43258 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 177 / Thursday, September 14, 2017 / Notices

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The are actively growing or capable of application may be inspected by National Science Foundation, as dispersing. All the microbes inside the interested parties at the Permit Office, directed by the Antarctic Conservation payload are in triple containment and address below. Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95–541, 45 CFR will remain attached to the substrate ADDRESSES: Comments should be 670), as amended by the Antarctic before, during and after the balloon addressed to Permit Office, Room 755, Science, Tourism and Conservation Act flight. The E–MIST payload itself will Office of Polar Programs, National of 1996, has developed regulations for be attached to the balloon gondola prior Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson the establishment of a permit system for to the launch of the balloon, will be Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230. various activities in Antarctica and recovered along with the main balloon FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: designation of certain animals and payload, and will be returned to the Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer, at certain geographic areas requiring USA and the home institution. the above address or ACApermits@ special protection. The regulations Location: Ross Ice Shelf, Long nsf.gov. Phone number: 703–292–8224. establish such a permit system to Duration Balloon program launch and designate Antarctic Specially Protected recovery sites, Antarctica. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Areas. Dates: October 1, 2017–March 31, National Science Foundation, as 2020. directed by the Antarctic Conservation Application Details Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–541, 45 CFR Permit Application: 2018–011 Permit Application: 2018–008 670), as amended by the Antarctic 3. Applicant: Kenneth Sims, Department Science, Tourism and Conservation Act 1. Applicant: Jill Mikucki, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Dept of 1996, has developed regulations for of Microbiology, University of 3006, 1000 E. University Ave, the establishment of a permit system for Tennessee, Knoxville, TN University of Wyoming, Laramie, various activities in Antarctica and Activity for Which Permit Is WY 82071–2000 designation of certain animals and Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially certain geographic areas a requiring Protected Area (ASPA). The permit Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially special protection. The regulations applicant proposes to enter ASPA 172, establish such a permit system to Lower Taylor Glacier and Blood Falls, Protected Area (ASPA). The permit applicant proposes to enter ASPA 124, designate Antarctic Specially Protected as well as the Don Juan Pond restricted Areas. zone, to perform non-destructive Cape Crozier, to collect volcanic rock geophysical surveys and to collect and tephra samples. The applicant Application Details would travel on foot within the ASPA surface samples of brines, salts, and Permit Application: 2018–013 sediments. The applicant would use to at least three sampling locations. best-practice protocols to ensure the Samples would be collected using a 1. Applicant: Linnea Pearson, California protection of the values of the areas and rock hammer and hand trowels. Polytechnic State University, would use sterile sampling techniques. Location: ASPA 124, Cape Crozier, Department of Biological Sciences, The applicant also plans to fly over the Ross Island. 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo areas with using helicopter-borne Dates: November 1–December 15, CA 93407. electromagnetic survey technology to 2017. Activity for Which Permit is map resistivity of these hydrological Nadene G. Kennedy, Requested: Take, Harmful Interference, regions. Polar Coordination Specialist, Office of Polar Enter Antarctic Specially Protected Area Location: ASPA 172, Lower Taylor Programs. (ASPA), Import Into USA. The applicant Glacier and Blood Falls, McMurdo Dry [FR Doc. 2017–19504 Filed 9–13–17; 8:45 am] proposes to study the thermoregulatory strategies by which Weddell seal pups Valleys, Victoria Land; ASMA 2, BILLING CODE 7555–01–P McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern maintain euthermia in air and in water Victoria Land; Don Juan Pond. and examine the development of diving Dates: October 1, 2017–February 28, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION capability as the animals prepare for 2019. independent foraging. This study will Notice of Permit Applications Received take place in Erebus Bay, near McMurdo Permit Application: 2018–010 Under the Antarctic Conservation Act Station, and may require entry into 2. Applicant: David J. Smith, NASA of 1978 ASPA 121, Cape Royds. Each year, ten Ames Research Center, M/S SCR– pups will be handled at four time points 261–3, Mofffett Field, CA 94035 AGENCY: National Science Foundation. between one and eight weeks of age. Activity for Which Permit Is ACTION: Notice of permit applications Protocols not requiring sedation (mass, Requested: Introduce Non-Indigenous received. morphometrics, core and surface Species Into Antarctica. The permit temperatures, metabolic rates) and applicant proposes to transport a SUMMARY: The National Science protocols requiring anesthesia (body containment device pre-loaded with Foundation (NSF) is required to publish composition, biopsies, blood volume dormant microbiological samples to a notice of permit applications received analysis) will be conducted on five pups Antarctica to be launched into the to conduct activities regulated under the at all four time points under manual Earth’s stratosphere as part of NASA’s Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. restraint. Metabolic and morphometric Long Duration Balloon program. The NSF has published regulations under measurements will be conducted on a Exposing Microorganisms in the the Antarctic Conservation Act in the separate cohort of five pups at each of Stratosphere (E–MIST) payload contains Code of Federal Regulations. This is the the four time points. The applicant will five microbial strains: Bacillus pumilis required notice of permit applications also conduct behavioral observations, SAFR032 (wild type), Bacillus pumilis received. imaging, and may disturb up to 350 SAFR032 (ISS flown), Acinetobacter DATES: Interested parties are invited to Weddell seals. An additional seven pitti, Paenibacillus xerothermodurans, submit written data, comments, or Weddell seal pups, 15 Weddell seal and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The views with respect to this permit adult females, and 20 crabeater seals strains are all glued on in stasis; none application by October 16, 2017. This may be disturbed during procedures on

