Report of the United States Antarctic Inspection February 2 to February 16, 2001 Team Report OF THE INSPECTION CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE VII OF THE ANTARCTIC TREATY AND ARTICLE XIV OF THE PROTOCOL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE Table of Contents Introduction . 3 Summary of Findings . 5 Recommendations . 9 Arctowski Station . 11 Ferraz Station . 19 Vernadsky Station . 24 Juan Carlos I Station . 30 St. Kliment Ohridski . 37 Bellinghausen . 42 Frei . 48 Great Wall . 59 Artigas . 64 King Sejong . 68 Jubany . 73 Antarctic Cruise Map . A-1 The U.S. Inspection Team near Palmer Station - 2 - PART I Introduction “1. In order to promote the objectives research and scientific information. The Treaty and ensure the observance of the also provided a framework for environmental provisions of the present Treaty, each protection of the Antarctic region. Over the Contracting Party….shall have the years, the Consultative Meetings adopted right to designate observers to carry agreed measures and recommendations to out any inspection provided for by elaborate and enhance environmental the present Article... protection, and in Madrid in 1991, the Parties 2. Each observer designated in adopted the Protocol on Environmental accordance with the provisions of Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Article XIV this Article shall have complete of the Protocol addresses inspections. This was freedom of access at any time to any the first U.S. inspection since the entry into and all areas of Antarctica. force of the Madrid Protocol in 1998. 3. All areas of Antarctica including all The United States has regularly exercised stations and equipment within those its right of inspection, and in 2001 sent its areas, and all ships and aircraft at eleventh U.S. Antarctic Treaty Inspection points of discharge or embarking Team, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of cargoes or personnel in Antarctica, the entry into force of the Treaty. The last U.S. shall be open at all times to inspection had been conducted in 1995. The inspection by any official designated Antarctic Treaty has been signed by 44 in accordance with paragraph 1 of countries, 27 of which were conducting this Article…”, research on the continent, thus entitling them to the status of Consultative Party with the right to Article VII, The Antarctic Treaty name inspectors. The 2001 U.S. Inspection Team consisted Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty and its of ten U.S. nationals designated by the U.S. provision for the right to inspect was precedent Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs in setting in international diplomacy and has been accordance with Article VII of the Treaty. The a cornerstone of the Treaty. It established the members of the team, whose names were right of all Parties to conduct on-site communicated to all Parties to the Treaty by unannounced inspections of all installations and diplomatic note of December 28, 2000, were: facilities in Antarctica, in order to monitor compliance and ensure observance of all of the Mr. Raymond Arnaudo Treaty’s provisions. Signed by the United Department of State States and eleven other countries in 1959, the Treaty reserved Antarctica as an area Ms. Katherine Biggs exclusively for peaceful purposes. It prohibited Environmental Protection Agency all military activities, including the testing of weapons, the explosion of nuclear materials Mr. Evan T. Bloom and the storage or disposal of radioactive Department of State waste. The Treaty guaranteed freedom of scientific research, including the sharing of - 3 - LCDR Douglas A. Boerman, USN following eleven sites: Arctowski (Poland), Department of State Ferraz (Brazil), Vernadsky (Ukraine), Juan Carlos I (Spain), St. Kliment Ohridsky CDR George Dupree, USCG (Bulgaria), Frei and Escudero (Chile), Artigas United States Coast Guard (Uruguay), Jubany (Argentina), Great Wall (China), Bellingshausen (Russia), and King Mr. Bernard Link Sejong (Republic of Korea). The team Department of State departed the Treaty area on February 13, 2001. Due to the ship’s schedule it was necessary Mr. David Lopez to plan on conducting two inspections on most Environmental Protection Agency of the days available. The itinerary and route of the inspection are shown in Annex A. Dr. Polly Penhale National Science Foundation Acknowledgements Mr. Alexander Sutherland A number of individuals and organizations National Science Foundation contributed to the success of this inspection and their efforts were greatly appreciated. The Mr. Peter B. Ward inspection would not have been possible U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service without the logistical and administrative support of the office of Polar Programs in the Mr. Arnaudo served as the leader