Tag: California

Oil and gas companies drilling off the southern coast of California have violated state regulations at least 381 times since 2015, according to state records obtained by the Center for Biological Diversity. The violations vary from major corrosion and other serious safety threats on offshore drilling platforms to missing and failed well-integrity tests.

Californian legislation now applies maximum fines of USD27,500 per tank where no ballast exchange has been made and between USD5,000 and USD20,000 per tank where there was an exchange within the zones of 200nm and 50nm from land, depending upon how close to land it occurred. Falsification of records is also punishable by up to one year in jail.

California plans to obstruct the transportation of petroleum from offshore oil rigs through its state, in an attempt to halt US government's plan to promote offshore drilling. This is one of the most powerful measures that have been taken, in order to stop the offshore drilling expansion in the US.

In July 2017, California’s state legislature passed a bill to extend the state’s economy-wide GHG reduction program, until 2030. The bill sets a new GHG target, aiming at least 40% below the 1990 level of emissions by 2030. According to the current cap-and-trade program, emissions sources include electric generators, industrial facilities, and oil and natural gas distributors.

The California State Lands Commission issued a letter to ship agents that might call in California ports, addressing the implementation of biofouling management requirements and reminding of existing reporting requirements.

A team of marine biologists and technologists were funded a $1.5 million grant from the Benioff Ocean Initiative, in order to create a system which will detect endangered blue whales, by utilizing acoustic and thermal sensors which will alert nearby vessels. 

Cunard Lines has announced its first cruise to Alaska ports in twenty years. The cruise will include four round-trip sailings on board the vessel Queen Elizabeth, which will departure Vancouver in May/June 2019.

The California State Lands Commission issued a letter to remind about the new requirements for vessels arriving at the country's ports on or after October 1st, 2017. As GREEN4SEA previously reported, from that date,  all vessels will have to submit a completed “Marine Invasive Species Program Annual Vessel Reporting Form” at least twenty four hours in advance of the first arrival of the calendar year at a California port.

The California State Lands Commission sent a Final Letter to interested parties, informing that the new biofouling regulations become effective on 1st October 2017. These regulations adopt a new annual vessel reporting form and require development of a biofouling management plan and related recordkeeping.