Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025

This legislation, titled the Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025 , mandates the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to undertake a comprehensive, high-resolution surveying and mapping initiative of the Great Lakes lakebeds. This collaborative effort must be completed by December 31, 2030, and includes collecting and processing detailed bathymetric data, completing a high-resolution map, and cataloging all relevant information and metadata. In carrying out this mapping effort, NOAA is required to coordinate with Great Lakes state governors, relevant state agencies, the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council, and the Lakebed 2030 Regional Initiative, among other entities. The bill also stipulates that parts of the map must be made publicly available as they are completed, with the full map and additional data released within 180 days of the effort's conclusion. The collected data will be integrated into products like nautical charts and used for resource mapping and habitat characterization, with an authorization of $50,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to fund these activities.