[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 177 (Thursday, September 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48179-48180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19775]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

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

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 15, 2019. 
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 670 
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: 2020-001

    1. Applicant: Sarah Airriess, 16 Earl Street, Cambridge, UK, CB1 
1JR.
    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially 
Protected Areas. The applicant, a writer supported by NSF's Antarctic 
Artists and Writers Program, would enter ASPAs 122, 124, 155, and 158 
to visit the Ross Island historic huts and other sites of historic and 
scientific interest. The observations, sketches, and photographs made 
during these visits will inform the applicant's graphic novel about the 
Antarctic history, research, and daily life. The applicant would enter 
the huts with a trained guide, would be escorted by technical experts 
as appropriate, and would abide by the management plans of all ASPAs 
visited. The results of this work are expected to be useful for 
outreach and education about Antarctica and the scientific research 
conducted there.
    Location: ASPA 122, Arrival Heights, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross 
Island; ASPA 124, Cape Crozier, Ross Island; ASPA 155, Cape Evans, Ross 
Island; ASPA 158 Hut Point, Ross Island.
    Dates of Permitted Activities: November 1, 2019-January 1, 2020.

Permit Application: 2020-002

    2. Applicant: Paul Ponganis, CMBB, Scripps Institute of 
Oceanography, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0204.

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Take, Harmful Interference, 
Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs). The applicant 
proposes to capture up to 23 non-breeding adult or sub-adult emperor 
penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) from the McMurdo Sound area or, if 
necessary, Cape Washington, ASPA 173. The applicant would access ASPA 
173 by small, fixed-wing aircraft in accordance with the ASPA 
management plan. The penguins would be subjects in a study of diving 
physiology and would be kept captive on the sea ice for the length of 
the study. The captive penguins would be able to dive and forage at 
will. Under general anesthesia, recorders would be attached to the 
penguins in order to measure oxygen in the air sacs or blood, heart 
rate/stroke rate, and depth/activity or, in some penguins, to collect 
blood samples during diving. Typically, the recorders would be attached 
to an individual penguin for one or two days after which the recorders 
would be removed under general anesthesia. Another study would involve 
assessing underwater feeding and navigation via an attached camera/
activity recorder. Following the study, the penguins would be released 
at the McMurdo Sound sea ice edge. Any penguins from the Cape 
Washington colony would be capable of navigating back to that area.
    Location: McMurdo Sound, Antarctica; ASPA 173, Cape Washington and 
Silverfish Bay; Coulman Island.
    Dates of Permitted Activities: October 1-December 20, 2019.

Permit Application: 2020-003

    3. Applicant: Todd D. Anderson, 602 Queens Ct, Clemson, SC 29631.

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially 
Protected Areas. The applicant, a writer supported by NSF's Antarctic 
Artists and Writers Program, would enter ASPAs 122, 155, 157 and 158 to 
visit the Ross Island historic huts and other sites of historic and 
scientific interest. The observations, sketches, and photographs made 
during these visits will inform the applicant's book about the 
Antarctic history, research, and daily life. The applicant would enter 
the huts with a trained guide, would be escorted by technical experts 
as appropriate, and would abide by the management plans of all ASPAs 
visited. The applicant would not enter ASPA 121, Cape Royds, Ross 
Island. The results of this work are expected to be

[[Page 48180]]

useful for outreach and education about Antarctica and the scientific 
research conducted there.
    Location: ASPA 122, Arrival Heights, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross 
Island; ASPA 155, Cape Evans, Ross Island; ASPA 157, Backdoor Bay, Cape 
Royds, Ross Island; ASPA 158 Hut Point, Ross Island.
    Dates of Permitted Activities: November 5-December 10, 2019.

Erika N. Davis,
Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2019-19775 Filed 9-11-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P