83 FR 53664 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 206 (October 24, 2018)

Page Range		53664-53664
FR Document		2018-23258

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.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 206 (Wednesday, October 24, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 53664]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23258]



[[Page 53664]]

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

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 November 23, 2018. 
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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at 
the above address, 703-292-8030, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed 
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541, 45 CFR 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. 
The regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic 
Specially Protected Areas.

Application Details

Permit Application: 2019-009

1. Applicant: Zicheng Yu, Department of Earth and Environmental 
Science, Lehigh University, 1 West Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18015.

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially 
Protected Area (ASPA). The applicant requests access to ASPA 113, 
Litchfield Island, to collect small samples of moss and peat and carry 
out field measurements. Moss samples would primarily consist of two 
species, Polytrichum strictum and Chorisodontium aciphyllum, and would 
be collected by hand. Cores of peat moss up to 100 cm deep would be 
collected by box corer (3 inches by 4 inches) or permafrost corer (2-
inch diameter). A limited number of samples would be collected from 
within the ASPA and from other nearby locations within the Palmer Basin 
ASMA. No equipment or instrumentation would be installed in ASPA 113. 
To minimize the potential for unintentional transfer of soils or 
organisms, the application and agents would clean sample collection 
tools, as well as clothing and shoes, between visits to different field 
sites. The samples would be processed at the home institution. Data 
gathered from this research will advance the understanding of peat moss 
banks to climate change during the last 3000 years.
    Location: ASPA 113, Litchfield Island.
    Dates of Permitted Activities: December 1, 2018-April 30, 2019.

Permit Application: 2019-010

2. Applicant: Mark Salvatore, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 
Northern Arizona University, NAU Box 6010, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6010.

    Activity for Which Permit is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially 
Protected Area (ASPA); Take; Harmful interference. The applicant 
requests access to ASPA 131, Canada Glacier, to collect samples of 
mosses and microbial mats and carry out spectral measurements and 
imagery collection. The applicant and agents would enter ASPA 131 up to 
three times over the course of a single season to collect samples and 
measurements from up to three discrete plots (20 m by 20 m) of the 
Canada Stream area. The number of samples collected within each plot 
during each visit would vary based on the degree of heterogeneity of 
the distribution of mosses or microbial mats. The applicant proposes to 
collect no more that 66 total samples of moss and microbial mats. 
Samples would be small (up to approximately 10 mL) and collected using 
a #13 cork-borer or, when sampling from rocks or uneven surfaces, a 1 
cm\2\ area of mat would be brushed into a sample container. While 
traversing the ASPA area on foot between sampling plots, the applicant 
and agents would use trails, when available, and would avoid extremely 
sensitive areas such as drainages, stream channels, and soft soils to 
the maximum extent possible. The applicant and agents would also 
conduct similar, but more extensive sampling of microbial mats in other 
stream systems within the Lake Fryxell Basin in the McMurdo Dry Valleys 
Antarctic Specially Managed Area (ASMA 2). The samples, ground-based 
spectral measurements, and ground-based imagery would be compared to 
spectral signatures in satellite imagery with the ultimate goal of 
using remote sensing to study key ecosystem characteristics.
    Location ASPA 131, Canada Glacier; ASMA 2, McMurdo Dry Valleys.
    Dates of Permitted Activities: December 1, 2018-February 15, 2019.

Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2018-23258 Filed 10-23-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P

53664 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 206 / Wednesday, October 24, 2018 / Notices

