Alan S. Lowenthal Blue Whales, Blue Skies Act
West Coast Whale Protection and Ship Speed Program
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and is being reviewed by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. No further actions or hearings have been scheduled at this time. The bill is considered active as it waits for the committee to decide on its next steps.
Legislative Progress
While it has a clear goal, it is currently just a bill introduced in the House without broad bipartisan support yet. Most bills like this do not make it through the full legislative process.
Key Points
- This bill asks the government to create a voluntary program for large ships traveling along the West Coast. It encourages these ships to slow down to 10 knots or less in certain areas to keep from hitting whales and to lower underwater noise.
- Shipping companies that participate would receive special awards and a logo they can use for marketing. This helps them show customers they are being environmentally friendly without the government having to pay them cash incentives.
- Slowing down ships also helps the environment by burning less fuel. This reduces air pollution and greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
- The program is strictly voluntary and does not force any company to change its speed. It also ensures that safety is the top priority and will not interfere with any directions given by the Coast Guard.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Alan S. Lowenthal Blue Whales, Blue Skies Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.