118 HR 2560 RH: Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023 U.S. House of Representatives 2024-04-02 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IBUnion Calendar No. 358118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 2560[Report No. 118–433]IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESApril 10, 2023Mr. Keating introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural ResourcesApril 2, 2024Additional sponsors: Mr. Garbarino, Mr. Soto, Ms. DelBene, Mrs. González-Colón, Ms. Mace, Mr. Graves of Louisiana, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Timmons, Mr. Fry, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Mfume, and Mr. Wilson of South CarolinaApril 2, 2024Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printedStrike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italicFor text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 10, 2023A BILLTo require the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Grant Program, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023.

2.

Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Grant Program

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a grant program, to be known as the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation 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 and rehabilitation regions

The Secretary shall designate geographic regions of the United States as stranding and rehabilitation 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 from stranded marine turtles for scientific research related to marine turtle health; 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 and rehabilitation regions, taking into account—(1)the number of stranding and rehabilitation events that occurred in each stranding and rehabilitation region in the preceding 5 years; and(2)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)

Application

An applicant for a grant under this section shall submit an application in such form and manner as the Secretary shall prescribe.(f)

Grant criteria

(1)

Development of criteria

The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, establish by regulation appropriate criteria for awarding grants under this section.(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 stranding and rehabilitation regions and representatives of State governments and public and private organizations with an established record in coordination, rescue, rehabilitation, and release, as well as related scientific research, marine conservation, and forensic science, with respect to stranded marine turtles.(3)

Required criteria

The criteria developed under paragraph (1) shall prioritize applicants with an established record of coordination, rescuing, rehabilitation, scientific research, and forensic science with respect to stranded and rehabilitated marine turtles or conducting scientific research and forensic science on stranded and rehabilitated marine turtles.(g)

Limitations

(1)

Maximum amount of grant

No grant awarded under this section may exceed $150,000 in any 12-month period.(2)

Matching requirement

The non-Federal share of the costs of an activity conducted with a grant awarded under the Program shall be not less than 50 percent of such costs, including in-kind services and the use of property.(h)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Marine turtle

The term marine turtle means any member of the family Cheloniidae or Dermochelyidae.(2)

Program

The term Program means the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Grant Program established under subsection (a).(3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce.(4)

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; or(ii)in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States (including any navigable waters); or (B)a marine turtle is alive and is—(i)on a beach or shore of the United States and unable to return to the water;(ii)on a beach or shore of the United States and in need of medical attention; or(iii)in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States (including any navigable waters), and in need of medical attention or other necessary intervention to aid its likelihood of survival.(5)

Stranding and rehabilitation region

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

April 2, 2024Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed