[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66300-66301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23246]


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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 671 
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 October 27, 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

[[Page 66301]]

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 as requiring special protection. The 
regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas.

Application Details

Permit Application: 2017-011

1. Applicant: Brandon Harvey, Director Expedition Operations, Polar 
Latitudes, Inc., 2206 Jericho Street, White River Junction, VT 05001.

Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Waste Permit

    For Coastal Camping: The applicant seeks permission for no more 
than 30 campers and two expedition staff to camp overnight at select 
locations for a maximum of 10 hours ashore. Camping would be away from 
vegetated sites and >150m from wildlife concentrations or lakes, 
protected areas, historical sites, and scientific stations. Tents would 
be pitched on snow, ice, or bare smooth rock, at least 15m from the 
high water line. No food, other than emergency rations, would be 
brought onshore and all wastes, including human waste, would be 
collected and returned to the ship for proper disposal. The applicant 
is seeking a Waste Permit to cover any accidental releases that may 
result from camping.
    For Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Commercial Filming: The applicant 
wishes to fly small, battery operated, remotely controlled copters 
equipped with a camera to take scenic photos and film of the Antarctic. 
The UAVs would not be flown over concentrations of birds or mammals or 
over Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. The UAVs would only be flown 
by operators with extensive experience (>20 hours), who are pre-
approved by the Expedition Leader. Several measures would be taken to 
prevent against loss of the UAV including painting them a highly 
visible color; only flying when the wind is less than 25 knots; flying 
for only 15 minutes at a time to preserve battery life; having prop 
guards on propeller tips, a flotation device if operated over water, 
and a ``go home'' feature in case of loss of control link or low 
battery; having an observer on the lookout for wildlife, people, and 
other hazards; and ensuring that the separation between the operator 
and UAV does not exceed an operational range of 500 meters. The 
applicant is seeking a Waste Permit to cover any accidental releases 
that may result from flying a UAV.

Location

    Camping: Possible locations include Damoy Point/Dorian Bay, Danco 
Island, Rong[eacute] Island, the Errera Channel, Paradise Bay 
(including Almirante Brown/Base Brown or Skontorp Cove), the Argentine 
Islands, Andvord Bay, Pleneau Island, Hovgaard Island, Orne Harbour, 
Leith Cove, Prospect Point and Portal Point.
    UAV filming: Western Antarctic Peninsula region.

Dates

    October 31, 2016 to March 13, 2017.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-23246 Filed 9-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P