BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2637
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 19, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 2637 (Chesbro) - As Introduced: February 19, 2010
SUBJECT : Humboldt Bay Bar Pilots
SUMMARY : Adds Humboldt Bay to those waters where pilots
licensed by the Board of Pilot Commissioners (Board) for the
Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, Suisun, and Monterey have
exclusive authority to pilot vessels from the high seas and
within the bay. Allows existing Humboldt Bay pilots entry into
the Board's pilot trainee program.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the Board for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo
and Suisun, and Monterey, to license and regulate maritime
pilots who guide vessels entering or leaving those bays.
Prescribes pilotage rates for vessels and requires vessels to
pay a specified rate of bar pilotage through the Golden Gate
Bridge and into or out of the bays of San Francisco, San
Pablo, Suisun, and Monterey.
2)Establishes the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and
Conservation District (District) within Humboldt County.
Provides for the regulation and licensing of pilots for
Humboldt Bay by the District.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Current law directs the Board to regulate pilotage
(steering of large marine vessels) and provides for the
licensing, regulation, and management of pilots in the bays of
San Francisco, San Pablo, Suisun, and Monterey. Humboldt Bay is
currently not within the pilotage operating areas under the
Board's control.
The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District
(District) is vested with the authority to license marine vessel
pilots for Humboldt Bay. The Port of Humboldt Bay (Port), a
component of the District, directly employs the two pilots that
are licensed to serve the Humboldt Bay. The District is
currently experiencing significant financial distress and is
AB 2637
Page 2
concerned that they may not be able to continue to employ the
two pilots.
According to the author's office, "if the pilots are no longer
employed or licensed to serve Humboldt Bay, the state could find
itself in the position where deep-draft vessels are no longer
able to call at Humboldt Bay (no pilots; no ships calling at the
Port). If no ships are able to call at Humboldt Bay it is
likely that the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE)
will no longer recommend federal maintenance dredging of the
channels within the Humboldt Bay. The USACOE dredging program
provides approximately $4-6 million in federal funds annually
for maintenance of Humboldt Bay's channels. These channels not
only serve the international shipping community, but local fuel
barges that deliver gas and diesel to the region, as well as
recreational boaters and a vibrant fishing fleet."
This bill is an effort to assure that the two pilots currently
licensed to serve Humboldt Bay have an opportunity to be
considered for the Board's pilot training program.
Additionally, licensed pilots need to be available for pilotage
work at Humboldt Bay in order to keep it as a viable deep-water
port, and thus maintain eligibility for continued USACOE
maintenance dredging funding assistance.
In opposition to this bill, the Pacific Merchant Shipping
Association indicates that the bill "does nothing to save the
Port of Humboldt Bay, except in the short-term relief that it
gets from having the pilots' salaries off of its books. In
addition to losing its revenue from pilotage, the port will
actually be losing its pilots. They have no obligation to
retain their pilotage endorsements or license in Humboldt Bay or
to come back and serve vessels - nor do they have any incentive
to?"
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Humboldt Bay Harbor and Recreation District (sponsor)
Opposition
AB 2637
Page 3
Pacific Merchant Shipping Association
Analysis Prepared by : Ed Imai / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093