73 FR 55 pgs. 14939-14941 - Conservation of Antarctic Animals and Plants

Type: RULEVolume: 73Number: 55Pages: 14939 - 14941
FR document: [FR Doc. E8-5689 Filed 3-19-08; 8:45 am]
Agency: National Science Foundation
Official PDF Version:  PDF Version

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

45 CFR Part 670

RIN 3145-AA48

Conservation of Antarctic Animals and Plants

AGENCY:

National Science Foundation.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, The National Science Foundation (NSF) is amending its regulations to designate additional Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMA) and one new Historical Site or Monument (HSM). Further, NSF is amending its regulations to reflect that the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (Consultative Parties), at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XXIX (ATCM XXIX) in Edinburgh, Scotland adopted Measure 4 (2006) which removed all species of the genus Arctocephalus, Fur Seals, from the list of Specially Protected Species in Appendix A to Annex II to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (The Protocol). These additions only reflect measures already adopted by the Consultative Parties at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings.

DATES:

Effective Date: March 20, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bijan Gilanshah, Office of the General Counsel, at 703-292-8060, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (ACA), as amended, (16 U.S.C. 2401, et seq. ) implements the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Annex II of the Protocol contains provisions for conservation of native Antarctic plants and animals. Annex V contains provisions for the protection of specially designated areas. Section 2405 of title 16 of the ACA directs the Director of the National Science Foundation to issue such regulations as are necessary and appropriate to implement Annexes II and V to the Protocol.

The Antarctic Treaty Parties periodically adopt measures to establish additional specially protected areas, specially managed areas and historical sites or monuments in Antarctica. This rule is being revised to add two new Antarctic Specially Managed Areas and one new Historical Site and Monument. Finally, this revision reflects a decision by the Consultative Parties to de-list all species of the genus Arctocephalus, Fur Seals, from the list of Specially Protected Species in Appendix A to Annex II to the Protocol. The Fur Seals will continue to receive comprehensive protection under the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty.

No public comment is needed because the addition of these areas or sites and the delisting merely implements measures adopted by the Consultative Parties at ATCM XXIX.

Determinations

NSF has determined, under the criteria set forth in Executive Order 12866, that this rule is not a significant regulatory action requiring review by the Office of Management and Budget. This rule involves a foreign affairs function of the United States and is, therefore, exempt from the notice requirements of section 553 of the Administrative Procedures Act and from regulatory flexibility analysis requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612. Although this rule is exempt from the Regulatory Flexibility Act, it has nonetheless been determined that this rule will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small businesses. For purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. ), these amendments to the existing regulations do not change the collection of information requirements contained in NSF's existing regulations, which have already been approved by the Office of Management and Budget.

List of Subjects in 45 CFR Part 670

Administrative practice and procedure, Antarctica, Exports, Imports, Plants, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Wildlife.

Dated: March 17, 2008.

Lawrence Rudolph,

General Counsel.

Pursuant to the authority granted by 16 U.S.C. 2405(a)(1), NSF hereby amends 45 CFR part 670 as set forth below:

PART 670-[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 670 continues to read as follows:

Authority:

16 U.S.C. 2405, as amended.

1. Section 670.25 is revised to read as follows:

§ 670.25 Designation of specially protected species of native mammals, birds, and plants.

The following species has been designated as Specially Protected Species by the Antarctic Treaty Parties and is hereby designated Specially Protected Species:

Common Name and Scientific Name

Ross Seal-Ommatophoca rossii

2. Section 670.29 is revised to read as follows:

§ 670.29 Designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, Specially Managed Areas and Historic Sites and Monuments.

(a) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty Parties for special protection and are hereby designated as Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA). The Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended, prohibits, unless authorized by a permit, any person from entering or engaging in activities within an ASPA. Detailed maps and descriptions of the sites and complete management plans can be obtained from the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

ASPA 101Taylor Rookery, Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica

ASPA 102Rookery Islands, Holme Bay, Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica

ASPA 103Ardery Island and Odbert Island, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica

ASPA 104Sabrina Island, Balleny Islands

ASPA 105Beaufort Island, Ross Sea (see ASPA 124)

ASPA 106Cape Hallett, Victoria Land

ASPA 107Emperor Island, Dion Islands, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula (see Measure 1, 2002)

