Rule aimed at protecting right whales advances amid difficult year off Georgia coast

a right whale calf near the surface of the water with healing injuries to its head
The calf of a right whale known as Juno, seen here on Feb. 1, 2024, was injured by a boat propeller and later died. (Georgia DNR/NOAA MMHSRP permit 24359)

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Amid a difficult year for North Atlantic right whales giving birth off the Georgia coast, a proposed rule to help protect them is one step closer to reality. 

Earlier this month, a proposal to expand speed limits for boats – one of the leading causes of death for the endangered whales – took a key step forward: it’s now under review by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the last stage of federal review.