[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8450 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8450
To require a pilot program to enhance existing efforts to mitigate
vessel impacts on large cetaceans in the San Francisco Bay region, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 2026
Mr. Liccardo (for himself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Lofgren, Mr.
Khanna, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Levin,
and Mr. Lieu) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a pilot program to enhance existing efforts to mitigate
vessel impacts on large cetaceans in the San Francisco Bay region, 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 ``Save Willy Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO ENHANCE EFFORTS TO MITIGATE VESSEL IMPACTS ON
LARGE CETACEANS IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY REGION.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Secretary, with the
concurrence of the Under Secretary, shall carry out a pilot
program to establish a Cetacean Desk, which shall be--
(A) located and manned within the San Francisco
Vessel Traffic Service; and
(B) designed--
(i) to improve coordination with the
maritime industry to reduce the risk of vessel
impacts on large cetaceans in the San Francisco
Bay and the strait of Golden Gate, including
impacts from vessel strikes, disturbances, and
other sources; and
(ii) to monitor the presence and location
of large cetaceans in the San Francisco Bay and
the strait of Golden Gate.
(2) Duration and staffing.--The pilot program--
(A) shall--
(i) be for a duration of four years; and
(ii) require not more than two full-time
equivalent positions, whose responsibilities
shall also include contributing to other
necessary San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service
duties and responsibilities as needed; and
(B) may be supported by other existing Federal
employees, as appropriate.
(b) Engagement With Vessel Operators.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program, the
Secretary shall require personnel of the Cetacean Desk to
engage with vessel operators in areas where large cetaceans
have been seen or could reasonably be present to ensure
compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and voluntary
guidance, to reduce the impact of vessel traffic on large
cetaceans.
(2) Contents.--In engaging with vessel operators as
required under paragraph (1), personnel of the Cetacean Desk
shall communicate where and when sightings of large cetaceans
have occurred.
(c) Memorandum of Understanding.--The Secretary and the Under
Secretary may enter into a memorandum of understanding to facilitate
real-time sharing of data relating to large cetaceans between the State
of California, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the
San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service, and other relevant entities, as
appropriate.
(d) Data.--The Under Secretary shall leverage existing data
collection methods, the program required by section 11303 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (16 U.S.C.
1391), and public data to ensure accurate and timely information on the
sighting of large cetaceans.
(e) Use of Technologies.--
(1) Emerging technologies.--The Secretary, in coordination
with the Under Secretary and the Commandant, shall evaluate for
potential use under the pilot program, and, as appropriate,
adopt for such use, new and emerging technologies to enhance
the effectiveness, efficiency, and responsiveness of the
Cetacean Desk, including technologies capable of the following:
(A) Improving the detection, identification,
tracking, or forecasting of large cetacean presence,
including through the use of automated, algorithmic, or
artificial intelligence-enabled tools.
(B) Improving the integration, processing, or
dissemination of data from Federal, State, academic,
nongovernmental, and public sources in near real time.
(C) Enhancing communication with vessel operators
to reduce the likelihood of vessel interactions with
large cetaceans.
(2) Existing partnerships and programs.--In carrying out
this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent
practicable, leverage existing research partnerships and other
Federal programs.
(f) Consultations.--In carrying out the pilot program, the
Secretary shall consult with Tribal governments, the State of
California, institutions of higher education, the maritime industry,
ports in the San Francisco Bay region, and nongovernmental
organizations.
(g) San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service Local Variance and
Policy.--The Secretary, with the concurrence of the Under Secretary and
in consultation with the Captain of the Port for the San Francisco
Bay--
(1) shall implement local variances, as authorized by
section 70001(c) of title 46, United States Code, to facilitate
communication, reporting, and voluntary coordination between
vessel operators and the San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service
regarding the presence of large cetaceans;
(2) shall ensure that any local variances implemented under
this subsection maintain safe vessel navigation and are
consistent with the communication and coordination functions of
the San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service; and
(3) may enter into cooperative agreements, in accordance
with section 70001(d) of title 46, United States Code, with
Federal, State, Tribal, and local officials to reduce the
likelihood of vessel interactions with protected large
cetaceans, which may include--
(A) communicating marine mammal protection guidance
to vessels;
(B) training on requirements imposed by local,
State, Tribal, and Federal laws and regulations and
guidelines concerning--
(i) vessel buffer zones;
(ii) vessel speed;
(iii) seasonal no-go zones for vessels;
(iv) protected areas, including areas
designated as critical habitat, as applicable
to marine operations; and
(v) any other activities to reduce the
direct and indirect impact of vessel traffic on
large cetaceans;
(C) training to understand, utilize, and
communicate large cetacean location data; and
(D) training to understand and communicate basic
large cetacean detection, identification, and behavior,
including--
(i) cues of the presence of large cetaceans
such as spouts, water disturbances, breaches,
or presence of prey;
(ii) important feeding, breeding, calving,
and rearing habitats that co-occur with areas
of high risk of vessel strikes;
(iii) seasonal large cetacean migration
routes that co-occur with areas of high risk of
vessel strikes; and
(iv) areas designated as critical habitat
for large cetaceans.
(h) Reports Required.--Not later than one year after the date of
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter for the duration of
the pilot program, the Commandant, in coordination with the Under
Secretary and the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that--
(1) evaluates the functionality, utility, reliability,
responsiveness, and operational status of the Cetacean Desk,
including a quantification of reductions in vessel strikes to
large cetaceans as a result of the pilot program;
(2) assesses the efficacy of communication between the
Cetacean Desk and the maritime industry and provides
recommendations for improvements;
(3) evaluates the integration and interoperability of
existing data collection methods, as well as public data, into
the Cetacean Desk operations;
(4) assesses the efficacy of collaboration and stakeholder
engagement with Tribal governments, the State of California,
institutions of higher education, the maritime industry, ports
in the San Francisco Bay region, and nongovernmental
organizations; and
(5) evaluates the progress, performance, and implementation
of guidance and training procedures for San Francisco Vessel
Traffic Service personnel, as required under subsection (f).
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The terms ``appropriate congressional committees'',
``institution of higher education'', ``Tribal government'', and
``Under Secretary'' have the meanings given those terms in
section 11301 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 16 U.S.C. 1390 note).
(2) The term ``Cetacean Desk'' means the Cetacean Desk
established by the pilot program.
(3) The term ``Commandant'' means the Commandant of the
Coast Guard.
(4) The term ``large cetacean'' means all species within--
(A) the suborder Mysticeti;
(B) the genera Physeter; or
(C) the genera Orcinus.
(5) The term ``pilot program'' means the pilot program
required under subsection (a).
(6) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the
department in which the Coast Guard is operating.
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