PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 29, 2017
Streamlining Environmental Approvals Act of 2017 or the SEA Act of 2017
This bill amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to: (1) limit the scope of the moratorium on taking and importing marine mammals and marine mammal products, and (2) revise the requirements for obtaining an authorization for incidentally taking by harassment marine mammals (incidental harassment authorizations or IHAs). Harassment is an act of pursuit, torment or annoyance which has the potential to either: (1) injure a marine mammal in the wild; or (2) disturb a marine mammal by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, such as migration or breeding.
The bill: (1) allows persons who are not U.S. citizens to make requests to obtain IHAs, (2) eliminates the requirement that the taking occur within a specific geographic region, and (3) permits more than a small number of marine mammals to be taken.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Monitoring requirements under an IHA must be efficient and practical. Additionally, the bill eliminates a requirement that IHAs prescribe reporting requirements. Any condition imposed by an IHA for minimizing adverse impacts on marine mammals may not result in more than a minor change to the activity and may not alter the activity's basic design, location, scope, duration, or timing.
The bill establishes a process and deadlines for approving or denying IHAs, including a process for extending IHAs.
Any taking of a marine mammal in compliance with an IHA is exempt from the prohibitions on takings under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
People & committees
Rep. Johnson, Mike [R-LA-4] · R–LA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 804.
Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 115-1030.
Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 115-1030.
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Discharged.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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