Environmental assessment, Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program (MTMCP) Marine Turtle Assessment Program (MTAP)

"This Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. ʹ4321, et seq.), as implemented by the Council of Environmental Quality regulations (40 C.F.R. ʹ1500-1508); and NOAA Administrative Order Series (NAO) 216-6, Environmental Review Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, of May 20, 1999. Executive Order (EO) 12114 furthers the purpose of NEPA with respect to the environment outside the United States, its territories and possessions; accordingly, this EA also analyzes potential impacts of the proposed action to foreign territorial seas in accordance with the EO as implemented by Department Administrative Order 216-12. The green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and olive ridley sea turtles are all listed as threatened or endangered under section 4(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. ʹ1531, et seq.). Under the proposed action, the Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program (MTMCP) proposes to continue and expand funding of projects for monitoring, conservation, and management activities in the U.S. Insular Areas of the Pacific Islands Region (PIR) and internationally as relevant (i.e., of populations with documented linkages to the PIR). These projects would be funded to collect biological and ecological data on marine turtle populations, reduce or mitigate anthropogenic and environmental impacts (including projects working to reduce fishery interactions), support community-based educational outreach, and/or collaborate with marine turtle researchers and managers to build capacity for the protection, conservation, and management of Pacific sea turtles and their habitats. The potential impacts on the human environment of the proposed action, and a range of reasonable alternatives, are discussed and analyzed in this EA"--Summary.