Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 183 / Tuesday, September 22, 2015 / Notices 57237

directed by the Antarctic Conservation Dates: 1 December 2015 through 30 modification request and has Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–541), as June 2016. determined that the amendment is not amended by the Antarctic Science, a material change to the permit, and it Nadene G. Kennedy, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, will have a less than a minor or Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of transitory impact. has developed regulations for the Polar Programs. establishment of a permit system for [FR Doc. 2015–24005 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am] The permit modification was issued on various activities in and September 16, 2015. BILLING CODE 7555–01–P designation of certain animals and Nadene G. Kennedy, certain geographic areas a requiring Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of special protection. The regulations NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Polar Programs. establish such a permit system to [FR Doc. 2015–24000 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am] designate Antarctic Specially Protected Notice of Permit Modification Received BILLING CODE 7555–01–P Areas. Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 Application Details NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AGENCY: National Science Foundation. Permit Application: 2015–012 ACTION: Notice of Permit Modification Notice of Permit Applications Received 1. Applicant: Dr. Stephanie Jenourvrier, Request Received and Permit Issued Under the Antarctic Conservation Act Woods Hole Oceanographic under the Antarctic Conservation Act of of 1978 (Pub. L. 95–541) Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02453. 1978, Public Law 95–541. AGENCY: National Science Foundation. Activity for Which Permit is SUMMARY: The National Science ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Requested: The applicant intends to Foundation (NSF) is required to publish Received under the Antarctic collect a multi-scale and temporal a notice of requests to modify permits Conservation Act of 1978, (Pub. L. 95– baseline data set on the largest cluster issued to conduct activities regulated 541), as amended by the Antarctic of Adelie penguin breeding colonies in and permits issued under the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act the (AP). The area Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has of 1996 (Pub. L. 104–227). near the Danger Islands in the Weddell published regulations under the Sea (eastern AP) may account for half of Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 SUMMARY: The National Science the total breeding population of Adelie Part 671 of the Code of Federal Foundation (NSF) is required to publish penguins in the AP, yet these colonies Regulations. This is the required notice a notice of permit applications received are little known. Penguin population of a requested permit modification and to conduct activities regulated under the shifts have been documented in the permit issued. Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. western AP and this study will help DATES: September 16, 2015 to March 15, NSF has published regulations under reduce uncertainty for the eastern AP 2016. the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title populations. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Li 45 Part 671 of the Code of Federal Take, Import, Enter Antarctic Ling Hamady, ACA Permit Officer, Regulations. This is the required notice Specially Protected Areas: The Division of Polar Programs, Rm. 755, of permit applications received. applicant intends to obtain small National Science Foundation, 4201 DATES: Interested parties are invited to samples of blood, tissue, feathers, and Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230. submit written data, comments, or eggshells from Macaroni, Gentoo, Or by email: [email protected] views with respect to this permit Chinstrap, and Ade´lie penguin colonies SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The application by October 22, 2015. This the Antarctic Peninsula. Organic Foundation issued a permit (ACA 2012– application may be inspected by remains in soil samples will also be WM–001) to Dr. George Watters on interested parties at the Permit Office, collected. Samples taken at the sites will September 29, 2011. The issued permit address below. be sent back to the United States and the allows the applicant to run a field camp ADDRESS: Comments should be United Kingdom for analysis. The including deployment of instruments addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, breeding sites will be censused by (radio tags on animals) and use of Division of Polar Programs, National ground or by a hexacopters-based aerial hazardous materials including radio Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson photography system. isotopes. A recent modification to this Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230. permit, dated December 21, 2013, Location: The focus of the study is the permitted the applicant to install up to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: penguin colonies in the Danger Islands, 12 remote, autonomous, and easily Polly A. Penhale, Environmental Antarctic Sounds, Antarctic Peninsula. removable camera systems near Officer, at the above address or Should weather conditions preclude breeding aggregations of Ade´lie, gentoo, [email protected] or (703) 292–7149. this area, the focus will shift to Elephant and chinstrap penguins throughout SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Island and vicinity, Low Island and ASPA #128 on King George Island. The National Science Foundation, as vicinity and/or the South Shetland cameras will provide time-lapse directed by the Antarctic Conservation Islands. Visits may include the photography during breeding and non- Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95–541), as following ASPA’s: ASPA No. 151, Lions breeding seasons to estimate key amended by the Antarctic Science, Rump, King George Is; ASPA No. 126, monitoring parameters such as arrival Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996 , Livingston Island; timing, reproductive chronology and (Pub. L. 104–227), has developed ASPA No. 152, West Bransfield, Low success, chick production, overwinter regulations for the establishment of a Island; ASPA No. 132, ; attendance, and census data. Now the permit system for various activities in ASPA No. 128, West Admiralty Bay; applicant proposes a permit Antarctica and designation of certain ASPA No. 150, ; ASPA No. modification to install up to 22 of these animals and certain geographic areas a 133, ; and ASPA No. 149, cameras within ASPA 128 The requiring special protection. The . Environmental Officer has reviewed the regulations establish such a permit

