Moore’s bipartisan bill opens access to public lands for recreation

U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) this week sponsored a bipartisan bill to digitize and standardize federal mapping records, giving hunters, anglers and other recreators more information on accessing public lands.

“Our nation is blessed with some of the most incredible scenic landscapes and outdoor spaces in the world,” Rep. Moore said. “But each year, millions of Americans venture into the great outdoors without having the most up-to-date data on land access.” 

Currently, more than 9.52 million acres of land in the West lack permanent and legal access points for public use, and information on these lands is still kept on paper files, according to information provided by Rep. Moore’s staff.

The Modernizing Access to our Public Land (MAPLand) Act, H.R. 3113, was introduced on May 11 by Rep. Moore along with three original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO). The legislation would provide federal land management agencies with resources to digitize the files for public use, as well as require these agencies to provide information on seasonal vehicle restrictions on public roads and trails, hunting boundaries, and watercraft restrictions, the information says.

“I am proud to sponsor the MAPLand Act,” said Rep. Moore, who noted that “digitizing tens of thousands of records” would ensure that “fishers, hikers, bikers, hunters, and all who seek to enjoy our federal lands have access to the information they need to fully experience our country’s natural wonders.”

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Seek Outside, Sitka Gear, The Mule Deer Foundation, and Trout Unlimited, among others, endorsed the bill, which has been referred to three committees in the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

“Simply put, this legislation promises to help more people get outdoors,” said Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.