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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 106439-106440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-31126]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XE556]

Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment on the 
Effects of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of 
Protected Resources Coordination and Continued Operation of the Sea 
Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; availability of a draft environmental assessment; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of the draft Environmental 
Assessment (EA) on NMFS Office of Protected Resources' (OPR) role 
coordinating the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN). The 
STSSN responds to and documents sick, injured, and dead sea turtles 
that are found in coastal areas under U.S. jurisdiction along the 
Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean Territories. 
Although the STSSN has been in operation for several decades, the 
National Coordination role formally shifted to the OPR in 2022, which 
prompted an evaluation of STSSN operations and development of a formal 
Operating Procedures Handbook, which are subject to National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review. NMFS is requesting comments on 
the draft EA.

DATES: Written comments must be received (see ADDRESSES) on or before 
January 29, 2025.

ADDRESSES: The EA is available for download and review at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/sea-turtle-stranding-and-salvage-network under the section heading Sea Turtle 
Stranding and Salvage Network Operations. The draft EA is also 
available upon written request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-
2024-0148, by the following method:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and enter NOAA-NMFS-2024-0148 in the Search box. 
Click on the ``Comment'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter 
or attach your comments.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Wissmann, NMFS, Office of 
Protected Resources at [email protected], 301-427-8402; Wendy 
Piniak, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources at [email protected], 
301-427-8402.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Publication of this notice begins the 
official public comment period for this draft EA. Per the NEPA, the 
purpose of the draft EA is to evaluate the potential direct, indirect, 
and cumulative impacts caused by continued operation of the STSSN under 
the coordination of the NMFS, OPR using the 2024 STSSN Operating 
Procedures Handbook.
    Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Federal 
regulations prohibit the `taking' of a species listed as endangered or 
threatened. The ESA defines ``take'' to mean harass, harm, pursue, 
hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to 
engage in any such conduct. Section 4(f) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531-
1544) provides for the creation of Recovery Plans for endangered and 
threatened species and provides NMFS and US Fish and Wildlife Service 
(USFWS) with authority ``to procure the services of appropriate public 
and private agencies and institutions and other qualified persons'' in 
order to implement those plans. To advance the conservation and 
recovery of listed sea turtles, each recovery plan developed jointly by 
the NMFS and USFWS identifies and highlights the need to maintain an 
active stranding network.

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following species are included in the EA: North Atlantic and 
South Atlantic Distinct Population Segments of green (Chelonia mydas), 
Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), hawksbill (Eretmochelys 
imbricata), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), and Northwest Atlantic 
Ocean DPS of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles.

Background

    The draft EA analyzes the continued operation of the STSSN under 
the

[[Page 106440]]

coordination of NMFS OPR. NMFS has conducted an environmental review of 
OPR's coordination role related to the STSSN and the formalization of 
their program protocols and roles described in the Draft 2024 STSSN 
Operating Procedures Handbook.
    The STSSN is a cooperative effort to reduce causes of morbidity and 
mortality in sea turtles by responding to and documenting sea turtles, 
found either dead or alive (but compromised), in a manner sufficient to 
inform conservation management and recovery. The proposed activities 
considered in the draft EA are limited to the coordination role that 
OPR holds, activities NMFS staff will conduct in the field related to 
stranding coordination, response, and mortality investigation, and 
direct takes of sea turtles while responding to stranding incidents 
that have occurred because of human activity or natural causes of 
illness, injury, or mortality.

National Environmental Policy Act

    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA and 
the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.). This draft EA was prepared in 
accordance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.) and NOAA policy and 
procedures (NOAA Administrative Order [NAO] 216-6A and the Companion 
Manual [CM] for the NAO 216-6A).

Alternatives Considered

    NMFS' proposed action is the continued coordination of the STSSN by 
NMFS OPR and the review of program protocols and best practices, which 
have been consolidated and updated in the Draft 2024 STSSN Operating 
Procedures Handbook. In preparing the draft EA, NMFS considered the 
following two alternatives for the proposed action.
    Alternative 1: No Action. In accordance with the NOAA CM for NAO 
216-6A, section 6.B.i, Under the No Action Alternative, NMFS OPR would 
absolve its role coordinating the STSSN. Under this alternative, the 
STSSN would continue to operate as prescribed in the species Recovery 
Plans, but only under existing state programs that are permitted 
through the USFWS permit authority, or through direct permits to 
stranding response organizations and rehabilitation facilities. 
Stranding response activities would be maintained, but without NMFS OPR 
involvement. The Council on Environmental Quality Regulations and the 
CM for NAO 216-6A require consideration and analysis of a no action 
alternative for the purposes of presenting a comparative analysis to 
the action alternatives. The no action alternative, serves as a 
baseline against which the impacts of the action alternatives will be 
compared and contrasted.
    Alternative 2: Continued Operation of the STSSN under NMFS 
Coordination, Guided by the Draft 2024 STSSN Operating Procedures 
Handbook. Under Alternative 2, NMFS OPR would continue to coordinate 
the STSSN and would finalize the Draft 2024 STSSN Operating Procedures 
Handbook as a guide for the continued operation of the STSSN. The STSSN 
has been in operation for decades, and the Operating Procedures seeks 
to consolidate various guidance documents and clearly outline the roles 
and responsibilities of STSSN participants.
    Final determinations will not be completed until after the end of 
the 30-day comment period and NMFS will fully consider all public 
comments received during the comment period. If finalized and adopted, 
NMFS will publish the Final STSSN Operating Procedures Handbook to its 
website.

    Dated: December 20, 2024.
Caroline Good,
Acting Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division, 
Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-31126 Filed 12-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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