[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 972-973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00085]


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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 February 8, 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].

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

[[Page 973]]

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: 2016-018
    Michael Gooseff, INSTAAR, 1560 30th Street, Boulder, CO 80309

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. The applicant plans to 
enter Canada Glacier, Lake Fryxell, to continue operation of a 
previously installed, continuously recording stream gauge station, 
perform maintenance, conduct stream flow measurements and collect water 
quality samples near the stream gauge site. The applicant will also 
collect water quality samples of the melt-water of the Canada Glacier 
and along the length of the stream to study in-stream biogeochemical 
processes. The applicant plans to collect a maximum of five moss 
samples per year using a 3 cm corer to a depth of about 3 cm and a 
maximum of five soil samples of approximately 200 g per year from which 
to extract nematodes. Photography, LIDAR, and other survey and 
monitoring techniques may be used to detect changes in the stream bed 
and algal mat distribution over time, and/or to monitor the change in 
the stream gauge system through time.
    The applicant also plans to enter Lower Taylor Glacier and Blood 
Falls to continue measurements of the Santa Fe Stream including: 
Stream-flow using velocity meters; pH, temperature, and conductivity 
via meters; and collection of water quality samples. The collection of 
water from the Blood Falls area occurs on the glacial moraine, not the 
glacier itself, and the sample is small (< 1 L) and comprised of both 
brine reservoir discharge (when present) and surface ice melt-water.

Location

    ASPA no. 131, Canada Glacier, Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley, Victoria 
Land; ASPA No. 172, Lower Taylor Glacier and Blood Falls, Taylor 
Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Victoria Land.

Dates

    February 29, 2016 to February 28, 2021.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-00085 Filed 1-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P