[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1425-1427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-543]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census
[Docket No. 970501104-7271-02]


Census County Division (CCD) Program for Census 2000--Final 
Criteria

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of final program.

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SUMMARY: Census county divisions (CCDs) are geographic statistical 
entities established cooperatively by the Census Bureau and officials 
of state and local governments in 21 states where minor civil divisions 
(MCDs) either do not exist or are unsatisfactory for reporting 
decennial census data. The primary goal of the CCD program is to 
establish and maintain a set of subcounty units that have stable 
boundaries and recognizable names. A CCD usually represents one or more 
communities, trading centers, or, in some instances, major land uses. 
It usually consists of a single geographic piece that is relatively 
compact in shape. The geographic ``building blocks'' of CCDs are census 
tracts, and many CCDs are groupings of several contiguous census 
tracts.
    Since the 1950s, the Census Bureau has worked with state and local 
officials to create subcounty areas for the collection, presentation, 
and analysis of census statistics in states where MCDs do not exist, 
are not well-known locally, or are subject to frequent change. By 1990, 
21 states had shifted to CCDs: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, 
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, 
New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, 
Washington, and Wyoming. Once a state has replaced its MCDs with CCDs, 
it usually keeps them throughout subsequent decennial censuses. For 
Census 2000, all of the above 21 states will retain their CCDs.

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    To maintain and update the boundaries and names of CCDs for Census 
2000, the Census Bureau offers a program for state and local officials 
to review and update their 1990 CCDs according to criteria developed 
and promulgated by the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau then reviews 
their CCD plans for conformance to these criteria.
    The Census Bureau is now publishing the final CCD criteria proposed 
for Census 2000. These criteria will apply only to states with CCDs. 
The Census Bureau may modify and, if necessary, reject proposals for 
any CCD changes that do not meet its criteria.
    In addition to these final criteria, this notice includes a 
description of the changes from the criteria used for the 1990 census 
and a list of definitions of key terms used in the criteria.

DATES: The CCD criteria for Census 2000 become effective on February 9, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Director, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Joel Morrison, Chief, Geography 
Division, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233-7400, telephone 
(301) 457-1132, or e-mail ([email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CCD criteria have evolved in response to 
decennial census practices and the preferences of state and local 
participants and data users. After each decennial census, the Census 
Bureau, in consultation with program participants and data users, 
reviews and revises these criteria. Then, before the next decennial 
census, the Census Bureau offers participants and data users an 
opportunity to correct, update, and otherwise improve their CCDs.
    In July and August 1995, the Census Bureau issued invitations to 
state and local groups and agencies to participate in the delineation 
of statistical geographic areas for Census 2000. These included state 
and regional planning agencies, councils of governments, and county 
planning agencies.
    By early 1998, the Census Bureau will provide maps and detailed 
guidelines to program participants for the review and delineation of 
CCDs for Census 2000.

Response to Comments

    The Census Bureau issued a Notice of Proposed Program Revisions and 
Request for Comments in the Federal Register (62 FR 27217) on Monday, 
May 19, 1997. That notice solicited comments on the proposed criteria 
changes for delineating CCDs for Census 2000. The Census Bureau 
received comments from a State Data Center proposing major 
modifications to CCDs on the basis of population size. In counties of 
500,000 people or more, the proposal was to subdivide some CCDs with 
very large populations. In smaller counties, the CCDs would be 
consolidated into units with minimum populations from 20,000-30,000 
people. In response, the Census Bureau indicated its willingness to 
consider proposals to subdivide some of the most populous CCDs, 
provided that such modifications did not violate the delineation 
criteria. However, the Census Bureau could not agree to the minimum 
population threshold of 20,000 people for a CCD, because such a major 
consolidation would cause an unacceptable disruption of historical 
comparability and a loss of name identification for many distinct 
geographic regions within counties.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice does not meet the criteria for a ``significant 
regulatory action'' as specified in E.O. 12866.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Pursuant to the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 605(b)), the Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and 
Regulation, Department of Commerce, certified to the Chief Counsel, 
Small Business Administration, that this notice will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
This notice sets forth the criteria for the delineation of CCDs for 
Census 2000. These criteria will be used to establish and maintain a 
set of subcounty areas for the collection, presentation, and analysis 
of census statistics in states that have CCDs. Because CCDs are used 
solely for statistical purposes, their delineation will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of entities.

