Notice2025-23056
Notice of Permit Applications 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
December 17, 2025
Issuing agencies
National Science Foundation
Abstract
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated 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 permit applications received.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 240 (Wednesday, December 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58631-58633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23056]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic
Conservation Act of 1978
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice of permit applications received.
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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a
notice of permit applications received to conduct activities regulated
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 permit applications
received.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written data, comments,
or views with respect to this permit application by January 16, 2026.
This application may be inspected by interested parties at the Permit
Office, address below.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Permit Office, Office of
Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f8b9bbb9889d8a95918c8bb8968b9ed69f978e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="511012102134233c382522113f22377f363e27">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Titmus, ACA Permit Officer, at
the above address, 703-292-4479.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Science Foundation, as directed
by the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541, 16 U.S.C.
2401 et seq.), as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and
Conservation Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-227), has developed regulations
(45 CFR parts 670 to 674) for the establishment of a permit system for
various activities in Antarctica related to the designation of certain
animals and certain geographic areas as requiring special protection,
among other purposes.
Application Details
Permit Application: 2026-011
1. Applicant: Daniel Villa, Sea Shepherd Global, 1217 S 9th St.,
Tacoma, WA 98405
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Waste Management (45 CFR
671). The applicant seeks an Antarctic Conservation Permit for waste
management activities associated with use of remotely piloted aircraft
systems (RPAS) in Antarctica. RPAS will be used for documenting krill
fishery activities only. RPAS will not be flown over any concentrations
of wildlife, Antarctic Specially Protected or Managed Areas or Historic
Sites and Monuments without appropriate authorization. Several measures
would be taken to prevent loss of the aircraft, including that aircraft
are only to be flown by experienced, pre-approved pilots in fair
weather conditions and in the presence of an observer, who will always
maintain visual line of sight with the aircraft during operation.
Location: Antarctic Peninsula region.
Dates of Permitted Activities: 1 January 2026-1 May 2026.
Permit Application: 2026-012
2. Applicant: Ricardo Kramer, Oceanwide Sail Expeditions Inc. (OSEI),
222 Pennbright Drive, Suite 109A, Houston TX 77090
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Waste Management (45 CFR
671). The applicant seeks an Antarctic Conservation Act permit for
waste management activities associated with helicopter operations in
the Antarctic peninsula region during up to four tourism cruises aboard
the Dutch vessel M/V Ortelius. OSEI proposes to charter 4 helicopters
and certified experienced pilots from DAP Helic[oacute]pteros (Punta
[[Page 58632]]
Arenas, Chile). OSEI will be the operator of record and will oversee
all activities undertaken by DAP Helic[oacute]pteros as part of M/V
Ortelius' activities in Antarctica.
Helicopters will be used for aerial sightseeing and landings away
from the ship. Helicopter landings are planned on both land and sea
ice. Local conditions will in part determine the final itinerary.
Helicopter activities will take place in a way that does not disturb
wildlife and will not result in harmful interference with native
animals and plants. Trips will be of short duration and will be
conducted in good to acceptable weather conditions and will not enter
any Antarctic Special Protected Areas.
Location: Antarctic Peninsula region and the Weddell Sea.
Dates of Permitted Activities: December 2025-February 2027.
Permit Application: 2026-013
3. Applicant: Zhongwen Zhan, California Institute of Technology, 1200
East California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Waste Management (45 CFR
671). The applicant seeks an Antarctic Conservation Act permit for
waste management activities associated with research on critical
processes that control glacier dynamics at Union Glacier in the
vicinity of Constellation Inlet. To accomplish the research, the
project will deploy a number of different instruments over the course
of the permit period. The applicants will contract with Antarctic
Logistics & Expeditions LLC (ALE) for services including communications
and medical evacuation support, flight provisioning, field support such
as snowmobiles, accommodations, guides, fuel and equipment. All
participants in the project will receive environmental and safety
training prior to deployment as well as on-site training at Union
Glacier Base camp before relocating to the Constellation Inlet field
camp with a total anticipated time in the field of 20 days. Glacial
dynamics will be measured in the vicinity of the Constellation Inlet.
This work requires the installation of up to 20 km of thin single
strand fiberoptic cables weighing a total of less than 10 kg to provide
a backbone for a Distributed Acoustic Sensor (DAS) to detect seismic
stress. The cables will be placed in narrow ice trenches, and the
trenches will then be backfilled and compressed. The subsequent
sintering will prevent removal of the cables at the conclusion of the
study but also protects them from redistribution in the environment. In
addition, up to 500 accelerometers and 20 Geophones will be deployed
along the DAS array and will be removed at project completion by ALE
employees. Stationary and towed ground penetrating radar systems will
also be employed along with a 10 antenna Global Navigation Satellite
System array and removed after use.
Location: Union Glacier.
Dates of Permitted Activities: 5 January 2025-28 February 2027.
