Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 189 / Monday, September 30, 2024 / Notices 79651 

application by October 30, 2024. 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 

ACApermits@nsf.gov. 

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, 45 CFR 

670), 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 as requiring 

special protection. The regulations 

establish such a permit system to 

designate Antarctic Specially Protected 

Areas. 

Application Details 

Permit Application: 2025–014 

1. Applicant: Dale Andersen, Carl 

Sagan Center, SETI Institute, 339 

Bernardo Ave., Ste. 200, Mountain 

View, CA 94043. 

Activity for Which Permit is 

Requested: Harmful Interference. The 

applicant requests an ACA permit for 

the disturbance of up to 10 nesting pairs 

of Snow Petrels (Pagodroma nivea) in 

association with activities associated 

with collections of sub-fossilized 

stomach-oil deposits. The deposits are 

used by geologists to date ice-sheet 

thinning, seabird occupation history, 

and sea ice changes. The applicant 

proposes to collect 2 deposits, which 

may result in the disturbance of 5–10 

pairs of Snow Petrels. 

Location: Untersee, Antarctica. 

Dates of Permitted Activities: 15 

October, 2024–15 December, 2024. 

Permit Application: 2025–015 

2. Applicant: Sarah Ruth, National 

Science Foundation, Office of Polar 

Programs, 2415 Eisenhower Ave., 

Alexandria, VA 22314. 

Activity for Which Permit is 

Requested: Enter Antarctic Specially 

Protected Area. The applicant seeks an 

Antarctic Conservation Act permit 

authorizing entry into Antarctic 

Specially Protected Areas (ASPA) in 

association with oversight and 

management of U.S. Antarctic Program 

science projects. The applicant proposes 

to enter specific ASPAs as needed to 

conduct site visits of various U.S. 

science teams working in those ASPAs. 

The applicant proposes to enter ASPAs 

on an as needed basis and would be 

accompanied within the ASPA at all 

times by the science project participants 

conducting work in that ASPA. No 

visits to ASPAs would occur if there is 

no U.S. Antarctic Program science 

project active in that ASPA. 

Location: ASPA 106—Cape Hallett, 

Northern Victoria Land, Ross Sea; ASPA 

113—Litchfield Island, Arthur Habor, 

Anvers Island; ASPA 116—New College 

Valley; ASPA 121—Cape Royds, Ross 

Island; ASPA 124—Cape Crozier, Ross 

Island; ASPA 128—Western Shore of 

Admiralty Bay, King George Island; 

ASPA 131—Canada Glacier, Lake 

Fryxell, Taylor Valley; ASPA 137— 

Northwest White Island; ASPA 139— 

Biscoe Point, Anvers Island; ASPA 

149—Cape Shirreff and San Telmo 

Island, Livingston Island, South 

Shetland Islands; ASPA 155—Cape 

Evans, Ross 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 176—Rosenthal Islands, 

Anvers Island. 

Dates of Permitted Activities: October 

15, 2024–March 31, 2025. 

Alina Pavao, 

Administrative Assistant, Office of Polar 

Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22287 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

The National Science Board hereby 

gives notice of the scheduling of a 

teleconference of the National Science 

Board/National Science Foundation 

Commission on Merit Review (MRX) for 

the transaction of National Science 

Board business pursuant to the NSF Act 

and the Government in the Sunshine 

Act. 

TIME AND DATE: The MRX meeting is 

scheduled for Thursday, October 3, 

2024, from 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. EDT. 

PLACE: This meeting will be via 

videoconference through the National 

Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower 

Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314. 

STATUS: Closed. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: The agenda 

is: Commission Chair’s remarks about 

the agenda; Discussion of Preliminary 

Implementation Suggestions; Vote for 

Approval of Preliminary 

Implementation Suggestions; and 

Commission Chair’s closing remarks. 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Point of contact for this meeting is: 

Chris Blair, cblair@nsf.gov, 703/292– 

7000. Meeting information and updates 

may be found at www.nsf.gov/nsb. 

Christopher Blair, 

Executive Assistant to the National Science 

Board Office. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22557 Filed 9–26–24; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Advisory Committee for Mathematical 

and Physical Sciences; Notice of 

Meeting 

In accordance with the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– 

463, as amended), the National Science 

Foundation (NSF) announces the 

following meeting: 

Name and Committee Code: Advisory 

Committee for Mathematical and 

Physical Sciences (#66). 

Date and Time: October 31, 2024: 

10:00 a.m. to 5:10 p.m.; November 1, 

2024: 9:20 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Place: NSF, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 

Alexandria, VA 22314/Hybrid 

participation for AC Members, 

Presenters, Visitors, and Guests. 

To attend the meeting of the Advisory 

Committee (AC) for Mathematical and 

Physical Sciences Directorate (MPS) in 

person, all visitors must contact the 

Directorate for Mathematical and 

Physical Sciences at least 48 hours prior 

to the meeting to arrange for a visitor’s 

badge. Visitors must access NSF via the 

Visitor Center entry adjacent to the 

south building entrance on Eisenhower 

Avenue on the day of the meeting to 

pick up the visitor’s badge. It is 

suggested that visitors allow time to 

pass through security screening. 

To attend virtually, please use the 

link provided on the MPS AC website 

located at http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ 

advisory.jsp. 

Type of Meeting: Open. 

Contact Person: Catalina Achim, 

National Science Foundation, 2415 

Eisenhower Avenue, Room E9335, 

Alexandria, Virginia 22314; Telephone: 

703–292–2048. 