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study animals. Up to two pup Marine Mammal Protection Act permit currently appearing on the market mortalities are requested per year, not to for the proposed activities. dominant or the competitive product exceed three over the course of two field Location: Erebus Bay, McMurdo list. seasons. The applicant also plans to Sound; ASPA 137, North-West White Section II identifies the docket collect tissues from Weddell seals (any Island, McMurdo Sound; ASPA 155, number(s) associated with each Postal age or gender) found dead from natural Cape Evans; ASPA 121, Cape Royds; Service request, the title of each Postal causes. The permit applicant has ASPA 157, Backdoor Bay, Cape Royds, Service request, the request’s acceptance applied for a Marine Mammal Ross Island; ASPA 158, Hut Point, Ross date, and the authority cited by the Protection Act permit for the proposed Island; ASPA 161, Terra Nova Bay, Ross Postal Service for each request. For each activities. Sea. request, the Commission appoints an Location: Erebus Bay, McMurdo Dates: October 1, 2017–September 30, officer of the Commission to represent Sound; ASPA 121, Cape Royds. 2022. the interests of the general public in the Dates: October 1, 2017–September 30, proceeding, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505 2020. Nadene G. Kennedy, (Public Representative). Section II also Polar Coordination Specialist, Office of Polar Permit Application: 2018–012 establishes comment deadline(s) Programs. pertaining to each request. 2. Applicant: Jay J. Rotella, Ecology [FR Doc. 2017–19505 Filed 9–13–17; 8:45 am] The public portions of the Postal Department, Montana State BILLING CODE 7555–01–P Service’s request(s) can be accessed via University, Bozeman, Montana the Commission’s Web site (http:// 59717 www.prc.gov). Non-public portions of Activity for Which Permit is POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION the Postal Service’s request(s), if any, Requested: Take, Harmful Interference, [Docket Nos. MC2017–194 and CP2017–295; can be accessed through compliance Enter Antarctic Specially Protected with the requirements of 39 CFR Area, Import Into USA. The permit MC2017–195 and CP2017–296; MC2017–196 and CP2017–297; MC2017–197 and CP2017– 3007.40. applicant plans to continue long-term 298; MC2017–198 and CP2017–299; The Commission invites comments on studies of Weddell seal populations in CP2017–300] whether the Postal Service’s request(s) Erebus Bay and the McMurdo Sound in the captioned docket(s) are consistent region to evaluate how temporal New Postal Products with the policies of title 39. For variation in the marine environment request(s) that the Postal Service states AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. affects individual life histories and concern market dominant product(s), population dynamics of a long-lived ACTION: Notice. applicable statutory and regulatory mammal. These studies may require the SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a requirements include 39 U.S.C. 3622, 39 applicant and agents to enter into recent Postal Service filing for the U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR part 3010, and 39 ASPAs in the area including ASPA 137, Commission’s consideration concerning CFR part 3020, subpart B. For request(s) 155, 121, 157, 158, and 161. Research negotiated service agreements. This that the Postal Service states concern involves capture and release of up to notice informs the public of the filing, competitive product(s), applicable 675 Weddell seal pups at one to four statutory and regulatory requirements days after birth for flipper tagging per invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps. include 39 U.S.C. 3632, 39 U.S.C. 3633, year. Up to 150 of the pups would also 39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR part 3015, and DATES: Comments are due: September receive a temperature recording flipper 39 CFR part 3020, subpart B. Comment 20, 2017. tag, be weighed, and have a skin biopsy deadline(s) for each request appear in taken during the initial tagging. These ADDRESSES: Submit comments section II. pups would be re-captured at 20 days of electronically via the Commission’s age to be weighed, and again at weaning Filing Online system at http:// II. Docketed Proceeding(s) for weighing and removal of the www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit 1. Docket No(s).: MC2017–194 and temperature tags. The applicant comments electronically should contact CP2017–295; Filing Title: Request of the proposes to capture up to 285 adult the person identified in the FOR FURTHER United States Postal Service to Add Weddell seals per year using a head- INFORMATION CONTACT section by First-Class Package Service Contract 80 bagging technique to place or replace telephone for advice on filing to Competitive Product List and Notice flipper tags. Skin biopsies would be alternatives. of Filing (Under Seal) of Unredacted taken from up to 100 previously tagged FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Governors’ Decision, Contract, and adult Weddell seals. Up to 75 adult David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at Supporting Data; Filing Acceptance female Weddell seals would be 202–789–6820. Date: September 8, 2017; Filing photographed on the three occasions SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 39 CFR when their pups are weighed to obtain 3020.30 et seq.; Public Representative: an estimate of body mass and 15 females Table of Contents Curtis E. Kidd; Comments Due: will be physically weighed during the I. Introduction September 20, 2017. initial pup tagging to validate the II. Docketed Proceeding(s) 2. Docket No(s).: MC2017–195 and photogrammetry results. The applicant CP2017–296; Filing Title: Request of the requests two Weddell seal unintentional I. Introduction United States Postal Service to Add mortalities, one pup and one adult, per The Commission gives notice that the Priority Mail & First-Class Package year. The applicant also plans to collect Postal Service filed request(s) for the Service Contract 55 to Competitive tissues from adult Weddell seals found Commission to consider matters related Product List and Notice of Filing (Under dead from natural causes. During the to negotiated service agreement(s). The Seal) of Unredacted Governors’ course of the study, the applicant request(s) may propose the addition or Decision, Contract, and Supporting anticipates incidental disturbance of removal of a negotiated service Data; Filing Acceptance Date: Weddell seals and a limited number of agreement from the market dominant or September 8, 2017; Filing Authority: 39 crabeater seals and leopard seals. The the competitive product list, or the U.S.C. 3642 and 39 CFR 3020.30 et seq.; permit applicant has applied for a modification of an existing product Public Representative: Christopher C.

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