[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 55 (Thursday, March 20, 2008)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 14939-14941] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: E8-5689] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 45 CFR Part 670 RIN 3145-AA48 Conservation of Antarctic Animals and Plants AGENCY: National Science Foundation. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, The National Science Foundation (NSF) is amending its regulations to designate additional Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMA) and one new Historical Site or Monument (HSM). Further, NSF is amending its regulations to reflect that the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (Consultative Parties), at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XXIX (ATCM XXIX) in Edinburgh, Scotland adopted Measure 4 (2006) which removed all species of the genus Arctocephalus, Fur Seals, from the list of Specially Protected Species in Appendix A to Annex II to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (The Protocol). These additions only reflect measures already adopted by the Consultative Parties at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. DATES: Effective Date: March 20, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bijan Gilanshah, Office of the General Counsel, at 703-292-8060, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (ACA), as amended, (16 U.S.C. 2401, et seq.) implements the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Annex II of the Protocol contains provisions for conservation of native Antarctic plants and animals. Annex V contains provisions for the protection of specially designated areas. Section 2405 of title 16 of the ACA directs the Director of the National Science Foundation to issue such regulations as are necessary and appropriate to implement Annexes II and V to the Protocol. The Antarctic Treaty Parties periodically adopt measures to establish additional specially protected areas, specially managed areas and historical sites or monuments in Antarctica. This rule is being revised to add two new Antarctic Specially Managed Areas and one new Historical Site and Monument. Finally, this revision reflects a decision by the Consultative Parties to de-list all species of the genus Arctocephalus, Fur Seals, from the list of Specially Protected Species in Appendix A to Annex II to the Protocol. The Fur Seals will continue to receive comprehensive protection under the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty. No public comment is needed because the addition of these areas or sites and the delisting merely implements measures adopted by the Consultative Parties at ATCM XXIX. Determinations NSF has determined, under the criteria set forth in Executive Order 12866, that this rule is not a significant regulatory action requiring review by the Office of Management and Budget. This rule involves a foreign affairs function of the United States and is, therefore, exempt from the notice requirements of section 553 of the Administrative Procedures Act and from regulatory flexibility analysis requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612. Although this rule is exempt from the Regulatory Flexibility Act, it has nonetheless been determined that this rule will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small businesses. For purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), these amendments to the existing regulations do not change the collection of information requirements contained in NSF's existing regulations, which have already been approved by the Office of Management and Budget. List of Subjects in 45 CFR Part 670 Administrative practice and procedure, Antarctica, Exports, Imports, Plants, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Wildlife. Dated: March 17, 2008. Lawrence Rudolph, General Counsel. Pursuant to the authority granted by 16 U.S.C. 2405(a)(1), NSF hereby amends 45 CFR part 670 as set forth below: PART 670--[AMENDED] 0 1. The authority citation for part 670 continues to read as follows: Authority: 16 U.S.C. 2405, as amended. 0 1. Section 670.25 is revised to read as follows: Sec. 670.25 Designation of specially protected species of native mammals, birds, and plants. The following species has been designated as Specially Protected Species by the Antarctic Treaty Parties and is hereby designated Specially Protected Species: [[Page 14940]] Common Name and Scientific Name Ross Seal--Ommatophoca rossii 0 2. Section 670.29 is revised to read as follows: Sec. 670.29 Designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, Specially Managed Areas and Historic Sites and Monuments. (a) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty Parties for special protection and are hereby designated as Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA). The Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended, prohibits, unless authorized by a permit, any person from entering or engaging in activities within an ASPA. Detailed maps and descriptions of the sites and complete management plans can be obtained from the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230. ASPA 101 Taylor Rookery, Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica ASPA 102 Rookery Islands, Holme Bay, Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica ASPA 103 Ardery Island and Odbert Island, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica