Notice of Permit Modification Request Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Notice of Permit Modification Request Received Under the

Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of permit modification request received under the

Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95-541.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the National Science Foundation

(NSF) has received a request to modify a permit issued to conduct

activities regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub.

L. 95-541; Code of Federal Regulations Title 45, Part 670).

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

or views with respect to the permit modification on or before April 23,

1998. The permit modification request 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, VA 22230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joyce A. Jatko or Nadene G. Kennedy at the above address or (703) 306-

1030.

DESCRIPTION OF PERMIT MODIFICATION REQUESTED: On September 29, 1994,

the National Science Foundation issued a permit (95WM1-NSFA/ASA) to the

U.S. Naval Support Force, Antarctica (NSFA) and Antarctic Support

Associates (ASA) jointly, for waste management activities at all U.S.

Antarctic Program facilities in Antarctica. Significant changes in the

United States Antarctic Program (USAP) are in progress which make

modification of the permit necessary. Specifically, one of the permit

holders, NSFA, is being disestablished and will no longer be a

participant in the USAP. The functions performed by NSFA are being

redistributed among ASA, the Air National Guard (ANG) and SPAWARSYSCEN

Aviation Technical Services (ATS). As part of the transition, ASA will

become the sole entity responsible for shipment, inventory management,

and issue of Antarctic Conservation Act (ACA) designated pollutants. In

this capacity, ASA will be able to meet the regulatory requirements of

45 CFR 671 to identify the types and volumes of designated pollutants

and to designate the nature and timing of the use of these designated

pollutants for all operations in support of the USAP.

Approval of the modification requested will still ensure that waste

management and regulatory requirements are met while providing a

streamlined approach to waste management. The duration of the requested

modification is coincident with the current permit which expires on

September 30, 1999.

Nadene G. Kennedy,

Permit Officer.

[FR Doc. 98-7622 Filed 3-23-98; 8:45 am]

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