Permit Application: 2026-015
4. Applicant: Benjamin Couturier, P.O. Box 2174, Seward, AK 99664 USA
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Waste Management (45 CFR
671). The applicant seeks an Antarctic Conservation Act permit for
waste management activities associated with operating the motor yacht
Kalista and using Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in Antarctic
waters. Operations would include shore excursions by dinghy. The yacht
would carry up to 4,226 gallons of diesel fuel in internal tanks. In
addition, up to 165 gallons of gasoline will be stored in external
storage tanks for use in dinghy operation. Transfer of fuel from
external tanks would be conducted in a contained and controlled
environment. A spill kit and absorbent pads would be available during
all fueling and fuel transfers. Solid waste will be contained and
stored on the vessel and disposed of outside of the Antarctic Treaty
area. The applicant would operate small, battery-operated RPAS
consisting, in part, of a quadcopter equipped with cameras to aid in
navigation and to collect footage of the Antarctic. The RPAS would not
be flown over wildlife, or over Antarctic Specially Protected Areas or
Historic Sites and Monuments. Several measures would be taken to
prevent against loss of the RPAS including terminating flights with at
least 40% battery life remaining; having an observer on the lookout for
wildlife, people, and other hazards; maintaining flights below 400 ft
above ground level and ensuring that the separation between the
operator and quadcopter does not exceed visual line of sight. The
applicant is seeking a Waste Permit to cover any accidental releases
that may result from operating the vessel, conducting shore excursions,
or operating the RPAS.
Location: Antarctic Peninsula region.
Dates of Permitted Activities: 20 January 2026-6 March 2030.
Permit Application: 2026-018
5. Applicant: Ona Hahs, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of Ocean and
Polar Affairs, 2201 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20520
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially
Protected Area (45 CFR 670). The applicant seeks an ACA permit to enter
Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs). The U.S. Department of
State will lead an interagency team of U.S. inspectors into protected
areas to verify compliance with the provisions and values of the
Antarctic Treaty and its Environmental Protocol and to review the
appropriateness and effectiveness of current management provisions for
protecting and preserving Antarctica.
Location: ASPA 101--Taylor Rookery, Mac. Robertson Land; ASPA 102--
Rookery Islands, Holme Bay, Mac. Robertson Land; ASPA 103--Ardery
Island and Odbert Island, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica;
ASPA 104--Sabrina Island, Balleny Islands; ASPA 105--Beaufort Island,
McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea; ASPA 106--Cape Hallett, Northern Victoria
Land, Ross Sea; ASPA 107--Emperor Island, Dion Islands, Marguerite Bay,
Antarctic Peninsula; ASPA 108--Green Island, Berthelot Islands,
Antarctic Peninsula; ASPA 109--Moe Island, South Orkney Islands; ASPA
110--Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands; ASPA 111--Southern Powell
Island and adjacent islands, South Orkney Islands; ASPA 112--Coppermine
Peninsula, Robert Island, South Shetland Islands; ASPA 113--Litchfield
Island, Arthur Harbor, Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago; ASPA 115--
Lagotellerie Island, Marguerite Bay, Graham Land; ASPA 116--New College
Valley, Caughley Beach, Cape Bird, Ross Island; ASPA 117--Avian Island,
Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula; ASPA 119--Davis Valley and
Forlidas Pond, Dufek Massif, Pensacola Mountains; ASPA 120--Pointe-
G[eacute]ologie Archipelago, Terre Ad[eacute]lie; ASPA 121--Cape Royds,
Ross Island; ASPA 122--Arrival Heights, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross
Island; ASPA 123--Barwick and Balham Valleys, Southern Victoria Land;
ASPA 124--Cape Crozier, Ross Island; ASPA 125--Fildes Peninsula, King
George Island (25 de Mayo); ASPA 126--Byers Peninsula, Livingston
Island, South Shetland Islands; ASPA 127--Haswell Island; ASPA 128--
Western shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland
Islands; ASPA 129--Rothera Point, Adelaide Island; ASPA 131--Canada
Glacier, Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley, Victoria Land; ASPA 132--Potter
Peninsula, King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), South Shetland
Islands;
[[Page 58633]]
ASPA 133--Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands; ASPA
134--Cierva Point and offshore islands, Danco Coast, Antarctic
Peninsula; ASPA 135--North-east Bailey Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes
Land; ASPA 136--Clark Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land, East
Antarctica; ASPA 137--Northwest White Island, McMurdo Sound; ASPA 138--
Linnaeus Terrace, Asgard Range, Victoria Land; ASPA 139--Biscoe Point,
Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago; ASPA 140--Parts of Deception Island,
South Shetland Islands; ASPA 141--Yukidori Valley, Langhovde,
L[uuml]tzow-Holm Bay; ASPA 142--Svarthamaren; ASPA 143--Marine Plain,
Mule Peninsula, Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land; ASPA 145--Port
