Notice of Permit Application Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Notice of Permit Application Received Under the Antarctic

Conservation Act of 1978

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit application received under the Antarctic

Conservation Act.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the National Science Foundation

(NSF) has received a waste management permit application for operation

of a small research camp at Patriot Hills, Antarctica by Dr. Red

Whittaker, a citizen of the United States. The application is submitted

to NSF pursuant to regulations issued under the Antarctic Conservation

Act of 1978 .

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments,

or views with respect to this permit application within 30 days of the

publication of this notice. Permit applications may be inspected by

interested parties at the Permit Office, address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Room 755,

Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson

Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce A. Jatko or Nadene Kennedy at

the above address or (703) 306-1033

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NSF's Antarctic Waste Regulation, 45 CFR

Part 671, requires all U.S. citizens and entities to obtain a permit

for the use or release of a designated pollutant in Antarctica, and for

the release of waste in Antarctica. NSF has received a permit

application under this Regulation for the establishment of a field camp

at Patriot Hills Antarctica (80 deg.18' S 61 deg.16' W) to support

field testing of robotic components for possible future use in

Antarctica. The field camp will be operated for approximately one month

for each of three austral summer research seasons, from January 1998 to

February 2000. The permit period requested is from January 1, 1998

through February 29, 2000. The permit applicant is: Dr. Red Whittaker,

Director, Field Robotics Center, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000

Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

Activity for Which a Permit is Requested

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University wish to establish a

temporary field camp to be used as the base camp for trials of robotic

components in Antarctica. The camp will consist of three temporary

structures and four backup tents housing up to seven researchers and

their equipment. The scientists will also use two snowmobiles to carry

equipment and personnel to sites outside the camp, generally within a

30 km radius. Approximately 800 liters (220 gallons) of unleaded

gasoline will be used each season in snowmobiles and electric

generators. Also, batteries will be used in some of the instrumentation

to be evaluated. Generators will be equipped with drip pans to reduce

the risk of spills. Any spills will be contained and clean up. Any

solid waste generated will be removed from Antarctica at the conclusion

of each season's field work. No waste will be left in Antarctica.

Conditions of the permit would include requirements to educate all

participants with the provisions of the Antarctic Conservation Act

(ACA), report on the removal of materials and any accidental releases,

and management of all waste, including human waste, in accordance with

Antarctic waste regulations.

Nadene G. Kennedy,

Permit Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-30662 Filed 11-20-97; 8:45 am]

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