Notice2021-12082
Notice of Permit Modification Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 9, 2021
Issuing agencies
National Science Foundation
Abstract
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities regulated and permits issued under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act in the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of a requested permit modification and permit issued.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 109 (Wednesday, June 9, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 9, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30630-30631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12082]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Permit Modification Received Under the Antarctic
Conservation Act of 1978
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice of permit modification request received and permit
issued.
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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a
notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities
regulated and permits issued under the Antarctic Conservation Act of
1978. NSF has published regulations under the Antarctic Conservation
Act in the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of
a requested permit modification and permit issued.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nature McGinn, ACA Permit Officer,
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower
Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-292-8224; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#15545654657067787c6166557b66733b727a63"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2d6c6e6c5d485f4044595e6d435e4b034a425b">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation (NSF), as
directed by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541, 45
CFR 671), as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation
Act of 1996, has developed regulations for the establishment of a
permit system for various activities in Antarctica and designation of
certain animals and certain geographic areas a requiring special
protection.
NSF issued a permit (ACA 2020-004) to Leidos Innovations
Corporation on November 8, 2019. The issued permit allows the permit
holder to conduct waste management activities associated with the
implementation of the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). The USAP
Master Waste permit applies to all USAP activities, including major
reconstruction and modernization efforts, conducted by all
organizations supporting or supported by the Program. This includes the
transport of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste from Antarctica to
the United States. Under this permit, Leidos collects, stores, and
ships both hazardous and non-hazardous waste materials and is
responsible for the final disposition of these materials upon return to
the United States.
Now the permit holder proposes a permit modification to revise and
update several statements regarding the handling and disposition of
hazardous wastes from Palmer Station and the research vessels as
follows to more accurately reflect current and planned practices.
Permit Application Page 4-11
Original text: Nonhazardous wastes generated at the [Palmer]
station will be transported by vessel to Chile and Antarctic hazardous
wastes will be retrograded directly to the United States.
Revised text: Nonhazardous wastes generated at the station will be
transported by vessel to Chile. Antarctic hazardous wastes will be
removed from the Antarctic for final disposition in either the United
States or another nation in accordance with all relevant statutes and
regulations. The Antarctic hazardous waste may be transported to Chile
and/or McMurdo Station as an intermediate step prior to retrograde to
the final disposal location. Any temporary storage and transport
activities would comply with all applicable regulations in Chile and
the 15-month storage period maximum for Antarctic hazardous wastes at
McMurdo Station established by the ACA [Antarctic Conservation Act].
Permit Application Page 4-14
Original text: Antarctic hazardous wastes generated onboard the
ARSV Laurence M. Gould because of scientific research activities will
typically be offloaded at Palmer Station for subsequent processing,
interim storage, and retrograde to the United States. Because of the
RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer's size, it cannot access the docking
facilities at Palmer Station and therefore research-related Antarctic
hazardous waste generated onboard may be transferred to the ARSV
Laurence M. Gould, offloaded at McMurdo Station, or transported
directly to the United States.
Revised text: Antarctic hazardous wastes generated onboard the ARSV
Laurence M. Gould and RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer will typically be
offloaded at Palmer Station for subsequent processing, interim storage,
and retrograde for final disposition. Depending on the vessels'
schedules, Antarctic hazardous waste may sometimes be transferred from
one vessel to the other in order to consolidate the Antarctic hazardous
wastes from both vessels into one shipment. Additionally, Antarctic
hazardous waste can be offloaded at McMurdo Station instead of Palmer
Station for subsequent processing, interim storage, and retrograde.
Antarctic hazardous waste may also be retrograded directly to the final
disposition location instead of being offloaded at one of the research
stations first.
The Environmental Officer has reviewed the modification request and
has determined that the amendment is not a material change to the
permit, and it will have a less than a minor or transitory impact.
Dates of Permitted Activities: November 8, 2019 to September 30,
2024.
[[Page 30631]]
The permit modification was issued on June 4, 2021.
Erika N. Davis,
Program Specialist, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2021-12082 Filed 6-8-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 9, 2021.
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