H.R. 9185

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9185 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9185

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 8, 2026

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).
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