USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting Report Form Renewal

Detected March 15th, 2026

Summary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is seeking public comment on the proposed renewal of an information collection for its Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting Report Form. Comments are due by May 12, 2026.

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What changed

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has issued a notice requesting public comment on the proposed renewal of an information collection, specifically the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting Report Form, under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This action is part of the USGS's ongoing efforts to manage and mitigate the impacts of invasive species in the United States, which incur significant environmental and economic costs.

Interested parties, including government agencies and environmental groups, are invited to submit comments by May 12, 2026. The USGS is particularly interested in feedback regarding the necessity and utility of the information collected, the accuracy of burden estimates, and potential methods to enhance data quality and minimize reporting burdens. This consultation is crucial for assessing the impact of the information collection requirements and ensuring they are efficient and effective.

What to do next

Review the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting Report Form renewal proposal.
Submit comments on the information collection by May 12, 2026.
Assess the necessity, utility, and burden of the proposed information collection.

Source document (simplified)

Content

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 May 12, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by one of the following methods:

Internet: https://www.regulations.gov. Search for and submit comments on Docket No. USGS-2025-0303.

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 mneilson@usgs.gov, 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require approval under the PRA.

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies
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.

We are especially interested in public comment 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 or not 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 through
the use of 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. We will include or summarize each comment
in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. 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 impacted 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 for management and mitigation of harmful impacts, with annual estimated costs ranging
from $21-$120 billion and reported aggregate expenditures from 1960-2020 reaching between $1.22-4.52 trillion (Pimentel et
al. 2005; Fantle-Lepczyk et al. 2022). 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 (http://www.usgs.gov/ecosystems/invasive_species/), 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 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 (http://nas.er.usgs.gov/) functions as a repository and clearinghouse for occurrence information on nonindigenous aquatic species from across the
United States. It contains locality information on approximately 1,380 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.

Fantle-Lepczyk, Jean E., Phillip J. Haubrock, Andrew M. Kramer, Ross N. Cuthbert, Anna J. Turbelin, Robert Crystal-Ornelas,
Christophe Diagne, and Franck Courchamp. “Economic Costs of Biological Invasions in the United States.” Science of The Total
Environment 806 (February 2022): 151318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151318.

Pimentel, David, Rodolfo Zuniga, and Doug Morrison. “Update on the Environmental and Economic Costs Associated with Alien-Invasive
Species in the United States.” Ecological Economics 52, no. 3 (February 2005): 273-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2004.10.002.

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 600 responses per year for the sighting report form, and 50 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 30 hours for the sighting report form, and 1 hour for the alert registration form; a total of 31 hours for the
two forms.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour 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. 2026-04926 Filed 3-12-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4388-11-P