15K sign petition launched by Balboa Island Ferry, which seeks exemption from state mandates

Supporters of the Balboa Island Ferry want the California Air Resources Board to give the ferry an exemption from the 2025 deadline that would require it to meet new harbor craft mandates, which could cost the local ferry operator up to $5 million.

In December, the state board passed new regulations to require harbor craft, which includes short-run ferries like the Balboa Island Ferry, to begin using renewable diesel fuel this year and begin the process to replace their engines to reduce emissions. Owner Seymour Beek, however, has maintained that it is nigh impossible for his business to retrofit and convert its three vessels in time to meet the deadline.

As part of ongoing strategies put into play to at least delay that 2025 deadline, the Balboa Island Ferry operator launched a petition on change.org earlier this month.

“[We just] thought that maybe someone in Sacramento would take notice if we get thousands and thousands of signatures. It’s hard to judge how much they care, but I would think that they would take notice of thousands and thousands of people signing onto something and more sending emails,” Beek said.

Beek’s operations manager, Nate Capra, said the petition was launched on May 5, and that he’d arbitrarily set a goal of 1,000 signatures by the end of the ensuing week. Instead, the petition garnered the support of 5,000 people within that time period. That number ballooned to 10,000 in short order. And it continued to grow: As of late Monday afternoon, 15,646 individuals had signed the petition, which asks CARB to provide an exemption for the Balboa Island Ferry.

Dozens have left comments on the petition, with many describing the ferry as a “treasure” of Newport Beach and evoking its long history in the city.

Capra said that, as word has spread about the challenge to meet the state’s mandate, he’s heard not only from passionate Balboa Island Ferry supporters who are against the mandate, but also from a number of people who are supportive of the change environmentally but understand the plight of the ferry business.

In March, Beek said that it would cost at least $2.5 million to convert even one of the boats in the fleet and that cost did not account for the feasibility of the project. Beek said the ferry has rarely made a profit in all the years that its run, and that though he currently has a consultant on board to aid in applying for grant funds, they’ve had no luck so far in securing the finances to fund the required changes.

But, Capra said, the biggest issue remains the deadline.

“It would be so easy to say about two entities in opposition of a goal, but we don’t feel we’re in the opposition of clean air,” Capra said. “[Beek’s] not opposed to a greener goal, but it’s a disagreement on the timeline and part of the reason we have this petition is we can have … update everyone who jumps on board and signs.”

Capra and Beek both said Monday that they were aware people were asking how they might donate funds to provide aid. Capra said CARB has been helpful in locating grants, adding that the business has continued to work on the transition even as they push for an exemption.

“We’ve been working on this for two and half years. The effort hasn’t stopped on our behalf. We’re still trying to figure out a way to make this happen, but it got to a point where we felt it necessary to put this petition in place,” Capra said.

CARB spokeswoman Lys Mendez said ferry owners are able to apply for extensions, which Beek said they are in the process of filling out applications for, beyond the December 2025 deadline if there are issues with the supply chain or if they want to stagger out the upgrades to avoid dry docking multiple vessels.

Mendez said recent updates have been made that will allow for businesses to renew extensions if owners meet eligibility requirements after hearing feedback and noted the board has made the Balboa Island Ferry aware of at least three funding opportunities to help finance the conversion.

She added the technology exists for electric ferries, pointing to other passenger ferries such as the Switch Sea Change and three vessels with Alcatraz Cruises upstate in San Francisco, and that staff from the state board have met with the Balboa Island Ferry on three separate occasions.

“The ferry owners have had additional meetings with staff who run the incentive programs that have been flagged for the Balboa Ferry owners,” Mendez confirmed.