[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 56744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22232]


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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.

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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 October 15, 2013. 
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: Adrian Dahood, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address or [email protected] or (703) 292-7149.

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 requiring special protection. The regulations 
establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic Specially 
Protected Areas.

Application Details

    1. Applicant: Jill Mikucki, Department of Microbiology, University 
of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. Permit Application: 2014-014.

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: ASPA Entry; The applicants 
wish to access the Blood Falls outflow and subsurface brine conduit. 
They would use a mobile drill system and a small probe (Minimally 
Invasive Direct Glacier Exploration MIDGE) equipped with a camera to 
visualize the conduit. The applicant would collect biogeochemical 
samples to increase the body of knowledge on subglacial environments 
and aid in developing clean access methods. During the first field 
season, the applicant would familiarize themselves with the site and 
conduct only non-destructive and non-invasive sampling from the Blood 
Falls outflow. During the second field season, the applicant would use 
the drill and MIDGE probe to explore the Blood Falls crevasse and brine 
conduit. The instruments would penetrate approximately 50 meters and 
would not be near the glacier base or subglacial source of brine.
    Results from these studies could help inform management of the 
Blood Falls ASPA. Clean access techniques would be used and drilling 
would not go as deep as the base of the glacier or the source of the 
brine.
    Location: ASPA 172 Lower Taylor Glacier and Blood Falls, McMurdo 
Dry Valleys.
    Dates: November 1, 2013 to February 15, 2015.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-22232 Filed 9-12-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P