Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023

To 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 (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 (2) Program The term Program (3) Secretary The term Secretary (4) Stranding The term stranding (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 April 2, 2024 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023This bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Grant Program to encourage and facilitate coordinated rapid response and rescue of stranded marine turtles.