ASPA 108Green Island, Berthelot Islands, Antarctic Peninsula

ASPA 109Moe Island, South Orkney Islands

ASPA 110Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands

ASPA 111Southern Powell Island and adjacent islands, South Orkney Islands

ASPA 112Coppermine Peninsula, Robert Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 113 Litchfield Island, Arthur Harbour, Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago

ASPA 114Northern Coronation Island, South Orkney Islands

ASPA 115Lagotellerie Island, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula

ASPA 116'New College Valley', Caughley Beach, Cape Bird, Ross Island

ASPA 117Avian Island, off Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula

ASPA 118'Cryptogam Ridge', Mount Melbourne, Victoria Land

ASPA 119Davis Valley and Forlidas Pond, Dufek Massif

ASPA 120'Pointe-Géologie Archipelego', Terre Adélie

ASPA 121Cape Royds, Ross Island

ASPA 122Arrival Heights, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island

ASPA 123Barwick and Balham Valleys (see Measure 1, 2002), Victoria Land

ASPA 124Cape Crozier, Ross Island

ASPA 125Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 126Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 127Haswell Island

ASPA 128Western shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island

ASPA 129Rothera Point, Adelaide Island

ASPA 130`Tramway Ridge', Mount Erebus, Ross Island

ASPA 131Canada Glacier, Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley, Victoria Land

ASPA 132Potter Peninsula, `25 de Mayo' (King George) Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 133Harmony Point, west coast of Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 134Cierva Point and offshore islands, Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula

ASPA 135North-eastern Bailey Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land

ASPA 136Clark Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land

ASPA 137Northwest White Island, McMurdo Sound

ASPA 138Linnaeus Terrace, Asgaard Range, Victoria Land

ASPA 139Biscoe Point, Anvers Island

ASPA 140Parts of Deception Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 141`Yukidori Valley', Langhovde, Lützow-Holmbukta

ASPA 142Svarthamaren, Mühlig-Hofmannfjella, Dronning Maud Land

ASPA 143Marine Plain, Mule Peninsula, Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land

ASPA 144`Chile Bay' (Discovery Bay), Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 145Port Foster, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 146South Bay, Doumer Island, Palmer Archipelago

ASPA 147Ablation Valley-Ganymede Heights, Alexander Island

ASPA 148Mount Flora, Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula

ASPA 149Cape Shirreff and San Telmo Island, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 150Ardley Island, Maxwell Bay, King George Island

ASPA 151Lions Rump, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 152Western Bransfield Strait off Low Island, South Shetland Islands

ASPA 153Eastern Dallmann Bay off Brabant Island, Palmer Archipelago

ASPA 154Botany Bay, Cape Geology, Victoria Land

ASPA 155Cape Evans, Ross Island

ASPA 156Lewis Bay, Mount Erebus, Ross Island

ASPA 157Backdoor Bay, Cape Royds, Ross Island

ASPA 158Hut Point, Ross Island

ASPA 159Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast

ASPA 160Frazier Islands, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica (see Measure 2, 2003)

ASPA 161Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea

ASPA 162Mawson's Huts, Commonwealth Bay, George V Land, East Antarctica (see Measure 2, 2004)

ASPA 163Dakshin Gangotri Glacier, Dronning Maud Land

ASPA 164Scullin and Murray Monoliths, Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica

ASPA 165Edmonson Point, Wood Bay, Ross Sea

ASPA 166Port-Martin, Terre Adélie

ASPA 167Hawker Island, Vestfold Hills, Ingrid Christensen Coast, Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica

(b) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty Parties for special management and are hereby designated as Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMA). Detailed maps and descriptions of the sites and complete management plans can be obtained from the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

ASMA 1Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

ASMA 2McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land

ASMA 3Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, George V Land

ASMA 4Deception Island, South Shetland Islands

ASMA 5Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, South Pole

ASMA 6Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica

(c) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty Parties as historic sites or monuments (HSM). The Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended, prohibits any damage, removal or destruction of a historic site or monument listed pursuant to Annex V to the Protocol. Descriptions of the sites or monuments can be obtained from the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

HSM 1Flag mast at South Pole

HSM 2Rock cairn and plaques on Ongul Island, Prins Harald Kyst

HSM 3Rock cairn and plaque on Proclamation Island, Enderby Land

HSM4 Bust and plaque at `Pole of Inaccessibility'

HSM 5Rock cairn and plaque at Cape Bruce, Mac. Robertson Land

HSM 6Rock cairn and canister at Walkabout Rocks, Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land

