The Environmental Protection Agency EPA is proposing to re-issue a general permit under the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act MPRSA to authorize the transport of marine mammal and sea turtle carcasses from the United States and disposal of marine mammal and sea turtle carcasses in ocean waters. Permit authorization is available for any officer employee agent department agency or instrumentality of Tribal Federal state or local unit of government as well as any Marine Life Health and Stranding Response Program MLHSRP Stranding Agreement Holder and any Alaska Native who already may take a marine mammal or sea turtle under the Endangered Species Act ESA andor Marine Mammal Protection Act MMPA. In 2017 the EPA issued a general permit for the ocean disposal of marine mammal carcasses to streamline MPRSA authorization and reduce burdens associated with case-by-case permitting. Permit re-issuance is necessary because the most recent permit expired on January 4 2024. The EPA is not proposing substantive changes to the content of the recently expired general permit. The EPA invites public comment on all aspects of this proposed general permit.