S3123FEDERALUNKNOWN

Modernizing Access to Our Public Waters Act (S. 3123)

Original title: Modernizing Access to Our Public Waters Act

December 19, 2024

outdoor recreation federal land management data transparency waterways government technology

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The Frame

What this does

This legislation aims to consolidate fragmented information across five federal agencies, potentially simplifying trip planning for boaters and anglers by providing a single, centralized source for waterway rules and access points.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Recreational boaters and anglers

These groups will have access to centralized, digitized, and regularly updated information regarding waterway access and restrictions.

Federal land or water management agencies

These agencies are required to standardize, digitize, and publish their waterway data and submit annual progress reports.

What changed

Last recorded activity December 19, 2024.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill requires federal agencies to standardize and publish online, easy-to-access digital maps and data regarding public access, navigation rules, and fishing restrictions on federal waterways. It mandates that this information be updated regularly and provides funding to help agencies digitize their records.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this change existing fishing or boating laws?

No. The bill explicitly states that it does not modify or alter the authority or jurisdiction of federal or state agencies to regulate navigable waters or manage fisheries.

What kind of information will be available online?

The data will include boat ramp locations, portages, fishing access sites, depth charts, and specific rules regarding watercraft types, speed limits, no-wake zones, and fishing equipment restrictions.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Related Legislation

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Interagency Data Standardization

The bill forces a shift from siloed agency data to a unified, interoperable federal standard for outdoor recreation data.

Bureau of Reclamation National Park Service Bureau of Land Management United States Fish and Wildlife Service Forest Service

Connected Entities

organizationCongress“The legislative body in which the 118th Congress operates.”Map →

organizationForest Service“One of the Federal land or water management agencies covered by the bill.”Map →

personSecretary of Agriculture“As the head of the Forest Service.”Map →

organizationHouse of Representatives“The legislative body that will need to pass the bill.”Map →

organizationBureau of Reclamation“One of the Federal land or water management agencies covered by the bill.”Map →

personSecretary of the Interior“As the head of the National Park Service.”Map →

organizationSenate“The legislative body where the bill was introduced.”Map →

organizationBureau of Land Management“One of the Federal land or water management agencies covered by the bill.”Map →

organizationUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service“One of the Federal land or water management agencies covered by the bill.”Map →

organizationNational Park Service“One of the Federal land or water management agencies covered by the bill.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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