A bill to amend the Digital Coast Act to improve the acquisition, integration, and accessibility of data of the Digital Coast program and to extend the program.

The big picture: S2245 tweaks the Digital Coast Act, a relatively under-the-radar law that fuels a vast trove of maps and data used by cities, researchers, and industries on America’s coastlines. The bill makes sure that this data is fully and freely available, not just “readily accessible” as before. It also demands a deeper dive into underground utilities and infrastructure—a growing pain point as coastal flooding and development pressures rise.

Zoom in: The legislation extends the program’s life until 2030, ensuring that planners, scientists, and local governments can keep counting on this resource. It gives a nod to expanded technical training, though with new limitations to keep these sessions focused on practical, not just theoretical, instruction. Adding underground infrastructure data addresses a critical blind spot for disaster response and future-proofing aging systems.

Between the lines: By mandating “fully and freely available” data, the bill responds to calls for more open public access—potentially fueling private innovation and public transparency. But questions remain on funding, since the bill text here is silent on new money, and a growing digital coastline means managing ever-bigger piles of data.