of the National Science Foundation, under the Inspection Team. Evan Bloom and Douglas leadership of Dr. Karl Erb. Captain Warren Boerman were the deputy team leaders. Team Sanamo, Mr. Randy Sliester and the rest crew members were provided with letters of of the Laurence M. Gould willingly appointment and identification cards for the accomodated every request for support. The inspection. Agencias Universales S.A. (AGUNSA) team including Mr Jimmy Videla, Ms. Ximena Mancilla, and Mr. German Videl handled logistic concerns while the team was ashore in Chile. Mr. Ron Nugent and all the staff at Palmer Station provided an enlightening tour of the station and surrounding islands. Most importantly, the managers and personnel of the inspected stations extended overwhelming courtesy and hospitality to the members of the U.S. Inspection Team. Figure 1-1: Inspection Team boarding Zodiac with LAURENCE M. GOULD in background The Inspection Team arrived in the Antarctic Treaty area on February 5, having departed Punta Arenas on February 1, 2001 on the National Science Foundation vessel Laurence M. Gould. The team inspected the - 4 - PART II Summary of Findings General All stations reported a high degree of cooperation with scientists from other Antarctic The Inspection Team was welcomed and Treaty parties and joint programs were in treated cordially at each of the eleven stations evidence at most stations. Several stations visited. All areas were open to inspection upon related this to the high degree of intense request. The team found a high degree of concentration fostered by the isolation of the environmental awareness and understanding of posts, but also, significantly, the cooperative the obligations of the Treaty and the Protocol. climate of Antarctica. All stations had contacts with other stations and scientists of other Arms or Military Activities Treaty countries. Scientists at the stations often provided No arms violations, storage or disposal of educational lectures to all assigned personnel hazardous or radioactive materials, or activities on topics such as conservation, protection of with military implications were observed. All flora and fauna under the Antarctic Treaty and stations observed appeared to be in compliance the Protocol, and recommendations for with the provisions of the Treaty reserving avoiding interference with wildlife. Antarctica exclusively for peaceful purposes. Inspection procedures Science All station managers and personnel were The level of science interdisciplinary and receptive and gracious to the Inspection Team. extremely high and included various Most station managers acknowledged the cooperative projects between countries. usefulness of the inspection process, especially Most stations supported a multi- as a tool to improve their station operations. In disciplinary research program with an emphasis this context, several managers requested a copy on research in the local area and on of the final inspection report noting that they oceanographic research cruises in the Antarctic had not seen previous reports. Station Peninsula region. Collectively, research was managers and personnel often view the conducted in the fields of atmospheric sciences, inspection process as an opportunity to assess geology and geophysics, biological and their station management plan and to use the ecosystem studies, oceanography, meteorology, information to identify any areas that could use archaeology, cartography, chemistry and improvement. Electronic distribution of physics. There was an emphasis on inspection reports would ensure broader environmental monitoring at some of the distribution. stations, with studies including measurements Three countries had completed a checklist of air quality, water quality, trace metal prior to the Inspection Team’s arrival, which concentrations in terrestrial and marine was extremely helpful to the team. It was also organisms, and impact of humans on of great value to station personnel in that it populations of birds or mammals. provided a means of self-assessment to determine whether the station was in - 5 - compliance with the provisions of the Treaty requirements in the aftermath of emergency and Protocol. The team noted, however, the situations, such as spills, fire, and shipwrecks, value of the inspection itself as a means of as stated in Article 15 or for environmental verifying the reported information. impact assessments in Article 8 and Annex I. It was possible that officials within the home Awareness and knowledge of obligations government were assigned responsibility for the reporting requirements, but some station The awareness of the need for personnel were unaware of the requirements for environmental protection was extremely high such reporting. and station operations and personnel reflected a strong commitment