[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 122 (Monday, June 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36963-36964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12666]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of the Availability of Finding of No Significant Impact 
for a Biocomplexity Study of the Response of Tundra Carbon Balance to 
Warming and Drying Across Multiple Time Scales

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a finding of no significant impact 
for proposed activities in the Arctic.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation gives notice of the 
availability of a finding of no significant impact for proposed 
activities in the Arctic.
    The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) has prepared an Environmental 
Assessment of a Biocomplexity Study of the Response of Tundra Carbon 
Balance to Warming and Drying Across Multiple

[[Page 36964]]

Time Scales, 2005-2008. Given the United States Arctic Program's 
mission to support polar research, the proposed action is expected to 
result in substantial benefits to science. The draft Environmental 
Assessment was available for public review for a 30-day period; several 
comments were received.

DATES: Comments on the FONSI must be submitted on or before July 27, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to Dr. Polly A. Penhale, 
National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, 4201 Wilson 
Blvd., Suite 755, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292-8033. 
Copies of the Finding of No Significant Impact and the Environmental 
Assessment are available upon request from Dr. Penhale.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The National Science Foundation has 
prepared a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) based on this EA, 
in accordance with CEQ regulations Sec.  1500-1508 and 45 CFR Part 640. 
It was determined that the proposed activity would not result in a 
significant impact on the quality of the human environment within the 
meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. 
Therefore, a FONSI was issued, and no environmental impact statement is 
required.
    Copies of the FONSI and the Environmental Assessment titled, 
Biocomplexity Study of the Response of Tundra Carbon Balance to Warming 
and Drying Across Multiple Time Scales, 2005-2008, are available upon 
request from: Dr. Polly A. Penhale, National Science Foundation, Office 
of Polar Programs, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 755, Arlington, VA 22230. 
Telephone: (703) 292-8033 or at the agency's Web site at: http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/arctic/arc-- envir/tundra--ea.pdf and http://www.nsf. gov/od/opp/arctic/arc-- envir/tundra--fonsi.pdf. The National 
Science Foundation invites interested members of the public to provide 
written comments on this FONSI.

Polly A. Penhale,
Environmental Officer, Office of Polar Programs, National Science 
Foundation.
[FR Doc. 05-12666 Filed 6-24-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M