Final Program Requirements

A. Criteria for Delineating CCDs for Census 2000

    The Census Bureau requires that CCDs--(1) have community 
orientation, (2) have visible, stable boundaries, (3) conform to 
groupings of census tracts, and (4) have recognizable names.
1. Community Orientation
    Each CCD should focus on one or more communities or places and take 
in the additional surrounding territory that is served by these in some 
fashion. The definition of community should take into account factors 
such as production, marketing, consumption, and the integrating factor 
of local institutions.
    The community on which a CCD is centered usually is an incorporated 
place or a census designated place. In some cases, the CCD may be 
centered on a major area of significantly different land use or 
ownership, such as a large military base or American Indian 
reservation. In other situations, a CCD can represent an area that is 
physiographically different from the rest of the county. A CCD should 
always consist of a single geographic piece that is relatively compact 
in shape.
2. Visible, Stable Boundaries
    A CCD should have easily locatable boundaries that seldom change. 
These should be readily discernible in the field and easy to depict on 
maps. This provision makes the location of boundaries less ambiguous 
and easier for data users to locate. The following features are 
acceptable:
     County boundaries (always a CCD boundary).
     Census tract boundaries, which usually follow visible, 
perennial natural and cultural features, such as roads; rivers; canals; 
railroads; above-ground, high-tension power lines; and so forth.
     American Indian reservation boundaries.
     Conjoint city limits (in certain situations).
    When the above types of features are not available for selection, 
the Census Bureau may, at its discretion, approve nonstandard visible 
features, such as ridge lines, pipelines, intermittent streams, fence 
lines, and so forth. The Census Bureau also may accept, on a case-by-
case basis, the boundaries of selected nonstandard and potentially 
nonvisible features, such as the boundaries of national parks and 
national forests, cemeteries or other special land-use properties; the 
straight-line extensions of visible features; and other lines of sight.
3. Groupings of Census Tracts, CCD Population Size
    A CCD should almost always consist of one census tract or a 
combination of contiguous census tracts. Therefore, CCD boundaries 
should conform to census tract boundaries. In counties that had block 
numbering areas (BNAs) in 1990, program participants will be converting 
the BNAs to census tracts. For these counties, the Census Bureau 
strongly recommends adjusting the CCDs to conform to groupings of 
census tracts. As an alternative, program participants may use the CCD 
framework as a basis for establishing some or all of their census 
tracts. It is permissible to use both approaches.
    In a few exceptional situations, some CCD boundaries may not need 
to follow census tract boundaries, and there may

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be two or more 1990 CCDs within one census tract. Usually, such 
situations are limited to very sparsely populated counties with a large 
land area.
    Population size is not as important a consideration with CCDs as it 
is with census tracts. Historically, CCDs have ranged from a few 
hundred people (in selected situations) to more than one million. 
However, insofar as possible, CCDs that are new for Census 2000 should 
have a population of at least 1,500 people, the recommended minimum for 
a census tract.
4. Name Identification
    A CCD usually should be named after the largest population center 
or place within it (Los Angeles). Sometimes a CCD name may represent 
the two largest centers; for example, Bayard-Santa Rita. In some 
situations, a CCD may be named after a prominent physical feature 
(Castle Rock, Lake Mono, Pikes Peak ) or a distinctive region within 
the county (Death Valley, Everglades, Lower Keys, Tellico Plains). In 
other cases, a CCD name may consist of the county name and a compass 
direction to indicate the portion of the county in the CCD, or a place 
name and a compass direction to give the CCD location relative to the 
place. The directional indicator usually precedes a county name, as in 
Northwest Union. If a place name is used, the directional indicator 
follows it; for example, Smithville North. In all cases, the objective 
is to identify clearly the extent of the CCD by means of an area name; 
CCD names always should be meaningful to data users.
5. Revisions to Existing CCDs
    Some 1990 CCD boundaries have errors. Most of these involve small 
areas where the CCD boundaries and census tract boundaries were 
supposed to be conjoint but were not. The Census Bureau will bring 
these specific situations to the attention of local participants and 
request that they submit corrections.
    The Census Bureau does not encourage state and local officials to 
make major revisions to their CCDs, since the goal of the program is to 
maintain a set of stable subcounty entities that allows data 
comparability from census to census. However, updates and revisions may 
be necessary in some instances, such as where there have been county 
boundary changes, revisions to census tract boundaries, or as part of 
the initial delineation of census tracts. Additionally, revisions to 
CCD names may be necessary due to population changes within CCDs.
6. Final Approval of CCDs
    The Census Bureau reserves the right to approve all CCD proposals 
for Census 2000. The Census Bureau will make an effort to reach 
agreement with local participants, but cannot approve the CCDs 
submitted if the changes are unwarranted or do not meet Census 2000 
criteria. If necessary, the Census Bureau will revise CCDs that do not 
meet its requirements.