ASPA 104 Sabrina Island, Balleny Islands ASPA 105 Beaufort Island, Ross Sea (see ASPA 124) ASPA 106 Cape Hallett, Victoria Land ASPA 107 Emperor Island, Dion Islands, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula (see Measure 1, 2002) ASPA 108 Green Island, Berthelot Islands, Antarctic Peninsula ASPA 109 Moe Island, South Orkney Islands ASPA 110 Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands ASPA 111 Southern Powell Island and adjacent islands, South Orkney Islands ASPA 112 Coppermine Peninsula, Robert Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 113 Litchfield Island, Arthur Harbour, Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago ASPA 114 Northern Coronation Island, South Orkney Islands ASPA 115 Lagotellerie Island, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula ASPA 116 `New College Valley', Caughley Beach, Cape Bird, Ross Island ASPA 117 Avian Island, off Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula ASPA 118 `Cryptogam Ridge', Mount Melbourne, Victoria Land ASPA 119 Davis Valley and Forlidas Pond, Dufek Massif ASPA 120 `Pointe-G[eacute]ologie Archipelego', Terre Ad[eacute]lie ASPA 121 Cape Royds, Ross Island ASPA 122 Arrival Heights, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island ASPA 123 Barwick and Balham Valleys (see Measure 1, 2002), Victoria Land ASPA 124 Cape Crozier, Ross Island ASPA 125 Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 126 Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 127 Haswell Island ASPA 128 Western shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island ASPA 129 Rothera Point, Adelaide Island ASPA 130 `Tramway Ridge', Mount Erebus, Ross Island ASPA 131 Canada Glacier, Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley, Victoria Land ASPA 132 Potter Peninsula, `25 de Mayo' (King George) Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 133 Harmony Point, west coast of Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 134 Cierva Point and offshore islands, Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula ASPA 135 North-eastern Bailey Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land ASPA 136 Clark Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land ASPA 137 Northwest White Island, McMurdo Sound ASPA 138 Linnaeus Terrace, Asgaard Range, Victoria Land ASPA 139 Biscoe Point, Anvers Island ASPA 140 Parts of Deception Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 141 `Yukidori Valley', Langhovde, L[uuml]tzow-Holmbukta ASPA 142 Svarthamaren, M[uuml]hlig-Hofmannfjella, Dronning Maud Land ASPA 143 Marine Plain, Mule Peninsula, Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land ASPA 144 `Chile Bay' (Discovery Bay), Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 145 Port Foster, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 146 South Bay, Doumer Island, Palmer Archipelago ASPA 147 Ablation Valley-Ganymede Heights, Alexander Island ASPA 148 Mount Flora, Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula ASPA 149 Cape Shirreff and San Telmo Island, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 150 Ardley Island, Maxwell Bay, King George Island ASPA 151 Lions Rump, King George Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 152 Western Bransfield Strait off Low Island, South Shetland Islands ASPA 153 Eastern Dallmann Bay off Brabant Island, Palmer Archipelago ASPA 154 Botany Bay, Cape Geology, Victoria Land ASPA 155 Cape Evans, Ross Island ASPA 156 Lewis Bay, Mount Erebus, Ross Island ASPA 157 Backdoor Bay, Cape Royds, Ross Island ASPA 158 Hut Point, Ross Island ASPA 159 Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast ASPA 160 Frazier Islands, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica (see Measure 2, 2003) ASPA 161 Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea ASPA 162 Mawson's Huts, Commonwealth Bay, George V Land, East Antarctica (see Measure 2, 2004) ASPA 163 Dakshin Gangotri Glacier, Dronning Maud Land ASPA 164 Scullin and Murray Monoliths, Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica ASPA 165 Edmonson Point, Wood Bay, Ross Sea ASPA 166 Port-Martin, Terre Ad[eacute]lie ASPA 167 Hawker Island, Vestfold Hills, Ingrid Christensen Coast, Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica (b) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty Parties for special management and are hereby designated as Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMA). Detailed maps and descriptions of the sites and complete management plans can be obtained from the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230. ASMA 1 Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland Islands ASMA 2 McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land ASMA 3 Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, George V Land ASMA 4 Deception Island, South Shetland Islands ASMA 5 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, South Pole ASMA 6 Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica (c) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty Parties as historic sites or monuments (HSM). The Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended, prohibits any damage, removal or destruction of a historic site or monument listed pursuant to Annex V to the Protocol. Descriptions of the sites or monuments can be obtained from the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230. HSM 1 Flag