Under the Antarctic Treaty System (Antarctic Treaty offsite link and related agreements offsite link) Antarctica has been set aside for peaceful purposes including scientific research and environmental protection. The international cooperation on implementation of this system is done through the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) offsite link. The Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP) offsite link implements the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty offsite link and usually has a meeting that runs concurrent with the ATCM. ATCM XXXII and CEP XII, hosted by the United States in Baltimore, Maryland, April 6-17, 2009, coincided with the 50th Anniversary of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty.

On April 2, 2009, President Obama transmitted to the Senate for its advice and consent to ratification Annex VI on Liability Arising From Environmental Emergencies to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Annex VI). The Treaty Transmittal package has been referred to the Foreign Relations Committee for its consideration (Senate Treaty No. 111-2).

Additional reference information: 

• Antarctic Treaty Transmittal Package (86th Cong., 2d Sess., Senate Doc file Executive B) (February 15, 1960).
• Antarctic Treaty Environmental Liability Annex Treaty Transmittal Package (Senate Treaty No. 111-2) (April 2, 2009).
• White House News Release on President's Transmittal of Antarctic Treaty Environmental Liability Annex to U.S. Senate (April 3, 2009). Available for download.
• Remarks of Secretary of State Clinton offsite link at Joint Session of ATCM and Arctic Council (April 6, 2009).
• Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting Press Teleconference (April 17, 2009).
• U.S. State Department Handbook on Antarctic Treaty Series
• Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty offsite link
• Related agreements offsite link include the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS).
• U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) web portal.
• U.S. Antarctic Program. Committee on Fundamental Science, National Science and Technology Council, Report of April 1996.
• U.S. Antarctic Resource Center (USARC), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Mapping Division and the National Science Foundation United States Antarctic Program.
• National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs (OPP).
• NOAA Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division
• British Antarctic Survey offsite link