[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 186 (Friday, September 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57882-57883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24308]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


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

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 October 26, 2015. 
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: Li Ling Hamady, 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 2015-001) to Dr. Robert Pitman on November 7, 2014. The 
issued permit allows the applicant to take and import tissue samples 
from various marine mammal species; tag them with satellite or suction 
cup tags; take photographs; and salvage dead birds or mammals for 
research purposes.
    Now the applicant proposes a modification to the permit to extend 
the permit's duration, which had expired on June 30, 2015, and to 
include the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) for photography, in 
order to make it consistent with and correspond to their Marine Mammal 
Protection Act permit (14097-06), which was recently extended and 
updated to include the aforementioned activity. The applicant would use 
utilize a remotely operated UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) equipped with 
a small high resolution camera to fly and take pictures at altitudes of 
90-180 ft above the following species: killer whales (<=600 
individuals), humpback whales (<=100 individuals), and Antarctic minke 
whales (<=100 individuals). The applicant wants to collect 
morphological data on the 4 types of killer whales to assist with 
taxonomic studies; identify prey species for small type B killer 
whales; and assess fitness in minke and humpback whales to provide 
baseline data for assessing the impact of krill fisheries on whale 
stocks in the Antarctic Peninsula area. The applicant has successfully 
deployed the equipment array over 200 times in various environments 
without wildlife disturbance.
    Location: Southern Ross Sea, Antarctic Peninsula, and various other 
location around the continent as opportunities become available via 
private tour operator.

[[Page 57883]]

    Dates: November 30, 2015-June 30, 2016.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-24308 Filed 9-24-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P