[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]
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