Coastal resources: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program.

Assembly Members Hart, Bennett, and Connolly have put forward legislation to expand California's voluntary vessel speed reduction initiative, building upon a decade of efforts to protect marine life and improve coastal air quality. The measure would formalize the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program, which has operated since 2014 through partnerships between air quality districts and marine sanctuaries.

The bill directs the Ocean Protection Council to serve in an advisory capacity alongside coastal air districts, federal agencies, and maritime stakeholders to implement a unified statewide program for vessels over 300 gross tons. Program components include data collection on ship speeds and whale strikes, development of speed reduction zones considering marine mammal migration patterns, and incentives for vessels maintaining speeds of 10 knots or less. The existing program has documented reductions of 5,903 tons of nitrogen oxides and 204,661 metric tons of greenhouse gases through 2024.

Under the proposal, participating air districts would coordinate speed reduction zones that account for navigational safety, protected areas, and shipping lanes while avoiding conflicts with existing port programs. The legislation requires districts to report implementation outcomes to the Legislature by 2029. The program would operate as a voluntary initiative rather than a regulatory framework, maintaining consistency with federal maritime laws while working to address the estimated 162 tons of daily nitrogen oxide emissions from vessels transiting California waters.