[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 122 (Friday, June 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 41353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14961]


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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 July 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].

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: 2017-003
    Robert Ferl, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Introduce non-indigenous species into Antarctica. The applicant 
plans to bring plant seeds from the species Arabidopsis thaliana to 
Antarctica in a sealed container that will be launched as part of a 
Long Duration Balloon (LDB) payload in order to expose the seeds to 
radiation available at high altitude and high latitudes. The acrylic/
resin seed containment vessel will be sealed before leaving the USA and 
will not be reopened until it is returned. The containment vessel has 
been tested to -80 [deg]C for structural and seal stability and drop 
tested to >15 g. The containment vessel will be secured within a 10 cm 
cubesat and then bolted to the balloon gondola prior to launch of the 
balloon. The seed containment vessel will be recovered along with the 
balloon payload and returned to the USA and the home institution.

Location

    Ross Ice Shelf, Long Duration Balloon program launch and recovery 
sites, Antarctica.

Dates

    October 15, 2016-March 15, 2019.
2. Applicant--Permit Application: 2017-005
    David Ainley, H.T. Harvey & Associates, 983 University Avenue, Bldg 
D, Los Gatos, CA 95032.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested

    Take, Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA), Import into 
USA. The applicant plans to enter ASPAs 121 (Cape Royds), 124 (Cape 
Crozier), and 105 (Beaufort Island) to study how Adelie penguins adapt 
to, or cope with, environmental change. The annual research activities 
include: Observing penguins; marking (n = 1200) and measuring (n = 200) 
nests; marking penguins with RFID tags (n = 30 adults & 60 chicks) and 
flipper bands (n = 700 chicks); applying (and removing) special 
instruments (TDRs [n = 90 adults], SPOT satellite tags, GLS tags [n = 
200] adults); and taking small feather samples for DNA-based sex 
determination (n = 300 adults & 700 chicks). The applicant would also 
weigh and measure adults (n = 200) and chicks (n = 1000). Access to the 
ASPAs would be by foot once in the proximity (by way of helicopter or 
boats). Camping will be at established sites, except for Beaufort 
Island which will only be a few day-visits each year. The applicant 
will also be working at Cape Bird, but will be outside the boundary of 
the ASPA there. The applicant will maintain a webcam (PenguinCam) 
positioned slightly inside the Cape Royds ASPA boundary.

Location

    ASPA 121, Cape Royds; ASPA 124, Cape Crozier; ASPA 105, Beaufort 
Island; Cape Bird (outside ASPA boundary).

Dates

    October 15, 2016-February 5, 2020.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-14961 Filed 6-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P