[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29884-29885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13427]


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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 received and permit 
issued.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a 
notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities 
regulated and permits issued 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 
a requested permit modification and permit issued.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, 
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower 
Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-292-8224; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation (NSF), as 
directed by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541, 45 
CFR 670), as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation 
Act

[[Page 29885]]

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.
    NSF issued a permit (ACA 2018-010) to David J. Smith on October 16, 
2017. The issued permit allows the permit holder to introduce non-
indigenous species into Antarctica. Dormant microbiological samples, 
pre-loaded into and remaining within a triple containment vessel, were 
brought to Antarctica to be launched into the Earth's stratosphere as 
part of NASA's Long Duration Balloon program (LDB). Details about the 
samples and the containment vessel are provided in the permit 
(attached). The microbiological samples, still contained within the 
vessel, will be returned to the USA and the home institution after 
recovery of the balloon payload.
    Now the permit holder proposes a permit modification to extend the 
dates of the permitted activities with a new permit expiration date of 
March 31, 2023 to allow for the possibility of a flight aboard an LDB 
mission in an upcoming austral summer season and the subsequent 
recovery of the payload. The Environmental Officer has reviewed the 
modification request and has determined that the amendment is not a 
material change to the permit, and it will have a less than a minor or 
transitory impact.
    Dates of Permitted Activities: October 16, 2017 to March 31, 2023.

    The permit modification was issued on June 19, 2019.
Erika N. Davis,
Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2019-13427 Filed 6-24-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P