Title : Envnmntl. Assmnt.-Women's Expdtn. Type : Antarctic EAM NSF Org: OD / OPP Date : October 28, 1992 File : opp93086 DIVISION OF POLAR PROGRAMS OFFICE OF THE ENVIRONMENT 202/357-7766 MEMORANDUM Date: October 28, 1992 From: Environmental Officer, DPP Subject: Environmental Action Memorandum (Environmental Assessment by the American Women's Trans-Antarctic Expedition) To: Head, Polar Coordination and Information Section, DPP Manager, Polar Operations Section, DPP Head, Polar Science Section, DPP NSF Representative, New Zealand Files (S.7 - Environment) While the U.S. Government and the U.S. Antarctic Program neither encourage nor support private, non-governmental activities in Antarctica they do encourage such activities to comply with provisions of the Antarctic Treaty. Articles 3 (Environmental Principles) and 8 (Environmental Impact Assessment) of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty call for antarctic activities to be planned so as to allow prior assessment of their potential impacts to the environment. The organizers of the American Women's Trans-Antarctic Expedition have prepared an environmental assessment of a proposed 1992 traverse. That assessment is attached to this Environmental Action Memorandum. Sidney Draggan Attachment