Chapter IV — International 



National Science Foundation prepared and, in early 

 1991, distributed for comment a Draft Supplemental 

 Environmental Impact Statement on the U.S. Antarctic 

 Program. The supplemental statement updated a 

 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) 

 done in 1980. 



The Marine Mammal Commission, in consultation 

 with its Committee of Scientific Advisors, reviewed 

 the Draft Supplemental Enviromnental Impact State- 

 ment and provided comments to the National Science 

 Foundation by letter of 18 March 1991. In its com- 

 ments, the Commission noted that the draft supple- 

 mental statement focused on new initiatives regarding 

 safety, environment, and health in Antarctica, but did 

 not describe or provide an evaluation of the possible 

 environmental impacts of the various components of 

 the U.S. science program and related logistic support 

 activities in Antarctica. Likewise, the Commission 

 pointed out that the draft supplemental statement did 

 not describe or provide an evaluation of the Founda- 

 tion's responsibilities for ensuring that non-govern- 

 mental expeditions originating in the United States or 

 involving U.S. citizens comply with relevant measures 

 established by Antarctic Treaty recommendations, the 

 Antarctic Conservation Act, the Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act, and other relevant statutes and agree- 

 ments. 



The Commission pointed out that information on 

 the science program, as well as the logistic support 

 program, is needed to realistically assess the possible 

 direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts 

 of the U.S. Antarctic Program. It suggested that the 

 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement be 

 expanded to provide a description and evaluation of 

 the possible environmental impacts of various compo- 

 nents of the science program that is expected to be 

 carried out in the next five or ten years, and/or 

 describe the procedures that are being or will be used 

 to assess and avoid or minimize the possible adverse 

 effects of individual research projects and programs, 

 as well as the logistic support and the new safety, 

 environment, and health initiatives. With regard to 

 the latter point, the Commission suggested that the 

 Foundation: (1) institutionalize a system whereby 

 research proposals, new program initiatives, changes 

 in logistic capabilities or techniques, new station 

 construction, etc. are routinely examined during the 



preliminary review/planning process to determine how 

 they might affect the environment and existing or 

 planned science and related logistic support activities; 

 (2) in cases where adverse effects are judged possible, 

 prepare Environmental Impact Assessments or Supple- 

 mentary Environmental Impact Statements, as appro- 

 priate, to ensure that possible adverse effects are 

 identified and due consideration given them during the 

 planning process; and (3) design and implement 

 programs to assess and monitor the possible environ- 

 mental impacts of the U.S. Antarctic Program. 



Unlike the United States, many of the countries 

 operating research programs in the Antarctic have 

 little or no practical experience with envirormiental 

 impact assessment. To help overcome this problem, 

 the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Pro- 

 grams held a workshop in Bologna, Italy, on 17-19 

 June 1991 to develop a set of practical guidelines for 

 meeting the environmental impact assessment require- 

 ments for scientific and related logistic support 

 activities in Antarctica. To assist in preparing for this 

 workshop, the Commission, in a 20 March 1991 letter 

 to the Director of the National Science Foundation's 

 Division of Polar Programs, suggested that the Foun- 

 dation constitute an ad hoc working group, made up 

 of grantees and staff, to develop criteria for judging 

 when environmental impact assessments should be 

 done to comply with the recommendation adopted at 

 the XlVth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and 

 other relevant statutes and agreements. As a possible 

 first step, the Commission suggested that the ad hoc 

 working group be asked to develop: (1) a list of 

 envirorunental components of concern {e.g., air, 

 snow, ice and water quality, flora and fauna. Specially 

 Protected Areas, etc.); and (2) criteria as to what 

 would constitute negligible, minor or transitory, 

 significant, and unacceptable impacts on each of the 

 components of concern. 



On a related matter, the Environmental Protection 

 Agency convened a workshop in July 1991 to assist in 

 identifying studies that are being and could be done in 

 Antarctica to help assess environmental degradation 

 being caused by human activities outside Antarctica. 

 The Commission provided informal comments on this 

 and the previously mentioned Environmental Impact 

 Assessment Workshop through the Interagency Ant- 

 arctic Working Group chaired by the Department of 



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