Meeting Information: http://

www.nsf.gov/mps/advisory.jsp. 

Purpose of Meeting: To provide 

advice, recommendations, and counsel 

on major goals and policies pertaining 

to MPS programs and activities. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
79652 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 189 / Monday, September 30, 2024 / Notices 

Agenda 

Thursday, October 31, 2024 

• Call to Order and Official Opening of 

the Meeting 

• Approval of Minutes of the March 

2024 MPS Meeting 

• MPS Directorate Update 

• Research Security 

• CHIPS and Science Act requirement 

for NSF Investment in EPSCOR 

Jurisdictions 

• Science Highlight 

• The Report of the Committee of 

Visitors for the Division of 

Mathematical Sciences 

• NSF Artificial Intelligence Institutes 

with MPS Participation 

• Broader Impacts at Facilities 

• Preparation for the Meeting with the 

NSF Director, Chief Science Officer, 

and Director’s Chief of Staff on Day 2 

• Closing Remarks and Adjourn for the 

Day 

Friday, November 1, 2024 

• Welcome and Overview of Agenda 

• Science Highlight 

• The Report of the Committee of 

Visitors for the Division of Chemistry 

• The NSF Budget 

• Discussion with the NSF Director, 

NSF Chief Science Officer, and NSF 

Director’s Chief of Staff 

• Closing Remarks and Adjourn 

Dated: September 25, 2024. 

Crystal Robinson, 

Committee Management Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22331 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

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. 

SUMMARY: The National Science 

Foundation (NSF) is required to publish 

a notice of requests to modify permits 

issued to conduct activities regulated 

under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 

1978. This is the required notice of a 

requested permit modification. 

DATES: Interested parties are invited to 

submit written data, comments, or 

views with respect to this permit 

application by October 30, 2024. Permit 

applications 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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Andrew Titmus, ACA Permit Officer, 

Office of Polar Programs, National 

Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower 

Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703– 

292–4479; or ACApermits@nsf.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

National Science Foundation, as 

directed by the Antarctic Conservation 

Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95–541), 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 as requiring 

special protection. The regulations 

establish such a permit system to 

designate Antarctic Specially Protected 

Areas. 

Description of Permit Modification 

Requested: The Foundation issued a 

permit (ACA 2023–004) to Steve Emslie 

on July 27, 2022. The issued permit 

allows for take and harmful interference 

associated with research examining 

ecological responses in diet and foraging 

behavior of the Adelie penguin 

(Pygoscelis adeliae) in Antarctica. The 

permit holder may collect up to 150 

ancient and modern penguin tissues per 

year at active and abandoned penguin 

colonies in the Ross Sea region. The 

permit holder may enter ASPAs 104, 

105, 106, 121, 124, 159, 161, and 165. 

A recent modification to this permit, 

dated June 25, 2024, permitted the 

applicant to also enter ASPA 178 in 

association with this research. 

Now the applicant proposes a 

modification to the permit to collect 

small tissue samples from Weddell, 

Crabeater, Southern Elephant, and 

Leopard mummified seal carcasses in 

the Ross Sea Region. The applicant 

proposes to take up to 10 samples from 

each species. Mummies would be 

samples in the field, at their original 

location and samples weighing less than 

15g would be taken from the mouth, 

lung, and anal area. Samples will 

undergo RNA analysis, radiocarbon 

dating, and any remaining tissue will be 

archived at the University of South 

Carolina. The applicant has a pending 

Marine Mammal Protection Act permit 

under consideration for this research. 

Location: Ross Sea Region. 

Dates: October 31, 2024–December 31, 

2025. 

Alina Pavao, 

Administrative Assistant, Office of Polar 

Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22288 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL 

MANAGEMENT 

Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory 

Committee Virtual Public Meeting 

AGENCY: Office of Personnel 

Management. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: According to the provisions of 

section 10 of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act, notice is hereby given 

that a virtual meeting of the Federal 

Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee 

will be held on Thursday, October 17, 

2024. There will be no in-person 

gathering for this meeting. 

DATES: The virtual meeting will be held 

on October 17, 2024, beginning at 10 

a.m. (ET). 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will convene 

virtually. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ana 

Paunoiu, 202–606–2858, or email pay 

policy@opm.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory 

Committee is composed of a Chair, five 

representatives from labor unions 

holding exclusive bargaining rights for 

Federal prevailing rate employees, and 

five representatives from Federal 

agencies. Entitlement to membership on 

the Committee is provided for in 5 

U.S.C. 5347. 

The Committee’s primary 

responsibility is to review the Prevailing 

Rate System and other matters pertinent 

to establishing prevailing rates under 

subchapter IV, chapter 53, 5 U.S.C., as 

amended, and from time to time advise 

the Office of Personnel Management. 

Annually, the Chair compiles a report 

of pay issues discussed and concluded 

recommendations. These reports are 

available to the public. Reports for 

calendar years 2008 to 2023 are posted 

at http://www.opm.gov/fprac. Previous 

reports are also available, upon written 

request to the Committee. 

The public is invited to submit 

material in writing to the Chair on 

Federal Wage System pay matters felt to 

be deserving of the Committee’s 

attention. Additional information on 

these meetings may be obtained by 

contacting the Committee at Office of 

Personnel Management, Federal 

Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, 

Room 7H31, 1900 E Street NW, 

Washington, DC 20415, (202) 606–2858. 

This meeting is open to the public, 

with an audio option for listening. This 

notice sets forth the participation 

guidelines for the meeting. 

Meeting Agenda. The committee 

meets to discuss various agenda items 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1