Coast Guard would track Bay Area whales in real time
In committeeH.R. 8450Latest action
Sponsor: Sam T. Liccardo · Representative · CA
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: Save Willy Act of 2026
119th Congress
Topics: Environment & energy
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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HR 8450 would create a small Coast Guard team in San Francisco Bay to track whales and warn nearby ships in real time.
60-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
This bill would set up a four-year trial program with a small team, called a Cetacean Desk, inside the existing Coast Guard vessel traffic control center for the San Francisco Bay area. No more than two full-time employees would track large whales, orcas, and sperm whales and share that location information with ship and boat operators in real time. The program could also set local rules on vessel speed and buffer zones, use AI tools to detect whales, and would require the Coast Guard to report to Congress each year on results, including how many whale strikes were prevented.
Who does it affect?
This bill primarily affects commercial shipping companies and vessel operators working in the San Francisco Bay region, along with Coast Guard personnel there. It also involves California state agencies, Tribal governments, ports, universities, and environmental groups, as well as the whale populations that migrate through the area.
Why does it matter?
Without the program, ship and boat operators in the Bay area would have less real-time information about where whales are located, which can lead to vessels striking or disturbing those animals. The program exists because whale strikes are a known risk in this busy shipping corridor.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedApr 22, 2026
- House committeeYou are here · Apr 22, 2026
- House vote
- Senate
- The president's desk
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.