B. Changes to the Criteria for Census 2000

    Most provisions of the CCD criteria remain unchanged from those 
used in conjunction with the 1990 census. The only major change is the 
shift to census tracts in all counties that had BNAs and the need to 
adjust the CCDs in those counties to the boundaries of census tracts.

Definitions of Key Terms

    American Indian reservation (AIR)--A federally recognized American 
Indian entity with boundaries established by treaty, statute, and/or 
executive or court order and over which American Indians have 
governmental jurisdiction. Along with reservation, designations such as 
colonies, communities, pueblos, rancherias, and reserves apply to AIRs.
    Block numbering area (BNA)--A small-area, statistical geographic 
division of a county or statistically equivalent area delineated in 
1990 instead of and generally geographically equivalent to a census 
tract. For Census 2000, the Census Bureau is merging the BNA program 
with the census tract program and converting all BNAs to census tracts.
    Census block--The smallest geographic entity for which the Census 
Bureau collects and tabulates decennial census information, bounded on 
all sides by visible and nonvisible features identified by the Census 
Bureau in computer files and on maps.
    Census designated place (CDP)--A locally recognized, closely 
settled population center identified by name. The Census Bureau uses 
CDPs to present data for localities that otherwise would not be 
identified as places in its data products.
    Census tract--A small, relatively permanent statistical geographic 
subdivision of a county or statistically equivalent area defined for 
the tabulation of data. For Census 2000, the Census Bureau is replacing 
BNAs with census tracts.
    Conjoint--A description of a boundary shared by two adjacent 
geographic areas.
    Contiguous--A description of geographic areas that are adjacent to 
one another, sharing either a common boundary or point.
    Incorporated place--A type of governmental unit, sanctioned by 
state law as a city, town (except in New England, New York, and 
Wisconsin), village, or borough (except in Alaska and New York) having 
legally prescribed limits, powers, and functions.
    Minor civil division (MCD)--The primary governmental or 
administrative division of a county in 28 states, Puerto Rico, and the 
Island Areas having legal boundaries, names, and descriptions. MCDs 
represent many different types of legal entities with a wide variety of 
characteristics, powers, and functions depending on the state and type 
of MCD. In some states, some or all of the incorporated places also 
constitute MCDs.
    Nonvisible feature--A map feature that is not visible on the 
ground, such as a city or county boundary through space, a property 
line, a short line-of-sight extension of a road, or a point-to-point 
line of sight.
    Special place--A specific location requiring special enumeration 
because the location includes people not in households or the area 
includes special land use. Special places include facilities with 
resident population, such as correctional institutions, military 
installations, college campuses, workers' dormitories, hospitals, 
nursing homes, and group homes, and land-use areas such as national 
parks. A special place includes the entire facility, including 
nonresidential areas and staff housing units, as well as all group 
quarters population.
    Visible feature--A map feature that one can see on the ground, such 
as a road, railroad track, above-ground transmission line, stream, 
shoreline, fence, sharply defined mountain ridge, or cliff. A 
nonstandard visible feature is a feature that may not be clearly 
defined on the ground (such as a ridge), may be seasonal (such as an 
intermittent stream), or may be relatively impermanent (such as a 
fence). The Census Bureau generally requests verification that 
nonstandard features are easily locatable.

    Dated: November 19, 1997.
Bradford R. Huther,
Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 98-543 Filed 1-8-98; 8:45 am]
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