The Channel Islands, near LA/Long Beach
Officials are scrambling to come up with a new plan to deal with an increased number of ships skirting the Channel Islands to avoid complying with strict new air standards. Since new California Air Resources Board rules that mandate ships within 24 miles of the coast burn cleaner fuel took effect in July, about 40 percent of vessels are just staying farther out at sea, where they can burn dirtier, cheaper fuel.
That is causing problems for both the Navy, which uses that area as a missile testing site, and the ships, because of confusion over traffic flow.