[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66064-66065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20821]


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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.

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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 under the Antarctic Conservation Act of

[[Page 66065]]

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 October 26, 2023. 
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: Andrew Titmus, ACA Permit Officer, 
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower 
Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-292-4479; or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Public Law 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 as 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 2021-004) to Grant Ballard on September 23, 2020. The 
issued permit allows the applicant to engage in take, harmful 
interference, enter Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs), and 
import samples into the USA in association with research on the role of 
environmental factors on foraging, diet, growth, and survival of Adelie 
penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). Research activities include installing 
weighbridges, resighting banded birds, and following birds through 
incubation and chick-rearing until late January. The applicant and 
agents attach logging and tracking devices on breeding adults and 
chicks and collect fecal, blood, and feather samples from adults and 
chicks during the brooding and guarding stage, then attach long-term 
GPS-Argos tags and geolocating dive recorders on adult penguins. To 
survey the large colonies at Cape Royds and Cape Crozier in a timely 
manner, the applicant and agents employ multiple, self- and 
collectively-aware remotely piloted aircraft (RPAS) simultaneously. Now 
the applicant proposes a modification to the permit to attach 
biologging devices to penguins during the egg incubation period, with 
the number of penguins being tagged remaining the same. The applicant 
also proposes to collect opportunistic fecal samples from a wider range 
of species, including Emperor Penguins, South Polar Skua, and Weddell 
Seals. Some incidental disturbance of the animals may occur during the 
collection of the fecal samples. A Marine Mammal Protection Act permit 
is additionally being sought to permit any incidental disturbance of 
Weddell Seals.
    Location: ASPA 121, Cape Royds, Ross Island; ASPA 124, Cape 
Crozier, Ross Island; ASPA 105, Beaufort Island; Cape Bird (outside 
ASPA boundary).
    Dates: September 15, 2023 to February 15, 2025.

Kimiko S Bowens-Knox,
Program Analyst, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2023-20821 Filed 9-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P