[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 159 (Friday, August 20, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 46887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17825]


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

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.

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

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a 
notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities 
regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. This is the 
required notice of a requested permit modification.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, 
or views with respect to this permit application by September 20, 2021. 
Permit applications 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: Polly Penhale, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address, 703-292-7420, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), 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.
    Description of Permit Modification Requested: The Foundation issued 
a permit (ACA 2019-001) to Ron Naveen, Oceanites Inc., on August 7, 
2018. The issued permit allows the permit holder and agents to engage 
in take and harmful interference, as well as to enter Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs), to continue data collections 
activities conducted to support the Antarctic Site Inventory. Visitor 
site surveys may include censusing penguin and seabird colonies 
throughout the Antarctic Peninsula. There is the potential for slight 
disturbance of the birds during surveying and censusing. This permit 
addresses the potential for infrequent, minimal take or harmful 
interference of the several penguin and other seabird species. While 
conducting visitor site surveys and censuses, the permit holder and 
agents may enter a number of ASPAs in the Antarctic Peninsula region.
    A recent modification to this permit, dated November 20, 2019, 
permitted the applicant to collect samples from adult gentoo penguins 
(Pygoselis papua) for genetic analysis in order to study range 
expansion, colonization of new areas, and gene flow.
    Now the applicant proposes a modification to his permit to include 
use of unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) to enable more efficient 
monitoring of penguin breeding colonies and to improve penguin 
censusing capabilities in the Antarctic Peninsula region. The applicant 
has included a detailed list of mitigation measures to limit 
disturbance to wild populations throughout operations. The applicant 
also seeks to include opportunistic guano sampling under the existing 
permit to assist in analysis of penguin diet. Guano samples will be 
collected during planned operations within penguin colonies and the 
disturbance to wildlife is expected to be minimal.
    Location: Western Antarctic Peninsula.
    Dates: September 1, 2018-August 31, 2023.

Erika N. Davis,
Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2021-17825 Filed 8-19-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P