[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 177 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 46195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19824]
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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.
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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 in 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 12, 2018.
This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit
Office, address below.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Office of
Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at
the above address, 703-292-8030, or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541, 45 CFR 671),
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
Permit Application: 2019-005
1. Applicant: Bill Davis, VP Operations, Quark Expeditions, 3131 Elliot
Avenue, Suite 250, Seattle, WA 98121.
Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Waste Management. The
applicant is seeking a waste management permit associated with the
operation of the i/b Kapitan Khlebnikov in the Antarctic Peninsula
region. The vessel will complete multiple cruises and multiple landings
per cruise. Maximum passengers taken ashore at any one time will be
limited to 100 persons. Quark would offer activities including shore
excursions by Zodiac or helicopter, sightseeing by helicopter, visits
to the Snow Hill emperor penguin colony, polar plunges, and vessel-
supported short overnight stays (camping). The applicant also proposes
to operate a small, battery-operated remotely piloted aircraft system
(RPAS) consisting, in part, of a quadcopter equipped with a camera to
collect footage for commercial and educational purposes. Mitigation
measures would be in place to reduce the risk of non-native species
introductions and the risk of spills or releases to the environment.
Waste generated during small boat and shore-based activities would be
returned to the vessels for proper disposal.
For vessel-supported short overnight stays (camping): Camping would
be away from vegetated sites and at least 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. Campers would be limited to 30 passengers plus staff, except
at the following sites where campers are limited to 60 passengers plus
staff: Damoy Point/Dorian Bay, Danco Island, Pleneau Island, Leith
Cove, and Rong[eacute] Island. The ratio of staff to passengers would
be 1:10. Camping would include overnight stays of any duration, but in
accordance with the visitor site guidelines for each site.
For remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) operation: The
quadcopter would not be flown over wildlife, or over Antarctic
Specially Protected Areas or Historic Sites and Monuments. The RPAS
would only be operated by pilots with adequate experience. Several
measures would be taken to prevent against loss of the quadcopter
including painting the them a highly visible color; only flying when
the wind is calm; flying for only 15 minutes at a time to maintain
adequate battery charge; having a flotation device for operations over
water, and an ``auto 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 quadcopter does not exceed a maximum distance of 300
meters.
Location: Snow Hill Island; Antarctic Peninsula region. For
camping: Damoy Point/Dorian Bay, Danco Island, Rong[eacute] Island,
Errera Channel, Paradise Bay, Andvord Bay, Pleneau Island, Argentine
Islands (Winter Island by Wordie House), Hovgaard Island, Orne Harbour,
Leith Cove, Prospect Point, Portal Point, Skontorp Cove, Horseshoe
Island, Stony Point, Lefevre-Utile, the Naze.
Dates of Permitted Activities: October 1, 2018-March 31, 2019.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2018-19824 Filed 9-11-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P