[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66300-66301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23246]
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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 671
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 27, 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
[[Page 66301]]
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 as requiring special protection. The
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic
Specially Protected Areas.
Application Details
Permit Application: 2017-011
1. Applicant: Brandon Harvey, Director Expedition Operations, Polar
Latitudes, Inc., 2206 Jericho Street, White River Junction, VT 05001.
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Waste Permit
For Coastal Camping: The applicant seeks permission for no more
than 30 campers and two expedition staff to camp overnight at select
locations for a maximum of 10 hours ashore. Camping would be away from
vegetated sites and >150m from wildlife concentrations or lakes,
protected areas, historical sites, and scientific stations. Tents would
be pitched on snow, ice, or bare smooth rock, at least 15m from the
high water line. No food, other than emergency rations, would be
brought onshore and all wastes, including human waste, would be
collected and returned to the ship for proper disposal. The applicant
is seeking a Waste Permit to cover any accidental releases that may
result from camping.
For Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Commercial Filming: The applicant
wishes to fly small, battery operated, remotely controlled copters
equipped with a camera to take scenic photos and film of the Antarctic.
The UAVs would not be flown over concentrations of birds or mammals or
over Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. The UAVs would only be flown
by operators with extensive experience (>20 hours), who are pre-
approved by the Expedition Leader. Several measures would be taken to
prevent against loss of the UAV including painting them a highly
visible color; only flying when the wind is less than 25 knots; flying
for only 15 minutes at a time to preserve battery life; having prop
guards on propeller tips, a flotation device if operated over water,
and a ``go home'' feature in case of loss of control link or low
battery; having an observer on the lookout for wildlife, people, and
other hazards; and ensuring that the separation between the operator
and UAV does not exceed an operational range of 500 meters. The
applicant is seeking a Waste Permit to cover any accidental releases
that may result from flying a UAV.
Location
Camping: Possible locations include Damoy Point/Dorian Bay, Danco
Island, Rong[eacute] Island, the Errera Channel, Paradise Bay
(including Almirante Brown/Base Brown or Skontorp Cove), the Argentine
Islands, Andvord Bay, Pleneau Island, Hovgaard Island, Orne Harbour,
Leith Cove, Prospect Point and Portal Point.
UAV filming: Western Antarctic Peninsula region.
Dates
October 31, 2016 to March 13, 2017.
Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-23246 Filed 9-26-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P