[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 217 (Monday, November 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63822-63823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28224]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


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

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit applications received under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, Pub. L. 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 December 10, 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 requiring special protection. The regulations 
establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic Specially 
Protected Areas.
    The applications received are as follows:
    Applicant: Thomas A. Day, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State 
University, P.O. Box 874501, Tempe AZ 85287-4501.

[[Page 63823]]

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take and Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area. The applicant 
proposes to collect up to 100 seeds and 300 plants of Deschampsia 
antarctic (Antarctic hairgrass), and up to 100 seed capsules and up to 
300 plants of Colobanthus quitensis (Antarctic pearlwort), as well as 
soil samples. This material will be used to study the effects of 
climate change (warming, altered precipitation and enhanced UV-B) on 
Antarctic plants and productivity of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. 
Seeds are needed to propagate material at the applicant's home 
institution for examining plant responses to climate change factors. 
Plants and soils are needed to examine how plant productivity and soil 
characteristics (e.g., carbon pools) change along natural microclimate 
gradients representing differences in temperature and moister regime. 
Plants and soils are also needed for transplant in the lab at Palmer 
Station where temperatures, precipitation, and UV-B radiation will be 
manipulated around the plants in order to study their responses. 
Transported plants and soils will subsequently be harvested and 
returned to the applicant's home institution for chemical analyses.

Location

    Biscoe Point (ASPA 139) and other islands in the vicinity 
of Palmer Station, Anvers Island.

Dates

    December 1, 2003 to August 31, 2006.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Permit Officer, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 03-28224 Filed 11-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M