Notice2026-07891
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Spongy Moth Identification Worksheet and Checklist
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 23, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the spongy moth program.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 78 (Thursday, April 23, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 78 (Thursday, April 23, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21785-21786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07891]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 78 / Thursday, April 23, 2026 /
Notices
[[Page 21785]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2026-0595]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; Spongy Moth Identification Worksheet and Checklist
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment
request.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's
intention to request an extension of approval of an information
collection associated with the spongy moth program.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June
22, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
Enter APHIS-2026-0595 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab,
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
<bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2026-0595, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., #AP760, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may
be viewed at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> or in our reading room, which is located
in Room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is
there to help you, please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the spongy moth
program, contact Mr. David Gruchot, Assistant National Policy,
Biocontrol, and Forest, Wood and Rangeland Pests and Emergency Domestic
Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 1001 East Touhy Ave., Suite 187, Des Plaines, IL
60018; (847) 699-2421. For more information on the information
collection reporting process, contact Ms. Sheniqua Harris, APHIS'
Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 851-2528 or email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9f8e9f1f0ea97e9ebf8f9cccaddd897ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d8998890918bf6888a9998adabbcb9f6bfb7ae">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Spongy Moth Identification Worksheet and Checklist.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0104.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.),
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), either independently or in
cooperation with the States, is authorized to carry out operations or
measures to detect, eradicate, suppress, control, prevent, or retard
the spread of plant pests new to the United States or not widely
distributed throughout the United States. The USDA's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is the delegated authority to carry
out this mission.
As part of the mission, APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine
(PPQ) program engages in detection surveys to monitor for the presence
of, among other things, the Spongy moth (formerly known as gypsy moth
\1\) and the flighted spongy moth complex. The spongy moth is one of
the most destructive pests of fruit and ornamental trees as well as
hardwood forests. First introduced into the United States in Medford,
MA, in 1869, the spongy moth has gradually spread to infest the entire
northeastern portion of the country. The spongy moth regulations can be
found in 7 CFR 301.45 through 301.45-12.
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\1\ Formerly gypsy moth, see <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/aphis-announces-new-common-names-regulated-lymantria-moths">https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/aphis-announces-new-common-names-regulated-lymantria-moths</a>.
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Heavily infested spongy moth areas are inundated with actively
crawling larvae that cover trees, fences, vehicles, and houses during
their search for food. Entire areas may be stripped of all foliage,
often resulting in heavy damage to trees. The damage can have long-
lasting effects, depriving wildlife of food and shelter, and severely
limiting the recreational value of forested areas.
The flighted spongy moth complex is an exotic strain of spongy moth
that is closely related to the spongy moth already established in the
United States. While the flighted spongy moth has been introduced into
the United States on several occasions, it is currently not established
in the United States. However, due to behavioral differences, the
flighted spongy moth complex is considered to pose an even greater
threat to trees and forested areas than the spongy moth.
Unlike the flightless spongy moth female adult, flighted spongy
moth complex female adults are capable of strong directed flight
between mating and egg deposition, significantly increasing its ability
to spread over a much greater area and become widely established within
a short time. In addition, flighted spongy moth larvae feed on a much
wider variety of hosts, allowing them to exploit more areas and cause
more damage than the European spongy moth.
To determine the presence and extent of a European spongy moth or a
flighted spongy moth complex infestation, APHIS sets traps in high-risk
areas to collect specimens. Once an infestation is identified, control
and eradication work (usually involving State cooperation) is initiated
to eliminate the moths.
APHIS personnel, with assistance from State/local agriculture
personnel, check traps for the presence of spongy moths. If a
suspicious moth is found in the trap, it is sent to APHIS laboratories
so that it can be correctly identified through DNA analysis. DNA
analysis is the only way to accurately identify these insects because
the European spongy moth and the flighted spongy moth are strains of
the same species, and they cannot be visually distinguished from each
other.
The PPQ official or State/local collaborator submitting the moth
for analysis must complete a specimen for determination worksheet,
which accompanies the insect to the laboratory. The worksheet enables
Federal and State/local regulatory officials to identify and track
specific specimens through the DNA identification tests that are
conducted.
[[Page 21786]]
In addition, the information provided by the spongy moth identification
worksheets is vital to APHIS' ability to monitor, detect, and eradicate
spongy moth infestations.
The spongy moth regulations (Sec. 301.45-4(a)) also require the
inspection of outdoor household articles that are to be moved from a
spongy moth quarantined area to a non-quarantined area to ensure that
they are free of all life stages of spongy moth. Individuals may use a
self-inspection checklist, which is completed and signed by the person
who performed the inspection, and kept in the vehicle used to move the
outdoor household articles in the event that USDA or State/Local
officials request it during the movement of the articles. In addition,
it is recommended that individuals maintain a copy of the signed
checklist for at least 5 years.
We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve
these information collection activities, as described, for an
additional 3 years. APHIS has revised the title of the information
collection to reflect the common name of regulated Lymantria moths.
The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection.
These comments will help us:
(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including
whether the information will have practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated,
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of responses.
Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 0.362 hours per response.
Respondents: Individuals who complete the self-inspection checklist
and State and local cooperators.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 2,500,100.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 3.
Estimated annual number of responses: 7,500,250.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 2,711,543 hours. (Due
to averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product
of the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden
per response.)
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record.
Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of April 2026.
Sarah Helming,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-07891 Filed 4-22-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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