Alan S. Lowenthal Blue Whales, Blue Skies Act

This bill mandates the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish the Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program within 12 months of enactment. The program's primary objective is to mitigate significant environmental and wildlife impacts along the western coast of the United States. Specifically, it seeks to reduce **air pollution**, **greenhouse gases**, harmful **underwater acoustic impacts**, and the risk of **fatal vessel whale strikes** by encouraging eligible vessels to voluntarily reduce their speed.

The program will be modeled after an existing vessel speed reduction initiative and developed in consultation with various environmental and marine sanctuary organizations. Annually, NOAA will award **Blue Whales and Blue Skies Excellence Awards** to owners of eligible vessels that transit the program area at 10 knots or lower, or a different maximum speed as specified. Awardees may use an official logo, displayed with company name, award year, and compliance percentage, to signify their participation and commitment. The bill also directs NOAA to assess the feasibility of extending the program to all U.S. Pacific coast shipping channels within four years, while clarifying that participation remains **voluntary** and does not provide financial incentives or impact navigation safety.