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system to designate Antarctic Specially in the Antarctica. The cameras will be certain geographic areas a requiring Protected Areas. mounted on a scaffold pole supported special protection. The regulations by an aluminum tripod. No establish such a permit system to Application Details malfunctions or adverse effects were designate Antarctic Specially Protected Permit Application: 2016–011 seen in previous deployments. The Areas. 1. Applicant: Stephanie Jenourvrier, instruments also record air temperature. APPLICATION DETAILS: Woods Hole Oceanographic The cameras are intended to remain in 1. Applicant Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02453. situ and operate remotely for five Brent S. Stewart, Ph.D., J.D., 3889 Activity for Which Permit is seasons. The units are completely Creststone Place, San Diego, CA Requested: The applicant intends to weatherproof and are powered by Permit Application: 2016–010 collect a multi-scale and temporal batteries that are charged via a solar cell. Activity for Which Permit Is Requested baseline data set on the largest cluster Dates: 1 December 2015 through 1 of Adelie penguin breeding colonies in January 2016. Take; Applicant desires to visit sites the Antarctic Peninsula (AP). The area Nadene G. Kennedy, accessible by IAATTO registered tourist near the Danger Islands in the Weddell Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of vessels and utilize a miniature (<1kg Sea (eastern AP) may account for half of Polar Programs. mass), multi-rotor (<20 cm rotor arm the total breeding population of Adelie [FR Doc. 2015–24004 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am] radius), remotely operated, battery penguins in the AP, yet these colonies BILLING CODE 7555–01–P powered (electric motor) UAS are little known. Penguin population (Unmanned Aerial System) equipped shifts have been documented in the with a small high resolution camera. western AP and this study will help NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION The project will photo document reduce uncertainty for the eastern AP Antarctic landscapes and the populations. Should the weather Notice of Permit Applications Received distribution and abundance of birds that preclude reaching the site, alternative Under the Antarctic Conservation Act occur at those sites. Bird species may study sites have been identified. of 1978 include rockhopper, chinstrap, Adelie, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and emperor penguins, and skuas, AGENCY: National Science Foundation Filming: The applicant wishes to fly a sheathbills, kelp gulls, and giant petrels, small, battery operated, remotely- ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications and birds may be roosting and/or controlled quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Received under the Antarctic breeding. ‘‘Take’’ would be unintended Vehicle (UAV) in order to photograph Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law and unexpected incidental, brief, minor penguin colonies as part of a multiscale 95–541. disturbance to 50 or less individual spatial survey of penguin colonies. The SUMMARY: The National Science birds of each species (depending on the primary flight mode for the vehicles will Foundation (NSF) is required to publish species, as noted in the application) be automatic take off, landing, and a notice of permit applications received during aerial vehicle flights at 25 to 60m waypoint using ground station software. to conduct activities regulated under the in altitude, no further than 200m lateral The secondary/emergency mode is Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. distance away from the human operator, remote control operation of the UAV by NSF has published regulations under for no longer than 25 minutes in a trained pilot on the ground. In both the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title duration. The applicant has successfully flight modes the quadcopter will always 45 Part 670 of the Code of Federal deployed the equipment array over 75 be flown within visible sight of the pilot Regulations. This is the required notice times in various temperate, tropical and and designated observers. Operations of permit applications received. sub-polar environments, without will only be conducted inside the wildlife disturbance. DATES: Interested parties are invited to 10m/s maximum wind speed estimate. submit written data, comments, or Location The UAV will only be flown in visual views with respect to this permit meteorological conditions. Flights will Various sites visited by IAATO application by October 22, 2015. This be flown between 50 and 200 ft. above registered vessels at Sub-Antarctic application may be inspected by the colonies in keeping with previous Islands, , South interested parties at the Permit Office, experience by other researcher engaged Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic address below. in similar UAV-based surveys of Peninsula. ADDRESSES: Comments should be wildlife in the Antarctic. A risk analysis Dates and mitigation measures should reduce addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, the risk of loss the UAV. The UAV Division of Polar Programs, National October 15, 2015–October 14, 2020 Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson pilots will be trained to the standard of Nadene G. Kennedy, ground school training provide for a Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Li Polar Coordination Specialist, Division of private pilot’s license and training on Polar Programs. Ling Hamady, ACA Permit Officer, at simulators and significant flight time [FR Doc. 2015–23999 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am] with the UAVs will be conducted before the above address or ACApermits@ BILLING CODE 7555–01–P deployment. The applicant is seeking a nsf.gov or (703) 292–7149. Waste Permit to cover any accidental SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The releases that may result from flying a National Science Foundation, as NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION UAV. directed by the Antarctic Conservation Remote Cameras: The applicant Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–541), as Notice of Permit Modification Received wishes to deploy a network of four amended by the Antarctic Science, Under the Antarctic Conservation Act solar-powered, satellite-linked remote Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, of 1978 cameras to examine penguin vital rates. has developed regulations for the The time-lapse cameras, specially establishment of a permit system for AGENCY: National Science Foundation. designed for this application, have been various activities in Antarctica and ACTION: Notice of Permit Modification field tested over the winter at other sites designation of certain animals and Request Received and Permit Issued

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