👁️ #HR187 Modernizing Access to our Public Waters Act of 2025 has been published and referred to a Senate committee after House passage 📥!

📖 Summary: The Modernizing Access to our Public Waters Act of 2025 aims to standardize, consolidate, and publish data related to public outdoor recreational use of Federal waterways among Federal land and water management agencies. It mandates the development of inter-agency standards for geospatial data, the digitization and public availability of information regarding waterway restrictions and access, and the establishment of a public comment process for transparency and engagement.

🤞 Intention: The bill intends to enhance public access to Federal waterways by improving the availability and standardization of information related to recreational use and restrictions, thereby promoting outdoor activities and engagement with public lands.
  
⚔️ Threats: 
 · Potential for increased federal oversight and regulation of waterways, which could lead to government overreach and restrictions on individual liberties regarding water use and access.
 · The bill may inadvertently support the expansion of bureaucratic processes that could complicate access to public waterways rather than simplify it.

🛡️ Protections: 
 · Addresses the need for transparency in the management of Federal waterways by requiring public access to data on restrictions and access points.
 · Promotes public engagement through a structured comment process, allowing citizens to voice concerns and suggestions regarding waterway management.

🙂 Winners:
 · Recreational users of Federal waterways who will benefit from improved access to information regarding restrictions and access points.
 · Federal agencies involved in waterway management that may receive additional funding and resources to implement the bill's provisions.

☹️ Losers:
 · Individuals who may face increased regulations or restrictions on their use of Federal waterways as a result of the bill's implementation.
 · State and local governments that may see an erosion of their authority over waterway management due to increased federal oversight.

🤖 Recommendations: 
 · Amend the bill to explicitly limit the scope of federal regulations on waterway access to prevent overreach and protect individual liberties.
 · Include provisions that ensure state and local authorities retain primary jurisdiction over waterway management to preserve federalism.

📋 Published: 2025-01-22 Source:
#HR187