[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73893-73894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29211]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


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

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of Permit Modification Request 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 requests to modify permits issued 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 a requested permit modification.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application by January 8, 2014. 
Permit applications 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 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.
    Description of Permit Modification Requested: The Foundation issued 
a permit (ACA 2014-006) to Eric Stangeland of Quark Expeditions on 
September 18, 2013 . The issued permit allows the applicant to conduct 
waste management activities associated with tourism activities 
including shore

[[Page 73894]]

excursions, kayaking, camping, cross country skiing, ice climbing and 
mountaineering, and downhill skiing in the Antarctic Peninsula region. 
Mitigation measures are in place to reduce the risk of non-native 
species introductions and the risk of spills.
    Now the applicant proposes a modification to his permit to allow 
for the conduct of waste management activities associated with 
conducting ice swimming and remote controlled camera copter activities.
    Ice swimming activities would be sanctioned by the International 
Ice swimming Association. The ice swimming activity would consist of up 
to seven passengers completing a one mile swim between the tour ship 
and land (Detaille Island, Stonington Island, or Horseshoe Island). 
Quark staff would maintain a watch for leopard seals and killer whales 
and abort the swim if these animals are sighted. Swimmers would be 
accompanied by Quark staff in kayaks and zodiacs in case of emergency. 
Mitigation measures would be in place to reduce the risk of non-native 
species introductions and the risk of spills ashore.
    The applicants wish to fly a small, battery operated, remotely 
controlled copter equipped with a camera to take scenic photos of the 
Antarctic. The copter would not be flown over concentrations of birds 
or mammals or over Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. Several 
measures would be taken to prevent against loss of the copter including 
painting the copter a highly visible color, only flying it when the 
wind is calm, flying the copter for short periods of time that last 
less than half a battery charge, equipping the copter with floatation 
so that it could be recovered from the sea, allowing only trained 
operators to fly the copter and ensuring that the separation between 
the operator and copter does not exceed its ``operational range'' of 
500 meters. The copter itself has safety features programmed into such 
as returning to its take off location if connection is lost with the 
remote control device. The applicants are seeking a modification to 
their waste Permit to cover any accidental releases that may result 
from flying the copter.
    Location: Antarctic Peninsula Region.
    Dates: (That the mod would be valid) January 7, 2014-March 31, 
2017.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-29211 Filed 12-6-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P