Tuesday April 8, 2025
Today, Representatives Lisa McClain (MI, 9) and Debbie Dingell (MI, 6) reintroduced the Great Lakes Mapping Act. This bipartisan legislation would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct high-resolution mapping of the Great Lakes to further understand the underwater environment of the Great Lakes’ lakebeds.
McClain said, “We have a unique opportunity to unlock the region’s economic potential. Advanced mapping will give us a deeper understanding of how we can tap into and protect one of American’s most valuable natural resources. My legislation with Rep. Dingell will take Michigan’s economy to the next level.”
As an extension of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), GLOS is positioned as a coordinating body that would assist with mission coordination, planning, data processing and sharing, and product generation.
“GLOS is proud to support this landmark legislation that will accelerate high-resolution mapping of the Great Lakes lakebed within a decade,” Jennifer Boehme, CEO of the Great Lakes Observing System said. “As stewards of the world’s largest freshwater system, we believe a complete map of the lakefloor is essential to strengthening maritime safety, supporting commerce, and preserving cultural history. From shipwrecks to underwater infrastructure, there’s still so much we don’t know about what lies beneath the surface of these inland seas. Better data means better decisions — for emergency response, navigation, water quality, and economic development. Mapping the lakebed is the next frontier in our work — filling in the blind spots, modernizing outdated systems, and ensuring the Great Lakes remain a resilient, secure, and sustainable resource for future generations. This legislation moves us closer to that vision.”
GLOS is proud to be a part of the work and to support this legislation, with the Lakebed 2030 initiative. Since 2019, the Lakebed 2030 initiative has grown from a grassroots effort to a network of organizations, multi-jurisdictional agencies, and individuals who recognize the importance to the economy and environment to fully explore and map the remaining 85% of the Great Lakes to modern standards and in high density.
Read Representative McClain’s Press Release
Read Representative Dingell’s Press Release
Read the full bill
Great Lakes Observing System
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