[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22282-22283]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08665]


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

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.

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

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 part 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.
    NSF issued a permit (ACA 2021-002) to Megan Cimino on August 12, 
2020. The issued permit allows the permit holder and agents to enter 
Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs), as well as engage in 
research activities that would result in Take, Harmful

[[Page 22283]]

Interference, and Import into the USA. The permit holder and agents may 
conduct activities associated with long-term studies of seabird ecology 
including diets, breeding success, growth rates, survival, recruitment, 
behavior, population trends, foraging success, and seasonal dispersal 
as detailed in the attached permit application. Study species include 
Adelie, Chinstrap, and Gentoo Penguins; Brown and South Polar Skua; 
Southern Giant Petrel; Blue-eyed Shag; Kelp Gull; and Snowy Sheathbill. 
Specimens from these and other species may be salvaged from birds that 
have died of natural causes.
    Now the permit holder proposes a permit modification to deploy 
three time-lapse cameras, two on Torgersen Island and one on Humble 
Island (Restricted Zones within ASMA 7, Southwest Anvers Island and 
Palmer Basin), to monitor Adelie penguin occupation patterns in 
relation to the Palmer Station pier construction. The two islands of 
interest are where Ad[eacute]lie penguin foraging behavior, diet, and 
phenology have been routinely studied and are the largest Ad[eacute]lie 
colonies near Palmer Station. The equipment would consist of a small 
camera attached to a steel pole with a square base that is anchored 
under rocks. The cameras would be deployed at the end of May 2021 by 
permit agents (if there are any delays, the cameras would be installed 
during October 2021). The equipment would be hand carried in pieces to 
the sites of interest and assembled in the field. The cameras would 
remain in place for at least two years to obtain information during the 
pier construction and the year after construction. 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: April 21, 2021 to September 30, 
2023.
    The permit modification was issued on April 21, 2021.

Erika N. Davis,
Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2021-08665 Filed 4-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P