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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8726 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8726

To direct the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a Blue 
   Whales and Blue Skies Program to reduce air pollution and harmful 
underwater acoustic impacts and the risk of fatal vessel whale strikes 
by recognizing voluntary reductions in the speed of vessels transiting 
    the western coast of the United States, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 13, 2024

  Mr. Carbajal (for himself and Mr. Huffman) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To direct the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a Blue 
   Whales and Blue Skies Program to reduce air pollution and harmful 
underwater acoustic impacts and the risk of fatal vessel whale strikes 
by recognizing voluntary reductions in the speed of vessels transiting 
    the western coast of the United States, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Alan S. Lowenthal Blue Whales, Blue 
Skies Act''.

SEC. 2. BLUE WHALES AND BLUE SKIES PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 
consultation with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall establish 
the Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program, to--
            (1) reduce air pollution, greenhouse gasses, harmful 
        underwater acoustic impacts, and the risk of fatal whale 
        strikes by encouraging voluntary reduction in the speed of 
        eligible vessels transiting the Program area; and
            (2) annually award Blue Whales and Blue Skies Excellence 
        Awards for verified successful participation in, and compliance 
        with, the Program by eligible vessels.
    (b) Program Requirements.--The Under Secretary shall--
            (1) model the Program after the Protecting Blue Whales and 
        Blue Skies Vessel Speed Reduction Program, which is 
        administered by the Air Pollution Control Districts of Santa 
        Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Monterey Bay Counties and 
        the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Channel 
        Islands, Monterey Bay, Cordell Bank, and Greater Farallones 
        National Marine Sanctuaries, and the California Marine 
        Sanctuary Foundation, the Environmental Defense Center (a 
        nonprofit corporation established under the laws of the State 
        of California as in effect on the date of the enactment of this 
        Act), and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation; and
            (2) develop the Program in consultation with the entities 
        referred to in paragraph (1).
    (c) Annual Awards.--
            (1) In general.--Under the Program, the Under Secretary 
        shall annually award Blue Whales and Blue Skies Excellence 
        Awards to owners of eligible vessels that have met the 
        requirements during the preceding year.
            (2) Award conditions.--As a condition of an award under 
        this subsection, each eligible vessel of the awardee shall, at 
        a minimum transit the Program area at a speed of 10 knots or 
        lower, or, in certain circumstances described by the Under 
        Secretary in guidance established under the Program, below a 
        different maximum speed.
    (d) Official Logo.--The Under Secretary shall create an official 
logo to be recognized as the symbol of excellence in compliance with 
the Program.
    (e) Use of Official Logo.--Subject to any licencing requirements, 
the logo described in subsection (d) may be used by shipping companies 
with eligible vessels for which a Blue Whales and Blue Skies Excellence 
Award is awarded under this section, as long as the logo is displayed 
alongside--
            (1) the name of the shipping company;
            (2) the year for which such award was made; and
            (3) the percentage of distance traveled by a participating 
        vessel at a reduced speed through the Program area by eligible 
        vessels of the shipping company in such year that the shipping 
        company was in compliance with the Program, calculated as the 
        percentage of distance traveled by a vessel at 10 knots or 
        lower through the Program area by all vessels of the shipping 
        company in such year, excluding transits directed by the Coast 
        Guard to proceed in excess of the speed requirements of the 
        Program.
    (f) Extension of Program.--No later than 4 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall--
            (1) consider the feasibility of extending the program to 
        encompass all shipping channels along the United States Pacific 
        coast between Canada and Mexico; and
            (2) report the findings and recommendations under paragraph 
        (1) to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and 
        the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
        Representatives, and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate.
    (g) Limitations.--Nothing in this section shall be construed--
            (1) to require participation in the Program;
            (2) to authorize appropriations for, or the provision of, 
        any financial incentive for participation in the Program; or
            (3) to authorize any action that affects navigation safety.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible vessel.--The term ``eligible vessel'' means a 
        vessel that is 300 gross tons or greater and has been approved 
        by the Under Secretary to participate in the program.
            (2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Blue Whales 
        and Blue Skies Program established under this section.
            (3) Program area.--The term ``Program area''--
                    (A) means the marine area surrounding the western 
                coast of the United States, as is designated by the 
                Under Secretary for purposes of this section; and
                    (B) includes, at a minimum, the geographic area 
                identified in the existing Vessel Reduction Program 
                described in subsection (b)(1).
                                 <all>
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