[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 9, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30630-30631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12082]


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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 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.
    NSF issued a permit (ACA 2020-004) to Leidos Innovations 
Corporation on November 8, 2019. The issued permit allows the permit 
holder to conduct waste management activities associated with the 
implementation of the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). The USAP 
Master Waste permit applies to all USAP activities, including major 
reconstruction and modernization efforts, conducted by all 
organizations supporting or supported by the Program. This includes the 
transport of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste from Antarctica to 
the United States. Under this permit, Leidos collects, stores, and 
ships both hazardous and non-hazardous waste materials and is 
responsible for the final disposition of these materials upon return to 
the United States.
    Now the permit holder proposes a permit modification to revise and 
update several statements regarding the handling and disposition of 
hazardous wastes from Palmer Station and the research vessels as 
follows to more accurately reflect current and planned practices.

Permit Application Page 4-11

    Original text: Nonhazardous wastes generated at the [Palmer] 
station will be transported by vessel to Chile and Antarctic hazardous 
wastes will be retrograded directly to the United States.
    Revised text: Nonhazardous wastes generated at the station will be 
transported by vessel to Chile. Antarctic hazardous wastes will be 
removed from the Antarctic for final disposition in either the United 
States or another nation in accordance with all relevant statutes and 
regulations. The Antarctic hazardous waste may be transported to Chile 
and/or McMurdo Station as an intermediate step prior to retrograde to 
the final disposal location. Any temporary storage and transport 
activities would comply with all applicable regulations in Chile and 
the 15-month storage period maximum for Antarctic hazardous wastes at 
McMurdo Station established by the ACA [Antarctic Conservation Act].

Permit Application Page 4-14

    Original text: Antarctic hazardous wastes generated onboard the 
ARSV Laurence M. Gould because of scientific research activities will 
typically be offloaded at Palmer Station for subsequent processing, 
interim storage, and retrograde to the United States. Because of the 
RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer's size, it cannot access the docking 
facilities at Palmer Station and therefore research-related Antarctic 
hazardous waste generated onboard may be transferred to the ARSV 
Laurence M. Gould, offloaded at McMurdo Station, or transported 
directly to the United States.
    Revised text: Antarctic hazardous wastes generated onboard the ARSV 
Laurence M. Gould and RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer will typically be 
offloaded at Palmer Station for subsequent processing, interim storage, 
and retrograde for final disposition. Depending on the vessels' 
schedules, Antarctic hazardous waste may sometimes be transferred from 
one vessel to the other in order to consolidate the Antarctic hazardous 
wastes from both vessels into one shipment. Additionally, Antarctic 
hazardous waste can be offloaded at McMurdo Station instead of Palmer 
Station for subsequent processing, interim storage, and retrograde. 
Antarctic hazardous waste may also be retrograded directly to the final 
disposition location instead of being offloaded at one of the research 
stations first.
    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: November 8, 2019 to September 30, 
2024.


[[Page 30631]]


    The permit modification was issued on June 4, 2021.
Erika N. Davis,
Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2021-12082 Filed 6-8-21; 8:45 am]
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