Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant program

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a grant program to be known as the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Program, to encourage and facilitate coordinated rapid response and rescue by awarding grants for the purposes described in subsection (c).(b)

Designation of stranding regions

The Secretary shall designate geographic regions of the United States as stranding regions for the purposes of carrying out this section.(c)

Purposes

The purposes of the Program are to provide for—(1)the recovery, short- or long-term care, transportation, and treatment of stranded marine turtles;(2)the release of rescued and recovered marine turtles;(3)the collection of data and samples, including tagging information, from stranded marine turtles for scientific research or assessments, or both, that inform the understanding of causes of mortality; and(4)facility operation costs that are directly related to activities described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3).(d)

Equitable distribution of funds

The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that funds awarded under this section are distributed equitably among stranding regions, taking into account—(1)the number of strandings that occurred in each stranding region in the preceding 5 years;(2)region-specific factors that increase risks of strandings; and(3)the conservation priorities and recovery needs of species of marine turtles that are threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).(e)

Applications

(1)

In general

An applicant for a grant under this section that is an eligible applicant described in paragraph (2) shall submit an application in such form and manner as the Secretary shall prescribe.(2)

Eligible applicants

An entity is an eligible applicant if the entity is—(A)a nonprofit member of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network;(B)an Indian Tribe;(C)an institution of higher education; or(D)another public or private organization with an established record in the rescue, recovery, rehabilitation, transportation, or release of stranded marine turtles.(f)

Grant criteria

(1)

Development of criteria

The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, develop criteria for awarding grants under this section and provide such criteria for formal public notice and comment. (2)

Stakeholder engagement

As part of the process for developing and finalizing criteria under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, in consultation with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, provide opportunities for engagement with representatives from—(A)stranding regions; (B)Indian Tribes;(C)institutions of higher education; and (D)public or private organizations with an established record in—(i)the rescue, recovery, rehabilitation, transportation, or release of stranded marine turtles; or(ii)scientific research, marine conservation, or forensic science, with respect to stranded marine turtles.(3)

Required criteria

In developing criteria under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall prioritize awarding grants to applicants with an established record of rescuing, recovering, rehabilitating, transporting, or releasing stranded marine turtles or conducting scientific research pertinent to the causes of strandings.(g)

Acceptance of donations

For the purposes of carrying out this section, the Secretary may solicit, accept, receive, hold, administer, and use gifts, devises, and bequests without any further approval or administrative action.(h)

Liability waiver

(1)

In general

A person who is acting under the authority of an entity awarded a grant under this section is deemed to be an employee of the government for purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, with respect to actions of the person that—(A)are in support of rescue, recovery, rehabilitation, transportation, or release efforts;(B)are in accordance with the purposes of subsection (c); and(C)reflect sound professional judgment and are consistent with the directions of any on-site coordinator or incident commander.(2)

Limitation

Paragraph (1) does not apply to actions of a person described in that paragraph that are grossly negligent or that constitute willful misconduct.(i)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029 to remain available until expended.(j)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Indian Tribe

The term Indian Tribe has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).(2)

Institution of higher education

(A)

In general

The term institution of higher education means an educational institution in any State, district, commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, which—(i)admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate;(ii)is legally authorized within such State, district, commonwealth, territory, or possession to provide a program of education beyond secondary education;(iii)provides an educational program for which a bachelor's degree or any other higher degree is awarded;(iv)is a public or other nonprofit institution; and(v)is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.(B)

Inclusions

The term institution of higher education includes a research foundation maintained by an institution of higher education described in subparagraph (A). (3)

Marine turtle

The term marine turtle means any member of the family Cheloniidae or Dermochelyidae.(4)

Program

The term Program means the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Program established under subsection (a).(5)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce.(6)

Stranding

The term stranding means an event in which—(A)a marine turtle is dead and is—(i)on a beach or shore of the United States;(ii)in State, district, commonwealth, territory, or possession, or Federal, waters of the United States; or (iii)outside of its natural habitat and is in the United States; or(B)a marine turtle is alive and is—(i)on a beach or shore of the United States and in need of medical attention or other necessary intervention to aid its likelihood of survival;(ii)in State, district, commonwealth, territory, or possession, or Federal, waters of the United States and in need of medical attention or other necessary intervention to aid its likelihood of survival; or(iii)outside of its natural habitat, is unable to return unassisted, and is in the United States.(7)

Stranding region

The term stranding region means a geographic region designated by the Secretary under subsection (b).(8)

United States

The term United States means any land or water of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession over which the United States has jurisdiction, including internal waters, State waters, the territorial sea, and the exclusive economic zone of the United States.