[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 1761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00023]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Permit Modification Received Under the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit modification request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a 
notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities 
regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. This is the 
required notice of a requested permit modification.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application by February 6, 2017. 
Permit applications may be inspected by interested parties at the 
Permit Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, 
Office 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.
    Description of Permit Modification Requested: The Foundation issued 
a permit (ACA 2016-024) to Ari Friedlaender on February 8, 2016. The 
issued permit allows the permit holder to conduct waste management 
activities associated with the tagging and biopsy sampling of baleen 
whales in the Antarctic Peninsula region. The permit covers any 
accidental releases that may occur if the biopsy darts and/or tags are 
lost during the conduct of the research.
    Now the permit holder proposes a modification to his permit to 
include waste management activities associated with the operation of 
unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) used to collect photographs of 
individual whales for health assessment purposes. The permit holder is 
requesting this modification in the unlikely event that the UAS is lost 
during the conduct of science missions. The UAS will be operated by 
experienced pilots according to protocols designed to ensure safe 
operations and to minimize the risk of loss of the UAS. The UAS are 
powered by lithium polymer batteries and do not require any fuels.
    Location: Antarctic Peninsula region.
    Dates: February 15, 2017-April 30, 2020.

Nadene G. Kennedy,
Polar Coordination Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2017-00023 Filed 1-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P