I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3682 
To direct the Director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to create 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 Greater Santa Barbara Channel Region, California, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 
Mr. LOWENTHAL (for himself, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. CARBAJAL, 
and Mr. KHANNA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Director of the Office of National Marine 
Sanctuaries of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to create 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 ves-
sels transiting the Greater Santa Barbara Channel Re-
gion, California, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Blue Whales and 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 Director of the 
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in consultation 
with the Commandant of the Coast Guard, shall establish 
the Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program, to— 
(1) reduce air pollution and harmful under-
water acoustic impacts and the risk of fatal whale 
strikes by encouraging voluntary reduction in the 
speed of eligible vessels transiting the Greater Santa 
Barbara Channel Region; and 
(2) annually award Blue Whales and Blue Skies 
Excellence Awards for verified successful participa-
tion in, and compliance with, the program by eligible 
vessels. 
(b) 
PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
Director 
shall— 
(1) model the program after the pilot Vessel 
Speed Reduction Program administered by the 
Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control Dis-
trict, the Ventura County Air Pollution Control Dis-
trict, the Channel Islands National Marine Sanc-
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tuary, the Environmental Defense Center (a non-
profit corporation established under the laws of the 
State of California as in effect on the date of the en-
actment of this Act), and the National Marine Sanc-
tuary Foundation, except the Director may not pro-
vide a financial incentive for participation in the pro-
gram; 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 Di-
rector shall annually award Blue Whales and Blue 
Skies Excellence Awards to owners of eligible vessels 
that have complied with the program during the pre-
ceding year. 
(2) AWARD CONDITIONS.—As a condition of an 
award under this subsection, the Director shall re-
quire, at a minimum, that each eligible vessel of the 
awardee— 
(A) transit the Greater Santa Barbara 
Channel Region at speeds of 12 knots or lower, 
or at a lower maximum speed as provided in 
guidance established under the program; and 
(B) participate in the Port of Los Angeles 
or Port of Long Beach vessel speed reduction 
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program, respectively, if the vessel calls at that 
port in the transit for which the award is con-
sidered. 
(d) OFFICIAL SEAL.—The Director shall create an 
official seal to be recognized as the symbol of excellence 
in compliance with the program, that— 
(1) may be used by shipping companies with eli-
gible vessels for which a Blue Whales and Blue 
Skies Excellence Award is awarded under this sec-
tion; 
(2) includes the name of the shipping company; 
(3) includes the year for which such award was 
made; and 
(4) includes the percentage of transits through 
the Greater Santa Barbara Channel Region by eligi-
ble vessels of the shipping company in such year 
that were in compliance with the program, cal-
culated as— 
(A) the number of such transits, divided by 
(B) the total number of transits through 
the Greater Santa Barbara Channel Region by 
all vessels of the shipping company in such 
year, excluding transits directed by the Coast 
Guard to proceed in excess of the speed require-
ments of the program. 
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(e) EXTENSION OF PROGRAM.—No later than 4 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director 
shall— 
(1) consider the feasibility of extending the pro-
gram 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 Transpor-
tation 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. 
(f) LIMITATIONS.—Nothing in this section shall be 
construed— 
(1) to require participation in the program; 
(2) to authorize appropriations for, or the pro-
vision of, any financial incentive for participation in 
the program; or 
(3) to authorize any action that affects naviga-
tion safety. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE VESSEL.—The term ‘‘eligible ves-
sel’’ means a vessel that has been approved by the 
Director to participate in the program. 
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