Advance Notification: Tourist and other Non-Governmental Activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Form DS-4131 Advance Notification Form: Tourist and Other Non-Governmental Activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area Form and Instruction	New
Justification for Emergency Review.doc Supplementary Document	2008-04-16
legalAuthorities.doc Supplementary Document	2008-04-16
Supporting Statement.doc Supporting Statement A	2008-04-16

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
184479	Advance Notification Form: Tourist and Other Non-Governmental Activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area Form and Instruction	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1405-0181	ICR Reference No: 200804-1405-004
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: STATE/AFA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Advance Notification: Tourist and other Non-Governmental Activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 05/31/2008
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 05/20/2008
	Date Received in OIRA: 04/16/2008
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	11/30/2008	6 Months From Approved
Responses	22	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	232	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

---

Abstract: Information requested on the Advance Notification Form will be used by the Department of State to make a determination whether an intended tourist or other non-governmental activity is organized in or proceeding from its territory and, if so, to prepare a pre-season notification to other Parties to the Treaty containing specifics of each intended expedition. Upon determination that an activity falls under U.S. jurisdiction, U.S. expeditions must comply with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations requiring the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment reflecting U.S. obligations under the Treaty’s Protocol for Environmental Protection. The content of the proposed Advance Notification Form has been cleared with both EPA and the National Science Foundation.

Emergency Justfication: The U.S. Government is obligated under Article VII(5)(a) of the Antarctic Treaty to provide advance notification to other Contracting Parties of “all expeditions to and within Antarctica, on the part of its ships or nationals, and all expeditions to Antarctica organized in or proceeding from its territory.” Notice of official USG expeditions is provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF), while the Department of State provides notice of U.S. tourist and non-governmental activities. Filing an Advance Notification Form leads to a determination of U.S. jurisdiction over an activity and triggers an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This mandatory process takes several months to complete. In order for U.S. expedition organizers to meet their EIA requirements before the tourist season begins in October, some Advance Notification Forms must be completed and submitted to the Department before July. Thus, the PRA submission process needs to be completed more quickly than regular processing would allow, preventing the Department from fulfilling its Treaty obligations. The content of the proposed Advance Notification Form has been cleared with both NSF and EPA.

---

Authorizing Statute(s): None

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

---

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

---

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	73 FR 74	04/16/2008
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

---

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Advance Notification Form: Tourist and Other Non-Governmental Activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area	DS-4131	Advance Notification Form: Tourist and Other Non-Governmental Activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area

---

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	22	0	0	22	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	232	0	0	232	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Burden change is due this submission as a new collection.

---

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? Uncollected

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? Uncollected

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? Uncollected

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

---

Common Form ICR:  No

---

On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 04/16/2008

---