HSM 7Stone and plaque at Mabus Point, Queen Mary Land

HSM 8Monument sledge and plaque at Mabus Point, Queen Mary Land

HSM 9Cemetery on Buromskiy Island, Queen Mary Land

HSM 10Observatory at Bunger Hills, Queen Mary Land

HSM 11Tractor and plaque at Vostok Station

HSM 14Ice cave at Inexpressible Island, Terra Nova Bay, Scott Coast

HSM 15Hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island

HSM 16Hut at Cape Evans, Ross Island

HSM 17Cross at Cape Evans, Ross Island

HSM 18Hut at Hut Point, Ross Island

HSM 19Cross at Hut Point, Ross Island

HSM 20Cross on Observation Hill, Ross Island

HSM 21Hut at Cape Crozier, Ross Island

HSM 22Hut at Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast

HSM 23Grave at Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast

HSM 24Rock cairn at Mount Betty, Queen Maud Range

HSM 26Installations at Barry Island, Debenham Islands, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 27Cairn with plaque at Megalestris Hill, Petermann Island, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 28Cairn, pillar and plaque at Port Charcot, Booth Island, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 29Lighthouse on Lambda Island, Melchior Islands, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 30Shelter at Paradise Harbour, Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 32Monolith on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 33Shelter, cross and plaque on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 34Bust on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 35Cross and statue on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 36Plaque at Potter Cove, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 37Statue at Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 38Hut of Snow Hill Island, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 39Hut at Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 40Bust, grotto, statue, flag mast, graveyard and stele at Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 41Hut and grave at Paulet Island, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 42Huts, magnetic observatory and graveyard at Scotia Bay, Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands

HSM 43Cross at `Piedrabuena Bay', Filchner Ice Front, Weddell Sea

HSM 44Plaque at Nivlisen Ice Front, Princesse Astrid Kyst, Dronning Maud Land

HSM 45Plaque at Metchnikoff Point, Brabant Island, Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 46Buildings and installations at Port-Martin, Terre Adélie

HSM 47Building on Ile des Pétrels, Terre Adélie

HSM 48Cross on Ile des Pétrels, Terre Adélie

HSM 49Pillar at Bunger Hill, Queen Mary Land

HSM 50Plaque at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 51Grave and cross at Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 52Monolith at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 53Monolith and plaques on Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 54Bust on Ross Island

HSM 55Buildings and artifacts on Stonington Island, Marguerite Bay,Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 56Remains of hut and environs at Waterboat Point, Danco Coast,Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 57Plaque at "Yankee Bay" (Yankee Harbour), MacFarlane Strait,Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 59Cairn on Half Moon Beach, Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, SouthShetland Islands

HSM 60Plaque and cairn at 'Penguins Bay', Seymour Island, James RossIsland archipelago

HSM 61'Base A' at Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, off Wiencke Island,Antarctic Peninsula

HSM 62'Base F (Wordie House)' on Winter Island, Argentine Islands

HSM 63'Base Y' on Horseshoe Island, Marguerite Bay, western Graham Land

HSM 64'Base E' on Stonington Island, Marguerite Bay, western Graham Land

HSM 65Message post on Foyn Island, Possession Islands

HSM 66Cairn at Scott Nunataks, Alexandra Mountains

HSM 67Rock shelter 'Granite House' at Cape Geology, Granite Harbour

HSM 68Depot at Hells Gate Moraine, Inexpressible Island, Terra Nova Bay

HSM 69Message post at Cape Crozier, Ross Island

HSM 70Message post at Cape Wadworth, Coulman Island

HSM 71Whaling station at Whalers Bay, Deception Island

HSM 72Cairn on Tryne Islands, Vestfold Hills

HSM 73Memorial Cross, Lewis Bay, Ross Island

HSM 74Wreckage of sailing ship, Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands

HSM 75'A Hut', Pram Point, Ross Island

HSM 76Ruins of base 'Pedro Aguirre Cerda', Pendulum Cove, Deception Island

HSM 77Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, George V Land

HSM 78Memorial Plaque at India Point, Humboldt Mountains, WohlthatMassif, central Dronning Maud Land

HSM 79Lilie Marleen Hut, Mt. Dockery, Everett Range, Northern VictoriaLand

HSM 80Amundsen's Tent

HSM 81Rocher du Débarquement (Landing Rock)

HSM 82Monument to the Antarctic Treaty and Plaque

[FR Doc. E8-5689 Filed 3-19-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555-01-P