mast at South Pole [[Page 14941]] HSM 2 Rock cairn and plaques on Ongul Island, Prins Harald Kyst HSM 3 Rock cairn and plaque on Proclamation Island, Enderby Land HSM 4 Bust and plaque at `Pole of Inaccessibility' HSM 5 Rock cairn and plaque at Cape Bruce, Mac. Robertson Land HSM 6 Rock cairn and canister at Walkabout Rocks, Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land HSM 7 Stone and plaque at Mabus Point, Queen Mary Land HSM 8 Monument sledge and plaque at Mabus Point, Queen Mary Land HSM 9 Cemetery on Buromskiy Island, Queen Mary Land HSM 10 Observatory at Bunger Hills, Queen Mary Land HSM 11 Tractor and plaque at Vostok Station HSM 14 Ice cave at Inexpressible Island, Terra Nova Bay, Scott Coast HSM 15 Hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island HSM 16 Hut at Cape Evans, Ross Island HSM 17 Cross at Cape Evans, Ross Island HSM 18 Hut at Hut Point, Ross Island HSM 19 Cross at Hut Point, Ross Island HSM 20 Cross on Observation Hill, Ross Island HSM 21 Hut at Cape Crozier, Ross Island HSM 22 Hut at Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast HSM 23 Grave at Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast HSM 24 Rock cairn at Mount Betty, Queen Maud Range HSM 26 Installations at Barry Island, Debenham Islands, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 27 Cairn with plaque at Megalestris Hill, Petermann Island, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 28 Cairn, pillar and plaque at Port Charcot, Booth Island, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 29 Lighthouse on Lambda Island, Melchior Islands, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 30 Shelter at Paradise Harbour, Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 32 Monolith on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 33 Shelter, cross and plaque on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 34 Bust on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 35 Cross and statue on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 36 Plaque at Potter Cove, King George Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 37 Statue at Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 38 Hut of Snow Hill Island, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 39 Hut at Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 40 Bust, grotto, statue, flag mast, graveyard and stele at Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 41 Hut and grave at Paulet Island, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 42 Huts, magnetic observatory and graveyard at Scotia Bay, Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands HSM 43 Cross at `Piedrabuena Bay', Filchner Ice Front, Weddell Sea HSM 44 Plaque at Nivlisen Ice Front, Princesse Astrid Kyst, Dronning Maud Land HSM 45 Plaque at Metchnikoff Point, Brabant Island, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 46 Buildings and installations at Port-Martin, Terre Ad[eacute]lie HSM 47 Building on [Ibreve]le des P[eacute]trels, Terre Ad[eacute]lie HSM 48 Cross on [Ibreve]le des P[eacute]trels, Terre Ad[eacute]lie HSM 49 Pillar at Bunger Hill, Queen Mary Land HSM 50 Plaque at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 51 Grave and cross at Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 52 Monolith at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 53 Monolith and plaques on Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 54 Bust on Ross Island HSM 55 Buildings and artifacts on Stonington Island, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 56 Remains of hut and environs at Waterboat Point, Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 57 Plaque at ``Yankee Bay'' (Yankee Harbour), MacFarlane Strait, Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 59 Cairn on Half Moon Beach, Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 60 Plaque and cairn at 'Penguins Bay', Seymour Island, James Ross Island archipelago HSM 61 `Base A' at Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, off Wiencke Island, Antarctic Peninsula HSM 62 `Base F (Wordie House)' on Winter Island, Argentine Islands HSM 63 `Base Y' on Horseshoe Island, Marguerite Bay, western Graham Land HSM 64 `Base E' on Stonington Island, Marguerite Bay, western Graham Land HSM 65 Message post on Foyn Island, Possession Islands HSM 66 Cairn at Scott Nunataks, Alexandra Mountains HSM 67 Rock shelter `Granite House' at Cape Geology, Granite Harbour HSM 68 Depot at Hells Gate Moraine, Inexpressible Island, Terra Nova Bay HSM 69 Message post at Cape Crozier, Ross Island HSM 70 Message post at Cape Wadworth, Coulman Island HSM 71 Whaling station at Whalers Bay, Deception Island HSM 72 Cairn on Tryne Islands, Vestfold Hills HSM 73 Memorial Cross, Lewis Bay, Ross Island HSM 74 Wreckage of sailing ship, Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands HSM 75 `A Hut', Pram Point, Ross Island HSM 76 Ruins of base `Pedro Aguirre Cerda', Pendulum Cove, Deception Island HSM 77 Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, George V Land HSM 78 Memorial Plaque at India Point, Humboldt Mountains, Wohlthat Massif, central Dronning Maud Land HSM 79 Lilie Marleen Hut, Mt. Dockery, Everett Range, Northern Victoria Land HSM 80 Amundsen's Tent HSM 81 Rocher du D[eacute]barquement (Landing Rock) HSM 82 Monument to the Antarctic Treaty and Plaque [FR Doc. E8-5689 Filed 3-19-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555-01-P