth measurements), cataloging existing data, and storing metadata about the mapping process. The Administrator is required to coordinate with state governors, state agencies, the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council, the Great Lakes Observing System, and other relevant entities. The bill mandates that parts of the map and data will be made publicly available during the mapping process, with the complete high-resolution map and additional information to be released within 180 days of project completion. The data will be incorporated into nautical charts and other products useful for resource mapping and habitat characterization. Congress will authorize $50 million per year from fiscal years 2025 through 2029, with funds remaining available through fiscal year 2030, to support this comprehensive Great Lakes mapping initiative.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2731/all-info