[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90870-90871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30112]


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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 January 17, 2017. 
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.

[[Page 90871]]

Application Details

Permit Application: 2017-038

1. Applicant: Robert B Dunbar, Keck Professor of Earth Sciences, Earth 
Systems Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2115.
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested
    Waste Management. The applicant proposes to conduct waste 
management activities associated with the operation of an unmanned 
aircraft system (UAS) in the Antarctic Peninsula region. The applicant 
is seeking this waste management permit in the unlikely even that the 
aircraft is lost and deemed unrecoverable during the conduct of the 
science missions. The applicant proposes to conduct a small number of 
aerial camera missions with a small UAS/quadcopter (DJI Phantom 4) to 
collect imagery along the fronts of floating ice tongues and tidewater 
glaciers. The pilot/operator has experience conducting similar UAS 
operations in cold and polar regions. Strict maintenance protocols will 
be adhered to and flight planning/mission will take place. The UAS will 
be launched from small inflatable watercraft, e.g. Zodiacs, either from 
the ``floor'' of the craft or using a handheld take-off method. Flights 
will last a maximum of 28 minutes and will be planned to maintain a 25% 
battery reserve upon landing. Flights will not be conducted over or 
near Antarctic Specially Protected Areas or Historic Sites and 
Monuments. If flights are planned for areas in the vicinity of 
scientific stations, the applicant will seek permission from station 
managers. There will be no flights over or near wildlife colonies, 
marine mammals at sea, or concentrations of flying birds. Biosecurity 
measures will be followed. The activities will be conducted during a 
cruise with Zegrahm Expeditions.
Location
    Antarctic Peninsula region
Dates
    January 15-30, 2017

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-30112 Filed 12-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P