Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025
The Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025 would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct a high-resolution surveying and mapping project of the Great Lakes lakebeds, with a target completion by December 31, 2030. The effort includes creating a complete high-resolution map, collecting and processing bathymetric (depth) data, cataloging existing related data, and preserving metadata. NOAA would coordinate with state governments, regional ocean observing groups, and other relevant entities, and would publicly release portions of the data as the work progresses, with a full public release within about 180 days after the mapping concludes. The bill authorizes $50 million per year for fiscal years 2025–2029 to fund the effort, with funds remaining available through 2030. The act also clarifies that its provisions do not override existing federal coastal and mapping authorities. Potential impact: The project would enhance navigation safety, resource management, habitat and environmental mapping, and scientific research by providing detailed, publicly accessible lakebed data and integrated products such as nautical charts. It also deepens interstate and interagency collaboration around Great Lakes data and monitoring, and creates a long-term data resource for stakeholders from shipping to fisheries and coastal communities.
Key Points
- 1High-resolution lakebed surveying and mapping of the Great Lakes required by 12/31/2030.
- 2Tasks include creating a full map, collecting/processing bathymetric data, leveraging existing data systems, and preserving metadata.
- 3Must coordinate with the governors of Great Lakes states, relevant state agencies, the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council, the Lakebed 2030 Regional Initiative, other regional observing systems, and other relevant entities.
- 4Data management and sharing: parts of the map are to be publicly released during the effort; within about 180 days after mapping ends, the complete map and required metadata must be publicly available and usable in other products like nautical charts and habitat/resource maps.
- 5Funding: authorization of $50 million annually for FY2025–FY2029, with funds remaining available through FY2030; provisions do not alter existing Digital Coast Act or Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act requirements.