To prohibit the issuance of an interim or final rule that amends, updates, modifies, or replaces the North Atlantic Right Whale vessel strike reduction rule until mitigation protocols are fully developed and deployed.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · June 26, 2023
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
This bill would prevent the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from updating or changing the current federal rule that requires ships to reduce speeds to protect North Atlantic right whales from being struck by vessels. The legislation blocks any new rule until mitigation protocols required under a 2022 Coast Guard law are fully developed and put into place, and until the government reports to Congress on how these protocols will influence any proposed changes to the existing whale protection rule. The bill affects shipping industries and environmental interests involved in balancing whale conservation with maritime operations. Supporters argue the measure ensures that new protective measures for whales are based on fully developed mitigation strategies rather than incomplete approaches, while allowing time for stakeholders to assess the economic and safety impacts of any future rule changes. The bill does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines beyond requiring completion of the mitigation protocols before any regulatory changes can proceed.
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