Coastal resources: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program.

The document was reformatted from an official chaptered legislative document (with page numbers, headers like 'Ch. 606', and formal layout) to a web page rendering that includes site navigation elements (skip to content, home, FAQ, sitemap, login), a version history list, publication metadata (Date Published: 10/13/2025), and vote/appropriation/fiscal committee indicators. The underlying statutory text of Sections 35640 and 35641 is unchanged.

Bill was assigned Chapter 606 and received the standard approval line: 'Approved by Governor October 11, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 11, 2025.'

Assembly and Senate passage headers, Chief Clerk and Secretary signatures, and Governor's receipt date line were removed as part of the standard transition from enrolled bill to chaptered law format.

Standard 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' header was added, replacing the enrolled bill formatting.

Section 35641(d) was substantially rewritten. Previously, the program simply excluded ocean territories already covered by another vessel speed reduction program. Now it requires the program to 'work in conjunction with' other existing port-related vessel speed reduction programs, and if conflicting requirements cannot be resolved through a memorandum of understanding, the Blue Whales program must exclude the ocean territory within 40 nautical miles of the affected port. This creates a coordination framework rather than a simple exclusion.

Updated factual findings in the legislative findings section: nitrogen oxide emissions revised from 185 tons per day to 162 tons per day; program achievements updated with newer figures (slow speed miles increased from 1,167,000 to 1,596,008; NOx reduction from 4,500 to 5,903 tons; greenhouse gas reduction from 153,000 to 204,661 metric tons; whale strike risk decrease changed from 58 percent to 50 percent).

The geographic description of the existing program area was simplified from naming specific counties (Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Bay Area coasts) to a broader 'San Francisco Bay, central coast, and south coast' description.

The geographic description of where the program operates was expanded from 'off the Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Bay Area coasts' to include 'San Francisco Bay, central coast, and south coast,' reflecting a broader statewide footprint.

The estimated daily nitrogen oxide emissions along the coast were corrected from 185 tons per day to 162 tons per day.

Program achievement statistics were updated: slow speed miles increased from over 1,167,000 to 1,596,008; nitrogen oxide reduction increased from more than 4,500 tons to 5,903 tons; greenhouse gas reduction increased from over 153,000 metric tons to 204,661 metric tons.

A new finding was added stating the program achieved a reduction of more than 35 tons of toxic diesel particulate matter.

The estimated decrease in whale strike risk during prime migration season was reduced from 58 percent to 50 percent.

Section (d) was rewritten to change how the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program interacts with other port-related vessel speed reduction programs. The old language required the program to exclude ocean territories covered by other programs or pre-2026 memoranda of understanding. The new language requires the program to supplement and work in conjunction with, and not preclude, any other existing port-related vessel speed reduction programs. The 40-nautical-mile exclusion for unresolvable conflicts remains unchanged.