In committee
Whale CHARTS Act of 2026
Federal agencies will create detailed, predictive maps of migratory whale routes, feeding grounds, and breeding areas and format them for direct use in commercial and recreational boat navigation systems. The bill establishes a $10 million grant program for research institutions, coastal communities, and maritime industries to develop new whale-detection technologies like ocean acoustic sensors and satellite imagery. It also funds targeted population surveys of understudied whale species to help ocean users avoid vessel strikes and other harmful interactions.
People affected—Not determinable from the text provided; the bill directs federal agency actions and provides grants to organizations and researchers, without specifying the number of impacted individuals or vessel operators.
Fiscal magnitude$50.0Mprovisional · pending reviewSec. 2(a)(11) authorizes $8,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ($40,000,000 total) across mapping, surveying, and monitoring subprograms, plus $10,000,000 for the competitive grant program, totaling $50,000,000.
Reach28provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Pollution & development+22Public R&D+28Animal protection+30
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Marine research institutions, nonprofits, and maritime industry entitiesEligible to apply for and receive awards from a $10 million competitive grant program to develop whale detection technologies, promote coexistence strategies, and reduce vessel collisions (Sec. 2(a)(10)(e), Sec. 2(a)(12)(n)(1)).
- Commercial and recreational vessel operatorsReceive access to high-accuracy and predictive whale distribution maps formatted in electronic and machine-readable data for on-board vessel navigation systems and Coast Guard carriage requirements (Sec. 2(a)(10)(c)(2)(A)(v)).
- National Fish and Wildlife FoundationAuthorized to use up to 5 percent or $80,000 annually (whichever is greater) of grant program appropriations for administrative costs to manage the competitive grant program (Sec. 2(a)(10)(e)(2), Sec. 2(a)(11)(k)(3)).
Who it burdens
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)Required to produce and regularly update high-resolution current and predictive whale distribution maps, conduct targeted surveys of understudied whale populations, administer a monitoring and mitigation subprogram, oversee a grant program, and submit triennial reports to Congress (Sec. 2(a)(10), Sec. 2(a)(12)(l), Sec. 2(b)).
- Non-U.S. individuals and foreign entitiesRestricted from receiving resources distributed through the competitive grant program, unless participating in a partnership where resources are provided directly to a United States partner (Sec. 2(a)(10)(e)(7)).