[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52619-52620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22555]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-541)

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 
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 6, 2003. 
This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit 
Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, 
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nadene G. Kennedy at the above address 
or (703) 292-7405.

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.
    The applications received are as follows:
    1. Permit Application No. 2004-013.
    Applicant: Gary D. Miller, Biology Department, University of New 
Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Take and Import into the 
United States. The applicant proposes to continue investigations of the 
diseases of penguins and skuas around the Australian station, Davis, in 
east Antarctica. He proposes to collect blood and or tissue samples 
from penguins, skuas, and other seabirds to address the impact diseases 
may have on the reproductive success of skuas. Previous studies have 
confirmed the presence of bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents in 
Antarctic populations. Human activity at scientific stations and/or 
from tourism is one potential source of disease introduction, however, 
it is thought that migratory birds such as South Polar Skuas, Kelp 
Gulls and Sheathbills act as natural vectors to introduce diseases to 
Antarctica. In addition to collecting blood and tissues samples the 
applicant plans to monitor the nesting success of skuas, and track 
adult skuas using small VHF transmitters.
    In addition, the applicant will continue analysis of the 
phylogenetic relationships and population genetics of two major genera 
of penguins. Blood and tissue samples will be collected from 
Magellanic, Adelie, Chinstrap, Gentoo, Macaroni, and Emperor penguins 
throughout their distribution. The applicant will serve as a lecturer 
onboard a tourist vessel that will give him access to various areas in 
the Antarctic. All samples will be returned to Dr. Shellum's lab in 
Perth, Australia or the laboratory at the University of New Mexico for 
processing. All other remains will be archived.
    Location: Davis Station, East Antarctica, and various coastal areas 
accessible via tourist vessels.
    Dates: November 1, 2003, to April 1, 2005.
    2. Permit Application No. 2004-014.
    Applicant: Scott Borg, Head, Antarctic Sciences Section, Office of 
Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, 
Arlington, VA 22230.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially 
Protected Area. Annex V of the Environmental Protocol was adopted at 
the XXVI Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Madrid, Spain in June 
2003, and requires permits for access to any of

[[Page 52620]]

the Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. The applicant and his agents 
propose to enter the Arrival Heights ASPA 122 to continue scientific 
projects already in place. Principal investigators and their teams will 
work on projects that include, but are not limited to operation of an 
ELF/VLF receiver, riometer and magnetometer or studies of the earth's 
magnetic field and ionosphere, high latitude neutral mesospheric and 
thermospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, UV monitoring, aerosols 
investigations, and pollution surveys. Crary Lab science technicians 
also need to access the site daily for equipment monitoring, data 
acquisition, calibrations, and repairs. In addition, technical 
personnel will need to enter the site to monitor, maintain, or repair 
weather equipment. Lastly, personnel from the Facilities Engineering 
and Maintenance Center may be called upon to perform maintenance or 
repair functions at facilities within the site. This activity will be 
coordinated through the Crary Lab.
    Location: ASPA 122--Arrival Heights, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross 
Island.
    Dates: October 1, 2003, to September 30, 2004.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Permit Officer, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 03-22555 Filed 9-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M