[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5440]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: March 9, 1994]
VOL. 59, NO. 46
Wednesday, March 9, 1994
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
[Docket No. 94-003-1]
Declaration of Emergency Because of Asian Gypsy Moth in North
Carolina
An exotic pest, the Asian gypsy moth, has been introduced into the
Eastern United States. An infestation has been found in North Carolina.
The Asian gypsy moth is capable of devastating forests, woodlands,
and residential landscapes. This Asian strain has different behavioral
characteristics than the European gypsy moth, which has been
devastating northeastern forests in the United States. Unlike the
flightless European female gypsy moth, Asian females can fly long
distances, and larvae feed on certain conifers as well as hardwoods.
The ability of the Asian female to fly complicates management
strategies. It is necessary to detect and eradicate new infestations at
the earliest possible stage, before they begin to spread widely.
The economic impact of Asian gypsy moth establishment in the United
States would be devastating, severely disrupting the multibillion
dollar timber and forest products industry. Parks, woodlands, and
residential landscapes would be threatened. Pesticide usage and annual
control costs would increase. Foreign countries would embargo products
from infested areas. U.S. exporters of agricultural commodities would
lose markets worth millions of dollars, diminishing the international
competitiveness of the United States. If Asian gypsy moth does become
established in the Eastern United States, economic losses due to
defoliation of both hardwoods and conifers could exceed $1 billion over
the next 40 years.
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Forest
Service (FS), has established a survey and eradication project team.
This team has developed a coordinated, cooperative survey and
eradication plan. Implementation of this plan will cost approximately
$9.45 million over a 3-year period.
For this Asian gypsy moth survey and eradication project to
succeed, State cooperators need an immediate pledge of financial
support. APHIS will share the costs of survey and eradication
activities on State and private lands with the State of North Carolina.
APHIS, the lead Federal agency in the Asian gypsy moth project, has
insufficient funds to meet the needs of the proposed program. Once
funded, however, APHIS can proceed with the detection and eradication
program that will eliminate the Asian gypsy moth infestations now in
the United States. The cooperative Asian gypsy moth program will detect
and identify Asian gypsy moth-infested areas, control and prevent the
spread of Asian gypsy moths to noninfested areas of the United States,
and eradicate Asian gypsy moths in the infested areas.
Therefore, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of
September 25, 1981, 95 Stat. 953 (7 U.S.C. 147b), I declare that there
is an emergency which threatens the timber, forest products, and
nursery industries of this country, and I authorize the transfer and
use of such sums as I may deem necessary from appropriations or other
funds available to the agencies or corporations of the Department of
Agriculture for the conduct of a program to detect and identify Asian
gypsy moth-infested areas, to control and prevent the spread of Asian
gypsy moths to noninfested areas in the United States, and to eradicate
Asian gypsy moths wherever they may be found in the continental United
States.
All necessary congressional notification will occur immediately.
Effective Date: This declaration of emergency shall become
effective on February 25, 1994.
Mike Espy,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 94-5440 Filed 3-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-M
