Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Committee, Angus King (I-ME) and James Risch (R-ID) in applauding the enactment of their bipartisan Modernizing Access to our Public Land (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 Chairman Manchin.

Every year, hunters, anglers, and outdoorsmen miss out on opportunities to recreate on public lands because the only maps showing access points are stored as printed copies in local field offices. The MAPLand Act 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.

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