[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 9 (Friday, January 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 2943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1072]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation (NSF) 
is inviting the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on 
this proposed information collection.

DATES: NSF should receive comments within 60 days from the date of this 
notice's publication.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Anita Eisenstadt, Assistant 
General Counsel, through surface mail (National Science Foundation, 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230); e:mail 
([email protected]) or fax (703-292-9041).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Call or write Anita Eisenstadt, 
Assistant General Counsel, at the National Science Foundation, 4201 
Wilson Boulevard, Room 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230; call (703) 292-
8060, or send e:mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Antarctic emergency response plan and 
environmental protection information.
    Abstract: The NSF, pursuant to the Antarctic Conservation Act of 
1978 (16 U.S.C. 2401 et seq.) (``ACA'') regulates certain non-
governmental activities in Antarctica. The ACA was amended in 1996 by 
the Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act. On June 4, 1998, 
NSF published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (63 FR 30438) to 
implement certain of these statutory amendments. The proposed rule 
would require non-governmental Antarctic expeditions using non-U.S. 
flagged vessels to ensure that the vessel owner has an emergency 
response plan. The proposed rule would also require persons organizing 
a non-governmental expedition to provide expedition members with 
information on their environmental protection obligations under the 
Antarctic Conservation Act. The notice of proposed rule stated that the 
rule was not subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act because of the 
small number of U.S. operators subject to the rule. Based upon comments 
received on the proposed rule and the slight increase in applicable 
tour operators, NSF has determined that it will issue this information 
collection notice to satisfy the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, prior to issuing the final rule.
    Expected Respondents. Respondents may include non-profit 
organizations and small and large businesses. The majority of 
respondents are anticipated to be U.S. tour operators, currently 
estimated to number twelve.
    Burden on the Public. The Foundation estimates that a one-time 
paperwork and recordkeeping burden of 40 hours or less, at a cost of 
$500 to $1400 per respondent, will result from the emergency response 
plan requirement contained in the proposed rule. Presently, all 
respondents have been providing expedition members with a copy of the 
Guidance for Visitors to the Antarctic (prepared and adopted at the 
Eighteenth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting as Recommendation 
XVIII-1). Because this Antarctic Treaty System document satisfies the 
environmental protection information requirements of the proposed rule, 
no additional burden shall result from the environmental information 
requirements in the proposed rule.

    Dated: January 8, 2001.
Lawrence Rudolph,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 01-1072 Filed 1-11-01; 8:45 am]
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