Foster, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands; ASPA 146--South Bay,
Doumer Island, Palmer Archipelago; ASPA 147--Ablation Valley and
Ganymede Heights, Alexander Island; ASPA 148--Mount Flora, Hope Bay,
Antarctic Peninsula; ASPA 149--Cape Shirreff and San Telmo Island,
Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands; ASPA 150--Ardley Island,
Maxwell Bay, King George Island (25 de Mayo); ASPA 151--Lions Rump,
King George Island, South Shetland Islands; ASPA 154--Botany Bay, Cape
Geology, Victoria Land; ASPA 155--Cape Evans, Ross Island; ASPA 156--
Lewis Bay, Mount Erebus, Ross Island; ASPA 157--Backdoor Bay, Cape
Royds, Ross Island; ASPA 158--Hut Point, Ross Island; ASPA 159--Cape
Adare, Borchgrevink Coast; ASPA 160--Frazier Islands, Windmill Islands,
Wilkes Land, East Antarctica; ASPA 161--Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea; ASPA
162--Mawson's Huts, Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, George VLand, East
Antarctica; ASPA 163--Dakshin Gangotri Glacier, Dronning Maud Land;
ASPA 164--Scullin and Murray Monoliths, Mac.Robertson Land; ASPA 165--
Edmonson Point, Wood Bay, Ross Sea; ASPA 166--Port-Martin, Terre-
Ad[eacute]lie; ASPA 167--Hawker Island, Princess Elizabeth Land; ASPA
168--Mount Harding, Grove Mountains, East Antarctica; ASPA 169--Amanda
Bay, Ingrid Christensen Coast, Princess Elizabeth Land, East
Antarctica; ASPA 170--Marion Nunataks, Charcot Island, Antarctic
Peninsula; ASPA 171--Narebski Point, Barton Peninsula, King George
Island; ASPA 172--Lower Taylor Glacier and Blood Falls, McMurdo Dry
Valleys, Victoria Land; ASPA 173--Cape Washington and Silverfish Bay,
Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea; ASPA 174--Stornes, Larsemann Hills, Princess
Elizabeth Land; ASPA 175--High Altitude Geothermal sites of the Ross
Sea region; ASPA 176--Rosenthal Islands, Anvers Island, Palmer
Archipelago; ASPA 177--L[eacute]onie Islands and South-East Adelaide
Island, Antarctic Peninsula; ASPA 178--Inexpressible Island and Seaview
Bay, Ross Sea; ASPA 179--Parts of Western S[oslash]r Rondane Mountains,
Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica; ASPA 180--Danger Islands
Archipelago, North-eastern Antarctic Peninsula; ASPA 181--Farrier Col,
Horseshoe Island, Marguerite Bay; ASPA 182--Western Bransfield Strait
and Eastern Dallman Bay.
Dates of Permitted Activities: 1 January 2026-31 December 2030.
Permit Application: 2026-019
6. Applicant: Jan Helge Pile, Vice President Marine & Technical
Operations, ROW Management LTD, 1551 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway, Suite
200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33323
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Waste Management (45 CFR
671). The applicant seeks an Antarctic Conservation Act permit for
waste management activities associated with operation of small Remotely
Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for use in commercial filming and ice
reconnaissance aboard M/V The World. EYOS Expeditions Ltd. of Vashon
Island, Washington, has been contracted by ROW management to oversee
expedition operations. Commercial marketing footage will include broad
sea-, land- and icescapes, and the vessel underway and at anchor, to
capture portraiture of the expedition. The activity will be conducted
by EYOS Expeditions staff experienced with RPAS filming and under the
EYOS expedition leader's supervision. Only trained and experienced
pilots will be used for piloting RPAS. RPAS will not be operated in the
vicinity of concentrations of wildlife and will not disrupt wildlife.
RPAS will not be flown over Antarctic Specially Protected Areas,
Historic Sites and Monuments, or Antarctic Specially Managed Areas.
Several measures would be taken to prevent loss of the RPAS including
the use of high visibility coloration and flotation devices.
Location: Antarctic Peninsula and Ross Sea regions.
Dates of Permitted Activities: 29 January-17 February 2026.
Permit Application: 2026-020
7. Applicant: Sibrand Hassing, Holland America Line Limited, 450 3rd
Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119
Activity for Which Permit Is Requested: Waste Management (45 CFR
671). The applicant requests an ACA permit for waste management
activities associated with operation of small, battery operated,
remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) equipped with cameras to take
scenic photos and film of the Antarctic. The RPAS would not be flown
over concentrations of birds or mammals or over Antarctic Specially
Protected Areas. The RPAS would only be flown by operators with
extensive experience, who are pre-approved by the expedition leader.
Several measures would be taken to prevent loss of the RPAS including
painting them a highly visible color; only flying when the wind is less
than 12 m/s; having prop guards on propeller tips, a flotation device
if operated over water, and a ``go home'' feature in case of loss of
control link or low battery; having an observer on the lookout for
wildlife, people, and other hazards; and ensuring that the separation
between the operator and RPAS does not exceed an operational range of
500 meters.
Jean C. Allen,
CORF Division Director for Polar Programs, Office of Polar Programs.
[FR Doc. 2025-23056 Filed 12-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 17, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.