H.R. 8450

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8450 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8450

To require a pilot program to enhance existing efforts to mitigate 
vessel impacts on large cetaceans in the San Francisco Bay region, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 22, 2026

Mr. Liccardo (for himself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. 
Khanna, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Levin, 
and Mr. Lieu) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require a pilot program to enhance existing efforts to mitigate 
vessel impacts on large cetaceans in the San Francisco Bay region, 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 ``Save Willy Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO ENHANCE EFFORTS TO MITIGATE VESSEL IMPACTS ON 
LARGE CETACEANS IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY REGION.

(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Secretary, with the 
concurrence of the Under Secretary, shall carry out a pilot 
program to establish a Cetacean Desk, which shall be--
(A) located and manned within the San Francisco 
Vessel Traffic Service; and
(B) designed--
(i) to improve coordination with the 
maritime industry to reduce the risk of vessel 
impacts on large cetaceans in the San Francisco 
Bay and the strait of Golden Gate, including 
impacts from vessel strikes, disturbances, and 
other sources; and
(ii) to monitor the presence and location 
of large cetaceans in the San Francisco Bay and 
the strait of Golden Gate.
(2) Duration and staffing.--The pilot program--
(A) shall--
(i) be for a duration of four years; and
(ii) require not more than two full-time 
equivalent positions, whose responsibilities 
shall also include contributing to other 
necessary San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service 
duties and responsibilities as needed; and
(B) may be supported by other existing Federal 
employees, as appropriate.
(b) Engagement With Vessel Operators.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall require personnel of the Cetacean Desk to 
engage with vessel operators in areas where large cetaceans 
have been seen or could reasonably be present to ensure 
compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and voluntary 
guidance, to reduce the impact of vessel traffic on large 
cetaceans.
(2) Contents.--In engaging with vessel operators as 
required under paragraph (1), personnel of the Cetacean Desk 
shall communicate where and when sightings of large cetaceans 
have occurred.
(c) Memorandum of Understanding.--The Secretary and the Under 
Secretary may enter into a memorandum of understanding to facilitate 
real-time sharing of data relating to large cetaceans between the State 
of California, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 
San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service, and other relevant entities, as 
appropriate.
(d) Data.--The Under Secretary shall leverage existing data 
collection methods, the program required by section 11303 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (16 U.S.C. 
1391), and public data to ensure accurate and timely information on the 
sighting of large cetaceans.
(e) Use of Technologies.--
(1) Emerging technologies.--The Secretary, in coordination 
with the Under Secretary and the Commandant, shall evaluate for 
potential use under the pilot program, and, as appropriate, 
adopt for such use, new and emerging technologies to enhance 
the effectiveness, efficiency, and responsiveness of the 
Cetacean Desk, including technologies capable of the following:
(A) Improving the detection, identification, 
tracking, or forecasting of large cetacean presence, 
including through the use of automated, algorithmic, or 
artificial intelligence-enabled tools.
(B) Improving the integration, processing, or 
dissemination of data from Federal, State, academic, 
nongovernmental, and public sources in near real time.
(C) Enhancing communication with vessel operators 
to reduce the likelihood of vessel interactions with 
large cetaceans.
(2) Existing partnerships and programs.--In carrying out 
this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable, leverage existing research partnerships and other 
Federal programs.
(f) Consultations.--In carrying out the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall consult with Tribal governments, the State of 
California, institutions of higher education, the maritime industry, 
ports in the San Francisco Bay region, and nongovernmental 
organizations.
(g) San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service Local Variance and 
Policy.--The Secretary, with the concurrence of the Under Secretary and 
in consultation with the Captain of the Port for the San Francisco 
Bay--
(1) shall implement local variances, as authorized by 
section 70001(c) of title 46, United States Code, to facilitate 
communication, reporting, and voluntary coordination between 
vessel operators and the San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service 
regarding the presence of large cetaceans;
(2) shall ensure that any local variances implemented under 
this subsection maintain safe vessel navigation and are 
consistent with the communication and coordination functions of 
the San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service; and
(3) may enter into cooperative agreements, in accordance 
with section 70001(d) of title 46, United States Code, with 
Federal, State, Tribal, and local officials to reduce the 
likelihood of vessel interactions with protected large 
cetaceans, which may include--
(A) communicating marine mammal protection guidance 
to vessels;
(B) training on requirements imposed by local, 
State, Tribal, and Federal laws and regulations and 
guidelines concerning--
(i) vessel buffer zones;
(ii) vessel speed;
(iii) seasonal no-go zones for vessels;
(iv) protected areas, including areas 
designated as critical habitat, as applicable 
to marine operations; and
(v) any other activities to reduce the 
direct and indirect impact of vessel traffic on 
large cetaceans;
(C) training to understand, utilize, and 
communicate large cetacean location data; and
(D) training to understand and communicate basic 
large cetacean detection, identification, and behavior, 
including--
(i) cues of the presence of large cetaceans 
such as spouts, water disturbances, breaches, 
or presence of prey;
(ii) important feeding, breeding, calving, 
and rearing habitats that co-occur with areas 
of high risk of vessel strikes;
(iii) seasonal large cetacean migration 
routes that co-occur with areas of high risk of 
vessel strikes; and
(iv) areas designated as critical habitat 
for large cetaceans.
(h) Reports Required.--Not later than one year after the date of 
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter for the duration of 
the pilot program, the Commandant, in coordination with the Under 
Secretary and the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that--
(1) evaluates the functionality, utility, reliability, 
responsiveness, and operational status of the Cetacean Desk, 
including a quantification of reductions in vessel strikes to 
large cetaceans as a result of the pilot program;
(2) assesses the efficacy of communication between the 
Cetacean Desk and the maritime industry and provides 
recommendations for improvements;
(3) evaluates the integration and interoperability of 
existing data collection methods, as well as public data, into 
the Cetacean Desk operations;
(4) assesses the efficacy of collaboration and stakeholder 
engagement with Tribal governments, the State of California, 
institutions of higher education, the maritime industry, ports 
in the San Francisco Bay region, and nongovernmental 
organizations; and
(5) evaluates the progress, performance, and implementation 
of guidance and training procedures for San Francisco Vessel 
Traffic Service personnel, as required under subsection (f).
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The terms ``appropriate congressional committees'', 
``institution of higher education'', ``Tribal government'', and 
``Under Secretary'' have the meanings given those terms in 
section 11301 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 16 U.S.C. 1390 note).
(2) The term ``Cetacean Desk'' means the Cetacean Desk 
established by the pilot program.
(3) The term ``Commandant'' means the Commandant of the 
Coast Guard.
(4) The term ``large cetacean'' means all species within--
(A) the suborder Mysticeti;
(B) the genera Physeter; or
(C) the genera Orcinus.
(5) The term ``pilot program'' means the pilot program 
required under subsection (a).
(6) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
department in which the Coast Guard is operating.
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