S.2657 - A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atl Sponsor: John Kerry / 110th Congress

Title
110th Congress - A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales by limiting the speed of vessels, and for other purposes. hidemore...
Summary
Also known as the "Ship Strike Reduction Act of 2008" (by MAPLight.org)
Status
The bill has passed through committee and has been put on a legislative calendar.

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Interests who did want this bill to become law included these interests and specific groups:

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Shipping vs. Animal Rights by Danielle Fitts, Jun 30, 2008 (9:40pm)

S. 2657 would require that shipping vessels reduce their speed in order to decrease the risk of striking the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. Shipping companies are worried that the legislation would be costly for them, as reducing speed means less revenue. However, environmental protection and wildlife advocacy groups argue that this bill would be a needed step in protecting the whales. Two government agencies, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service, have weighed in on the subject long before this legislation was introduced. Their scientists concluded that reducing shipping speed would greatly help the Right Whales because most of their human-caused deaths are the result of ships. However, after the shipping companies caught wind of the subject, it became politicized. The NOAA and the NMFS backed off and were unable to establish any rules about shipping speed. This legislation would create a public law which supports the suggestions made by the NOAA and NMFS, effectively protecting the endangered whales from human-caused deaths. Although this bill may reduce revenue for many shipping companies, the possibility of saving an endangered species makes it extremely valuable and merits its passage.

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