[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 247 (Thursday, December 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 80394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32439]


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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 January 25, 2016. 
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: Nature McGinn, 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.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

    1. Applicant: Permit Application: 2016-023, Sarah Eppley, Portland 
State University, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 
97207.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Sample collection, ASPA 
entry, and Import into the USA. Mosses are known ecosystem engineers in 
the Arctic tundra, while little is known about Antarctic mosses in 
organizing communities or shaping ecosystem processes, and how 
individual moss types influence Antarctic ecology. The applicants 
propose to collect moss and soil samples from ASPAs to investigate how 
warming will affect Antarctic moss terrestrial ecosystems. Moss and 
soil samples, up to 3 cm deep, will be collected using a metal 2 cubic 
centimeter coring device. Up to 180 samples total from each of 6 
different moss species, up to 30 samples total from two other moss 
species, up to 30 samples of additional moss species, and up to 400 
total soil samples will be collected. These samples will be imported 
back to the home university.
    Location: ASPA 125, Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, including 
Zone 125c, Glacier Dome Belligshausen (Collins Glacier); ASPA 150, 
Ardley Island, Maxwell Bay, Antarctic Peninsula.
    Dates: February 10 to June 30, 2016.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-32439 Filed 12-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P