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Polytrichum strictum and mats in other stream systems within the
Chorisodontium aciphyllum, and would Lake Fryxell Basin in the McMurdo Dry
Notice of Permit Applications Received be collected by hand. Cores of peat moss Valleys Antarctic Specially Managed
Under the Antarctic Conservation Act up to 100 cm deep would be collected Area (ASMA 2). The samples, ground-
of 1978 by box corer (3 inches by 4 inches) or based spectral measurements, and
permafrost corer (2-inch diameter). A ground-based imagery would be
AGENCY: National Science Foundation. limited number of samples would be
ACTION: Notice of permit applications compared to spectral signatures in
collected from within the ASPA and satellite imagery with the ultimate goal
received. from other nearby locations within the of using remote sensing to study key
Palmer Basin ASMA. No equipment or
SUMMARY: The National Science ecosystem characteristics.
instrumentation would be installed in
Foundation (NSF) is required to publish Location ASPA 131, Canada Glacier;
ASPA 113. To minimize the potential
a notice of permit applications received ASMA 2, McMurdo Dry Valleys.
for unintentional transfer of soils or
to conduct activities regulated under the
organisms, the application and agents Dates of Permitted Activities:
Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978.
would clean sample collection tools, as December 1, 2018–February 15, 2019.
NSF has published regulations under well as clothing and shoes, between
the Antarctic Conservation Act in the visits to different field sites. The Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Code of Federal Regulations. This is the samples would be processed at the Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
required notice of permit applications home institution. Data gathered from Foundation.
received. this research will advance the [FR Doc. 2018–23258 Filed 10–23–18; 8:45 am]
DATES: Interested parties are invited to understanding of peat moss banks to BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
submit written data, comments, or climate change during the last 3000
views with respect to this permit years.
application by November 23, 2018. This Location: ASPA 113, Litchfield NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
application may be inspected by Island.
interested parties at the Permit Office, Dates of Permitted Activities: Notice of Permit Modification Issued
address below. December 1, 2018–April 30, 2019. Under the Antarctic Conservation Act
ADDRESSES: Comments should be Permit Application: 2019–010 of 1978
addressed to Permit Office, Office of 2. Applicant: Mark Salvatore,
Polar Programs, National Science AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
Department of Physics and
Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Astronomy, Northern Arizona ACTION: Notice of permit modifications
Alexandria, Virginia 22314. University, NAU Box 6010, issued.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Flagstaff, AZ 86011–6010.
Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at Activity for Which Permit is SUMMARY: The National Science
the above address, 703–292–8030, or Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially Foundation (NSF) is required to publish
ACApermits@nsf.gov. Protected Area (ASPA); Take; Harmful notice of permits issued under the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The interference. The applicant requests Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978.
National Science Foundation, as access to ASPA 131, Canada Glacier, to This is the required notice.
directed by the Antarctic Conservation collect samples of mosses and microbial
Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95–541, 45 CFR mats and carry out spectral FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
670), as amended by the Antarctic measurements and imagery collection. Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer,
Science, Tourism and Conservation Act The applicant and agents would enter Office of Polar Programs, National
of 1996, has developed regulations for ASPA 131 up to three times over the Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower
the establishment of a permit system for course of a single season to collect Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703–
various activities in Antarctica and samples and measurements from up to 292–8030; email: ACApermits@nsf.gov.
designation of certain animals and three discrete plots (20 m by 20 m) of
the Canada Stream area. The number of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
certain geographic areas a requiring
special protection. The regulations samples collected within each plot September 12, 2018 the National
establish such a permit system to during each visit would vary based on Science Foundation published a notice
designate Antarctic Specially Protected the degree of heterogeneity of the in the Federal Register of a permit
Areas. distribution of mosses or microbial modification request received. The
mats. The applicant proposes to collect permit modification was issued on
Application Details no more that 66 total samples of moss October 16, 2018 to:
Permit Application: 2019–009 and microbial mats. Samples would be 1. Jay Rotella—Permit No. 2018–012
small (up to approximately 10 mL) and
1. Applicant: Zicheng Yu, Department 2. David Ainley—Permit No. 2017–005
collected using a #13 cork-borer or,
of Earth and Environmental when sampling from rocks or uneven
Science, Lehigh University, 1 West Suzanne H. Plimpton,
surfaces, a 1 cm2 area of mat would be
Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA brushed into a sample container. While
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
18015. Foundation.
traversing the ASPA area on foot
[FR Doc. 2018–23257 Filed 10–23–18; 8:45 am]
Activity for Which Permit is between sampling plots, the applicant
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1

Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially and agents would use trails, when BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
Protected Area (ASPA). The applicant available, and would avoid extremely
requests access to ASPA 113, Litchfield sensitive areas such as drainages, stream
Island, to collect small samples of moss channels, and soft soils to the maximum
and peat and carry out field extent possible. The applicant and
measurements. Moss samples would agents would also conduct similar, but
primarily consist of two species, more extensive sampling of microbial

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:43 Oct 23, 2018 Jkt 247001 PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\24OCN1.SGM 24OCN1

Document Created: 2018-10-24 00:23:30
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 00:23:30

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of permit applications received.
Dates		Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments, or views with respect to this permit application by November 23, 2018. This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit
Contact		Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at
FR Citation		83 FR 53664