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bases on the continent that house scientists and support personnel conducting re- 

 search there. In addition, the number of tourists visiting Antarctica each year con- 

 tinues to grow. During the 1994-1995 season, approximately 8,000 tourists visited 

 Antarctica; the preliminary numbers for 1995-1996 indicate upwards of 9,000 visi- 

 tors. Increasing tourism poses potential environmental threats, including ship-based 

 pollution and impacts to land fauna and flora from repeated landings at the same 

 sites. More research is needed to assess whether some of these landing areas, par- 

 ticularly nesting areas for seals and penguins, have begun to show evidence of fre- 

 quent human visitation. 



Enactment of the legislation to implement the Protocol at this time is crucial to 

 prevent degradation of Antarctica's pristine environmental state and is in keeping 

 with a tradition of U.S. leadership in antarctic activities and policy for the past 35 

 years. Today, the United States maintains the single greatest presence in Antarctica 

 and conducts the largest number of research activities there. By passing implement- 

 ing legislation, the U.S. will meet its obligation as a steward of the Antarctic envi- 

 ronment and will underscore its commitment to protect the biological diversity and 

 wilderness of Antarctica. Passage of implementing legislation by the United States 

 will also mitigate any adverse environmental consequences associated with scientific 

 activities conducted on the continent. 



Not only will enactment of implementing legislation provide a much needed 

 framework for U.S. activities in the Antarctic, it will also provide critical momentum 

 to the international ratification process. The next meeting of the Consultative Par- 

 ties to the Antarctic Treaty is scheduled to take place in the coming weeks. If the 

 U.S. delegation can convey to the other parties the strong likelihood that Congress 

 will enact implementing legislation during this session, this may positively influence 

 the other five countries that have yet to complete the ratification process.^ In addi- 

 tion, H.R. 3060 will serve as a model for domestic implementing legislation in coun- 

 tries that have ratified the Protocol but have not enacted enabling legislation.^ 



Importantly, the Protocol allows scientific activities to continue, but limits adverse 

 environmental effects by requiring that research plans take into consideration prior 

 impact assessments. The environmental community recognizes the significant sci- 

 entific knowledge to be gained from continued monitoring and evaluation of natural 

 phenomena in Antarctica. The information gleaned from this research will ulti- 

 mately benefit us all by increasing our understanding of the functioning and health 

 of our planet. Far from putting a stop to scientific research activities in Antarctica, 

 the safeguards embodied in the Protocol will allow scientific research to continue 

 while enhancing the quality of the research environment. Entry into force of the 

 Protocol should also encourage greater support of cooperative science programs 

 among nations, thereby decreasing the environmental impacts associated with mul- 

 tiple support facilities. The result will be greater protection of the Antarctic environ- 

 ment and enhanced quality of scientific research conducted in Antarctica. 



Agency implementation of the Protocol's requirements is, of course, a vital ele- 

 ment in attaining these ends. The National Science Foundation (NSF), the major 

 U.S. actor in Antarctic research, has responsibility both to implement and enforce 

 the Protocol and to execute research programs. At previous hearings on implement- 

 ing legislation, the environmental community had urged that these responsibilities 

 be kept distinct. 



We recognize, however, that the current leadership at NSF has taken important 

 steps to correct past problems and is implementing sound policies for the future. For 

 instance, NSF has made significant strides in improving its waste disposal and recy- 

 cling operations, and has upgraded its fuel-handling capabilities and revamped its 

 storage facilities. NSF regulations mandating waste handling procedures and pro- 

 mulgating rules to designate and control the release of pollutants in the Antarctic 

 implement the Protocol's requirements. In addition, the 1993 statement by the Di- 

 rector of the Office of Polar Programs that incineration will no longer be the pre- 

 ferred waste disposal method in the Antarctic reaffirmss NSF's commitment to 

 sound environmental management in the future. We are therefore satisfied that 

 NSF can successfully meet its legal obligations under the Protocol with regard to 

 the scientists and activities it supports as well as adequately monitor its own acts 

 and omissions. 



Additional positive aspects of H.R. 3060 include its provisions for consultation and 

 concurrence with other federal agencies in the permitting and regulatory process 

 and its requirement that U.S. Environmental Impact Assessments under the Proto- 



^In addition to the U.S., Belgium, Finland, India, Japan, and Russia have not ratified the 

 Protocol. 



°Only seven nations have ratified with implementing legislation: Australia, New Zealand, 

 Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway, and the Netherlands. 



