[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56743-56744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22233]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


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

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 a 
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 15, 2013. 
This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit 
Office, address below.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Dahood, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address or [email protected] or (703) 292-7149.

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

[[Page 56744]]

designation of certain animals and certain geographic areas a requiring 
special protection. The regulations establish such a permit system to 
designate Antarctic Specially Protected Areas.

Application Details

1. Applicant: Erin Pettit, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, University 
of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK. Permit Application: 2014-015.

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: ASPA Entry; The applicant 
proposes to access the Blood Falls ASPA by foot to install 
instrumentation to assess the physical aspects of the Blood Falls 
system using non-destructive and non-invasive techniques. All 
instrumentation will be removed before this permit expires. Instruments 
to be deployed would include: ground penetrating radar (GPR), thermal 
imaging camera, embedded thermal sensors, stakes to measure ablation 
and GPS units to monitor the motion of the glacier. The GPR system will 
be moved carefully using a system of ice anchors, ice screws, and ropes 
that will be removed from the site when no longer in use. All embedded 
sensor strings will be removed before the permit expires. The 
applicants would wear clean footwear to enter to the ASPA to reduce the 
risk of non-native species invasions. The applicant would camp outside 
of the boundary of the area.
    Location: ASPA 172 Lower Taylor Glacier and Blood Falls, McMurdo 
Dry Valleys.
    Dates: November 1, 2013 to February 15, 2015 .

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-22233 Filed 9-12-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P