Document
Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978
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 197...
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: 2023-006
1.
Applicant:
Lee Welhouse, University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center, Madison, WI 53706
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested
Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA). The applicant seeks an Antarctic Conservation Act permit authorizing entry into ASPA 106—Cape Hallett, Northern Victoria Land for a single period of 4-6 hours. The Antarctic Meteorological Research and Data Center has maintained a weather station in this ASPA since 2007. This entry would be to perform routine maintenance and upkeep that is necessary approximately every 3 years.
Location
ASPA 106—Cape Hallett, Northern Victoria Land.
Dates of Permitted Activities
November 1, 2022-December 1, 2022.
Permit Application: 2023-007
2.
Applicant:
Dr. Natasja van Gestel, Texas Tech University Biological Sciences Department, Lubbock, TX 79409
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested
Take, Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA), import into USA. The applicant seeks an Antarctic Conservation Act permit authorizing entry to ASPA 113—Litchfield Island, Arthur Harbor, to study Antarctic soils, microbial communities, and vegetation. The applicant would access the site weekly between the period of December 1-March 31 for four consecutive seasons between December 2022 and March 2026. The applicant proposes to conduct warming experiments on the soil and plants using five 1m2
soil warming chambers that will also log soil moisture, temperature, and microclimate data. The applicant proposes to collect up to 100 small soil cores, 15 samples of plants of
Polytrichum
species, 15 samples of plants of
Chorisodontium
species, and 15 samples of various other moss species per year which would be brought back to Palmer Station for temperature incubation experiments. At the conclusion of the temperature experiments, the applicant would import all collected specimens back to the home institution for herbarium curation.
Location
ASPA 113, Litchfield Island, Arthur Harbor.
Dates of Permitted Activities
December 1, 2022-March 31, 2026.
Erika N. Davis,
Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.