Notice2024-31126
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
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Published
December 30, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 249 (Monday, December 30, 2024)</title>
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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 [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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 <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/sea-turtle-stranding-and-salvage-network">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/sea-turtle-stranding-and-salvage-network</a> 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:
<bullet> Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> 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
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#295a485b48075e405a5a444847476947464848074e465f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f784968596d9809e84849a969999b799989696d9909881">[email protected]</span></a>, 301-427-8402; Wendy
Piniak, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7b0c1e151f02550b1215121a103b15141a1a551c140d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="80f7e5eee4f9aef0e9eee9e1ebc0eeefe1e1aee7eff6">[email protected]</span></a>,
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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