[Federal Register: March 3, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 41)]
[Notices]               
[Page 10060]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03mr03-104]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4288]

 
Office of Oceans Affairs; Comprehensive Environmental Evaluations 
for Antarctic Activities

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State gives notice of the availability of 
three draft Comprehensive Environmental Evaluations (CEEs) for 
activities proposed to be undertaken in Antarctica. Interested members 
of the public are invited to submit comments relative to these CEEs.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 3, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to OES/OA, Room 5805; Department of State; 
Washington, DC 20520, or to SaturniFM@state.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fabio M. Saturni, Office of Oceans 
Affairs, (202) 647-0237.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 3 of Annex I to the Protocol on 
Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty requires parties to 
prepare a CEE for any proposed Antarctic activity likely to have more 
than a minor or transitory impact. Draft CEEs are to be made publicly 
available with a 90-day period for receipt of comments. This notice is 
published pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 2403a(h).
    The Department of State has received three draft CEEs:
    1. The Czech Republic has submitted a draft CEE for proposed 
construction and operation of a scientific station at James Ross 
Island. The document is available at this Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.cep.aq/default.asp?casid=5768.
    2. New Zealand has submitted a draft CEE for the ANDRILL program of 

proposed Antarctic scientific stratigraphic drilling. The document is 
available at this Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/DownLoadDocuments/PDF/Envir-onment/ANDRILL%20Final%20Jan22.pdf.
    3. The Russian Federation has submitted a draft CEE for water 

sampling of the subglacial Lake Vostok. The document is available at 
this Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.cep.aq/default.asp?casid=5762.
    The Department of State invites interested members of the public to 

provide written comments on these draft CEEs.

    Dated: February 24, 2003.
Raymond V. Arnaudo,
Deputy Director, Office of Oceans Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 03-4909 Filed 2-28-03; 8:45 am]

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