[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 162 (Monday, August 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 52354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21295]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Application Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) has received a waste management permit application for operation 
of a field research camp located in ASPA 149-Cape Shirreff, 
Livingston Island by the Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMLR) 
Program, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA. The 
application is submitted to NSF pursuant to regulations issued under 
the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application within September 21, 
2011. Permit applications 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: Dr. Polly A. Penhale at the above 
address or (703) 292-8030.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NSF's Antarctic Waste Regulation, 45 CFR 
part 671, requires all U.S. citizens and entities to obtain a permit 
for the use or release of a designated pollutant in Antarctica, and for 
the release of waste in Antarctica. NSF has received a permit 
application under this Regulation for operation of remote research 
field camp at ASPA 149 Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island. The 
camp consists of four structures on the beach between Llano Point and 
Sphinx Hill which has been in use during the summer since 1977. The 
camp is used to house researchers (typically 6 people), provide a base 
of research operations, and allow laboratory studies. Biological 
investigation of seabirds and pinnipeds is the primary research 
conducted from the camp.
    Designated pollutants would be associated with camp operations 
[typically air emissions and waste water (urine, grey-water, and human 
solid waste)] and scientific activities (typically research materials). 
All wastes would be packaged and removed from the site for proper 
disposal in Chile or the U.S. under approved guidelines prior to the 
end of each season.
    In addition, the AMLR Program conducts 30-90 days of vessel 
operations in the Antarctic Peninsula region. The vessel follows a 
standardized survey grid, and depending on the focus any given year, 
additional smaller sections of the region are surveyed. During annual 
surveys, the Program deploys drifters and expendable bathythermographs 
(XBT's) to collect hydrographic data. In addition to drifters and 
XBT's, the AMLR Program also deploys and recovers a variety of gear 
that are not intentionally released into the environment:
    (1) Conductivity-Temperature-Depth profilers (CTD's) are lowered to 
collect water in attached PCV bottles. Due to storms or heavy waves the 
bottles can be broken and release plastic into the ocean.
    (2) Fishing nets: (a) Plankton nets come in a variety of 
configurations and sizes. The Program has lost a net ad frame once 
every 3-5 years. (B) Commercial bottom trawl nets are deployed every 
two to three years. Due to the submarine terrain being volcanic, ice 
scoured and highly variable in makeup, trawls can be lost if the trawl 
is snagged on boulders or rock outcroppings.
    (3) Other gears: Towed or undulating instruments (e.g. Continuous 
plankton recorder, Winged Optical Particle Counters, towed Current 
profilers) can be lost. In many cases these instruments, if lost are 
buoyant, and can be recovered. In other cases, the instruments are 
heavy, and made of mostly metal and sink in the rather deep water 
surrounding the Antarctic Continent.
    The permit applicant is: George Watters, Director, US AMLR Program, 
Southwest Fisheries Service, NOAA, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La 
Jolla, CA 92037 Permit application No. 2012 WM-001.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Permit Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-21295 Filed 8-19-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P