[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 21, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57724-57725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20402]


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

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 21, 2022. 
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 or [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Titmus, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address, 703-292-4479.

[[Page 57725]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, 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 as requiring special protection. 
The regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas.

Application Details

Permit Application: 2023-010

1. Applicant
    Becky Ball, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Arizona 
State University, Glendale, AZ 85306.
Activity for Which Permit is Requested
    Take, Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA), Import to 
USA. The applicant plans to take up to 117 (500 gram) soil samples, 36 
samples of the plant Deschampsia antarctica, 72 moss samples, and 36 
cyanobacterial mat samples per year from 4 locations on King George 
Island, Robert Island, and the Antarctic Peninsula. This project will 
develop understanding of plant functional traits and their role in 
succession during glacial retreat in terrestrial Antarctica. The 
applicant plans to conduct sampling and soil respiration experiments at 
sites near to ASPA 151, ASPA 112, ASPA 125, ASPA 150, ASPA 128, and 
ASPA 134 with sampling occurring within the ASPA only if suitable sites 
cannot be accessed outside of the ASPA boundary. The applicant plans to 
import soil and plant samples into the USA for study at the home 
institutions.
Location
    ASPA 112--Coppermine Peninsula, Robert Island, South Shetland 
Islands; ASPA 125--Fildes Peninsula, King George Island; ASPA 128--
Western shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland 
Islands; ASPA 134--Cierva Point and offshore islands, Danco Coast, 
Antarctic Peninsula; ASPA 150--Ardley Island, Maxwell Bay, King George 
Island; ASPA 151--Lions Rump, King George Island, South Shetland 
Islands.
Dates of Permitted Activities
    1 December 2022-31 March 2024.

Permit Application: 2023-013

2. Applicant
    Dr. Heather Lynch, Stony Brook University, IACS 163, Stony Brook, 
NY 11794.
Activity for Which Permit is Requested
    Waste Management. The applicant seeks an Antarctic Conservation Act 
waste management permit for activities associated with penguin 
population surveys in the Western Antarctic Peninsula and the South 
Shetland Islands. The applicant proposes using battery-powered, 
quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assist in the collection 
of imagery data for a multi-scale population census of penguin 
colonies. Mitigation measures will be put in place to prevent loss of 
aircraft. These measures include UAVs being flown by a trained pilot in 
fair-weather conditions and having stationed observers maintain visual 
contact with the aircraft at all times. The applicant proposes various 
recovery methods in the unlikely event that an aircraft is lost over 
land or sea. These measures will limit any potential impacts on the 
Antarctic environment. The applicant seeks a waste permit to cover any 
accidental release that may result from UAV use.
Location
    King George Island, South Shetland Islands; Western Antarctic 
Peninsula.
Dates of Permitted Activities
    November 15, 2022-February 1, 2023.

Erika N. Davis,
Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2022-20402 Filed 9-20-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P