Notice2026-09774
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting Reporting Form and Alert Registration Form
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
May 15, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentGeological Survey
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an information collection.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 94 (Friday, May 15, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27979-27980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09774]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
[Docket No. USGS-2025-0303; OMB Control Number 1028-0098;
GX26MR00UTCWD00]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Nonindigenous
Aquatic Species Sighting Reporting Form and Alert Registration Form
AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995,
the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an information
collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
June 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
[ssquf] Internet: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Search for and
submit comments on Docket No. USGS-2025-0303.
[ssquf] U.S. Mail: USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer,
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Neilson by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5d30333834312e32331d282e3a2e733a322b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c0adaea5a9acb3afae80b5b3a7b3eea7afb6">[email protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at +1 352-517-4091. Individuals in
the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
You may also view the ICR at <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), the USGS provides the
public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public
understand our information collection requirements and provide the
requested data in the desired format.
A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on
March 13, 2026 (91 FR 12440). No comments were received.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are
especially interested in public comments addressing the following:
(1) Whether or not 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) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection
of information, including the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used.
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) How the agency might minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including using appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of response.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. Before including your address, phone number, email
address, or other personally identifiable information (PII) in your
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your
PII--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us
in your comment to withhold your PII from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Abstract: America is under siege by many harmful non-native species
of plants, animals, and microorganisms. More than 6,500 nonindigenous
species are now established in the United States, posing risks to
native species, valued ecosystems, and human and wildlife health. These
invaders extract a huge cost, an estimated $120 billion per year, to
mitigate their harmful impacts. The current annual environmental,
economic, and health-related costs of invasive species exceed those of
all other natural disasters combined.
Through its Invasive Species Program (<a href="http://www.usgs.gov/ecosystems/invasive_species/">http://www.usgs.gov/ecosystems/invasive_species/</a>), the USGS plays an important role in
federal efforts to combat invasive species in natural and semi-natural
areas through early detection and assessment of newly established
invaders; monitoring of invading populations; and improving
[[Page 27980]]
understanding of the ecology of invaders and factors in the resistance
of habitats to invasion. The USGS provides the tools, technology, and
information supporting efforts to prevent, contain, control, and manage
invasive species nationwide. To meet user needs, the USGS also develops
methods for compiling and synthesizing accurate and reliable data and
information on invasive species for inclusion in a distributed and
integrated web-based information system.
As part of the USGS Invasive Species Program, the Nonindigenous
Aquatic Species (NAS) database (<a href="http://nas.er.usgs.gov/">http://nas.er.usgs.gov/</a>) functions as a
repository and clearinghouse for occurrence information on
nonindigenous aquatic species from across the United States. It
contains locality information on approximately 1,390 species of
vertebrates, invertebrates, and vascular plants introduced since 1850.
Taxa include foreign species as well as those native to North America
that have been transported outside of their natural range. The NAS
website provides immediate access to new occurrence records through a
real-time interface with the NAS database. Visitors to the website can
use a set of predefined queries to obtain lists of species according to
state or hydrologic basin of interest. Fact sheets, distribution maps,
and information on new occurrences are continually posted and updated.
Dynamically generated species distribution maps show the spatial
accuracy of the locations reported, population status, and links to
more information about each report. The NAS database will collect
information on new species occurrences from the public using a sighting
report form, including the species observed, location and date of
observation, optional contact information (for any subsequent follow up
discussion on observation), and optional images or other media files
that provide supporting evidence of the organism.
The NAS website also allows users to sign up for email alert
notifications of new species observations of interest matching several
taxonomic or geographic filters through an alert registration form. The
information collected includes a name, email address, a user-specific
password, and notification preferences.
Title of Collection: Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting
Reporting Form and Alert Registration Form.
OMB Control Number: 1028-0098.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Federal, State, and local government
employees, university personnel, and private individuals.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: We estimate
approximately 350 respondents per year for the sighting report form
(some respondents will submit multiple reports per year), and 50
respondents (i.e., new registrations) per year for the alert
registration form.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: We estimate 700
responses per year for the sighting report form, and 85 responses
(i.e., new registrations) per year for the alert registration form.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: We estimate 3 minutes for
the sighting report form, and 1 minute for the alert registration form.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: We estimate 35 hours
for the sighting report form, and 2 hours for the alert registration
form; a total of 37 hours for the two forms.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: None.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number.
The authority for this action is the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq.).
Lynn Copeland,
Center Director.
[FR Doc. 2026-09774 Filed 5-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4388-11-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 15, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.