,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cfhb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #f1 #bjag,mr4 ,lowenthal 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,brownley of ,california1 ,mr4 ,carbajal1 and ,mr4 ,khanna7 introduced the following bill2 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 vessels transiting the ,greater ,santa ,barbara ,channel ,region1 ,california1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,blue ,whales and ,blue ,skies ,act4 #b4 ,blue ,whales and ,blue ,skies ,program 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ab months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,office of ,national ,marine ,sanctuaries of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 in consultation with the ,commandant of the ,coast ,guard1 shall establish the ,blue ,whales and ,blue ,skies ,program1 to-- 7#a7 reduce air pollution and harmful underwater 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 ,region2 and 7#b7 annually award ,blue ,whales and ,blue ,skies ,excellence ,awards for verified successful participation in1 and compliance with1 the program by eligible vessels4 7b7 ,program requirements ,the ,director shall-- 7#a7 model the program after the pilot ,vessel ,speed ,reduction ,program administered by the ,santa ,barbara ,county ,air ,pollution ,control ,district1 the ,ventura ,county ,air ,pollution ,control ,district1 the ,channel ,islands ,national ,marine ,sanctuary1 the ,environmental ,defense ,center 7a nonprofit corporation established under the laws of the ,state of ,california as in effect on the date of the enactment of this ,act71 and the ,national ,marine ,sanctuary ,foundation1 except the ,director may not provide a financial incentive for participation in the program2 and 7#b7 develop the program in consultation with the entities referred to in paragraph 7#a74 7c7 ,annual awards 7#a7 ,in general ,under the program1 the ,director shall annually award ,blue ,whales and ,blue ,skies ,excellence ,awards to owners of eligible vessels that have complied with the program during the preceding year4 7#b7 ,award conditions ,as a condition of an award under this subsection1 the ,director shall require1 at a minimum1 that each eligible vessel of the awardee-- 7,a7 transit the ,greater ,santa ,barbara ,channel ,region at speeds of #ab knots or lower1 or at a lower maximum speed as provided in guidance established under the program2 and 7,b7 participate in the ,port of ,los ,angeles or ,port of ,long ,beach vessel speed reduction program1 respectively1 if the vessel calls at that port in the transit for which the award is considered4 7d7 ,official seal ,the ,director shall create an official seal to be recognized as the symbol of excellence in compliance with the program1 that-- 7#a7 may be used by shipping companies with eligible vessels for which a ,blue ,whales and ,blue ,skies ,excellence ,award is awarded under this section2 7#b7 includes the name of the shipping company2 7#c7 includes the year for which such award was made2 and 7#d7 includes the percentage of transits through the ,greater ,santa ,barbara ,channel ,region by eligible vessels of the shipping company in such year that were in compliance with the program1 calculated as-- 7,a7 the number of such transits1 divided by 7,b7 the total number of transits through the ,greater ,santa ,barbara ,channel ,region by all vessels of the shipping company in such year1 excluding transits directed by the ,coast ,guard to proceed in excess of the speed requirements of the program4 7e7 ,extension of program ,no later than #d years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall-- 7#a7 consider the feasibility of extending the program to encompass all shipping channels along the ,united ,states ,pacific coast between ,canada and ,mexico2 and 7#b7 report the findings and recommendations under paragraph 7#a7 to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure and the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives1 and to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate4 7f7 ,limitations ,nothing in this section shall be construed-- 7#a7 to require participation in the program2 7#b7 to authorize appropriations for1 or the provision of1 any financial incentive for participation in the program2 or 7#c7 to authorize any action that affects navigation safety4 7g7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible vessel ,the term eligible vessel means a vessel that has been approved by the ,director to participate in the program4 7#b7 ,program ,the term program means the ,blue ,whales and ,blue ,skies ,program established under this section4 7#c7 ,greater ,santa ,barbara ,channel ,region ,the term ,greater ,santa ,barbara ,channel ,region-- 7,a7 means such portion of the geographic zone used by vessels transporting goods to transit the area surrounding the ,channel ,islands1 including the ,santa ,barbara ,channel1 ,california1 as is designated by the ,director for purposes of this section2 and 7,b7 includes1 at a minimum1 the geographic area identified in the pilot ,vessel ,speed ,reduction ,program referred to in subsection 7b77#a74