H.R. 10776
To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to change certain requirements regarding certain allowed take of marine mammals, and for other purposes.
Summary:
• Amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to narrow the definition of "harassment" by replacing potential-harm language with actual-harm language, and adds a new statutory definition of "negligible impact"
• Removes several restrictions on incidental take authorizations, including eliminating the "small numbers" requirement, the five-consecutive-year time limit, and the "least practicable adverse impact" standard, replacing it with "practicable and economically feasible conditions to minimize impact"
• Requires that all decisions, determinations, and findings under Title I be based solely on objective application of best scientific and commercial data, explicitly prohibiting the use of precautionary factors or assumptions
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• Removes several restrictions on incidental take authorizations, including eliminating the "small numbers" requirement, the five-consecutive-year time limit, and the "least practicable adverse impact" standard, replacing it with "practicable and economically feasible conditions to minimize impact"
• Requires that all decisions, determinations, and findings under Title I be based solely on objective application of best scientific and commercial data, explicitly prohibiting the use of precautionary factors or assumptions
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