[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 122 (Friday, June 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 41353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14961]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic
Conservation Act of 1978
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic
Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated
under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published
regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670
of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of
permit applications received.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments,
or views with respect to this permit application by July 25, 2016. This
application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit
Office, address below.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755,
Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at
the above address or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), as amended
by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, has
developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for
various activities in Antarctica and designation of certain animals and
certain geographic areas a requiring special protection. The
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic
Specially Protected Areas.
Application Details
1. Applicant--Permit Application: 2017-003
Robert Ferl, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested
Introduce non-indigenous species into Antarctica. The applicant
plans to bring plant seeds from the species Arabidopsis thaliana to
Antarctica in a sealed container that will be launched as part of a
Long Duration Balloon (LDB) payload in order to expose the seeds to
radiation available at high altitude and high latitudes. The acrylic/
resin seed containment vessel will be sealed before leaving the USA and
will not be reopened until it is returned. The containment vessel has
been tested to -80 [deg]C for structural and seal stability and drop
tested to >15 g. The containment vessel will be secured within a 10 cm
cubesat and then bolted to the balloon gondola prior to launch of the
balloon. The seed containment vessel will be recovered along with the
balloon payload and returned to the USA and the home institution.
Location
Ross Ice Shelf, Long Duration Balloon program launch and recovery
sites, Antarctica.
Dates
October 15, 2016-March 15, 2019.
2. Applicant--Permit Application: 2017-005
David Ainley, H.T. Harvey & Associates, 983 University Avenue, Bldg
D, Los Gatos, CA 95032.
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested
Take, Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA), Import into
USA. The applicant plans to enter ASPAs 121 (Cape Royds), 124 (Cape
Crozier), and 105 (Beaufort Island) to study how Adelie penguins adapt
to, or cope with, environmental change. The annual research activities
include: Observing penguins; marking (n = 1200) and measuring (n = 200)
nests; marking penguins with RFID tags (n = 30 adults & 60 chicks) and
flipper bands (n = 700 chicks); applying (and removing) special
instruments (TDRs [n = 90 adults], SPOT satellite tags, GLS tags [n =
200] adults); and taking small feather samples for DNA-based sex
determination (n = 300 adults & 700 chicks). The applicant would also
weigh and measure adults (n = 200) and chicks (n = 1000). Access to the
ASPAs would be by foot once in the proximity (by way of helicopter or
boats). Camping will be at established sites, except for Beaufort
Island which will only be a few day-visits each year. The applicant
will also be working at Cape Bird, but will be outside the boundary of
the ASPA there. The applicant will maintain a webcam (PenguinCam)
positioned slightly inside the Cape Royds ASPA boundary.
Location
ASPA 121, Cape Royds; ASPA 124, Cape Crozier; ASPA 105, Beaufort
Island; Cape Bird (outside ASPA boundary).
Dates
October 15, 2016-February 5, 2020.
Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-14961 Filed 6-23-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P