WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Angus King (I-Maine) celebrated the signing of their bipartisan Modernizing Access to our Public Land (MAPLand) Act into law. This legislation will digitize and standardize mapping records, like access points and permissible uses on federal public lands, to boost outdoor recreation and improve hunting and fishing access for sportsmen and women.
“Digitizing publicly available records will end the days of reaching a trailhead only to find it is already closed for the season or being unsure where an access point is located. It will also help reduce trespassing on private land by showing new public land users where they can and cannot go,” said Senator Risch. “Now that the MAPLand Act is law, I look forward to seeing my fellow Idahoans take full advantage of these modernized records and explore all that Idaho’s vast public lands have to offer.”
“America’s public lands are among our nation’s greatest treasures and have given people from around the world unparalleled access the natural beauty that surrounds us. As the call of the wild grows even stronger for many, we must continue to modernize access to the great outdoors,” said Senator King. “This bipartisan law will make it easier for Americans of all ages to experience our natural treasures, and for hunters, fishers, and adventurers to recreate safely using the latest mapping technologies. I’m grateful that President Biden has signed this important bipartisan legislation into law, and look forward to seeing how these changes provide new benefits for our nation’s outdoor enthusiasts.”
Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) also applauded the enactment of the MAPLand Act.
“I am thrilled the President has signed this important legislation into law to improve public knowledge of outdoor recreation opportunities and promote increased access to our country’s breathtaking public lands and natural resources. As Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a lifelong outdoorsman, I will continue working to advance common sense, bipartisan legislation that ensures we can safely and responsibly explore and enjoy the wild and wonderful outdoor playground we’ve been blessed with,” said Senator Manchin
The MAPLand Act has received strong support from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, and Trout Unlimited’s Angler Conservation Program.
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