General Permit for Ocean Disposal of Marine Mammal Carcasses

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a general permit to authorize the transport of marine mammal carcasses from the United States and disposal of marine mammal carcasses in ocean waters. Permit authorization is available for any officer, employee, agent, department, agency, or instrumentality of federal, state, tribal, or local unit of government, as well as any Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) Stranding Agreement Holder, and any Alaskan Native, who already may take a marine mammal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA). The EPA's purpose in issuing a general permit is to expedite required authorizations for the ocean disposal of marine mammal carcasses that otherwise currently require the issuance of an emergency permit.