U.S. Representative James Gallagher (R-California) has introduced a federal bill that would undo California state emissions regulations for small craft vessels.
Under California’s commercial harbor craft amendments, the state has long held more stringent standards for small commercial vessels than those enforced at the national level. The law requires California vessel owners to replace their engines with newer models that have substantially fewer emissions.
The most recent update to the amendments was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2022. According to the California Air Resources Board, the updated amendments “were adopted to expand the applicability of the regulation to more vessel types and require cleaner upgrades and newer technology.” The latest version applies to commercial fishing vessels.
Gallagher’s bill would rescind that 2022 approval, with the lawmaker claiming the regulations increase operating costs on businesses and add “another layer of costly regulations.”
"This is about affordability. This rule drives up costs for maritime businesses, makes it harder to move goods through our ports, and ultimately leaves American families paying the price. Congress has a responsibility to restore oversight and stop Sacramento bureaucrats from dictating national policy," Gallagher said in a release.
The legislation has been backed by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and the Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association.
“Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association strongly supports Congressman James Gallagher’s Congressional Review Act resolution because California’s Commercial Harbor Craft mandate places an unrealistic financial burden on the charter captains and fishing guides who provide public access to our fisheries,” Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association President James Stone said in a release. “Requiring costly engine replacements and vessel modifications threatens their ability to stay in business, reducing recreational access, hurting coastal/rural economies, and jeopardizing thousands of jobs. The salmon industry is barely surviving this year after reopening fisheries after three full years of salmon closures.”
