[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 159 (Tuesday, August 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44233-44234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22145]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Census 2000/Puerto Rico

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

Dates: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 19, 
1998.

Addresses: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

For Further Information Contact: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Decennial Communications, Decennial Management 
Division, Bureau of the Census, Room 2002, Suitland Federal Center #2, 
Washington, DC 20233-0001. Their telephone number is (301) 457-3947.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The United States Constitution mandates that a census of the 
Nation's population and housing be taken every 10 years. Title 13 of 
the U.S. Code specifies that in addition to the 50 states and the 
District of Columbia, the census also should include Puerto Rico, the 
U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands. The Census Bureau's goal in Census 2000 is to 
take the most accurate and cost-effective census possible. The 
importance of an accurate decennial census cannot be overstated. Puerto 
Rico census data are used to redraw legislative district boundaries to 
ensure that political representation is distributed accurately and to 
determine funding allocations for the distribution of Federal and 
Puerto Rico funds each year. Census data tell us what we know about 
Puerto Rico; they are the definitive benchmark for virtually all 
demographic information used by the Federal, Puerto Rico and local 
governments, policy makers, educators, journalists, and community and 
nonprofit organizations.
    From Census 2000, the Census Bureau will produce population totals 
by race, Hispanic origin, and age for census blocks and higher 
geographic levels for legislative redistricting in Puerto Rico. The 
Census Bureau also will be collecting a wealth of demographic, social, 
economic, and housing characteristics from the population. This 
information is required to implement programs and enforce Federal laws 
and, as noted above, plays an important role in the distribution of 
Federal and Puerto Rico funds each year and serves as a benchmark for 
many different purposes.
    In the process of developing our data collection forms, the Census 
Bureau has tried to reduce respondent burden in three ways: (1) 
Including only those questions that are explicitly required in Federal 
law or whose use is strongly implied by the data requirements in the 
law--both the short form and the long form have fewer questions than 
their 1990 counterparts, (2) Working through the decade to develop 
forms that are easy to understand and fill out, and (3) asking most 
questions of only a sample of approximately 1 in 6 households in Puerto 
Rico.

II. Method of Collection

    In Census 2000, the Census Bureau will make every effort to account 
for all people living in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. 
Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana

[[Page 44234]]

Islands as well as Americans overseas (and their dependents) who are 
working for the U.S. Government. In Puerto Rico, enumerators will 
deliver a questionnaire to each housing unit, to be returned in a 
postage-paid envelope. Housing units will receive an advance letter 
before questionnaire delivery and a reminder card following 
questionnaire delivery. Enumerators also will visit and collect 
information from households that did not return a questionnaire by mail 
or report their census information by other means, such as by 
telephone--this operation is called nonresponse follow-up. The Census 
Bureau also will conduct a reinterview of a small portion of 
respondents during nonresponse follow-up to ensure the quality of work 
in this operation.
    The Census Bureau plans to take the following additional steps to 
improve response to the census:
     Build partnerships with Puerto Rico and local governments 
and with community groups to alert the Census Bureau to problems and 
advise the Bureau of opportunities to publicize Census 2000 and the 
best ways to communicate the message.
     Motivate individuals to respond (by explaining the 
benefits and mandatory nature of the census) and make Census 2000 forms 
attractive, easy to understand, and simple to fill out. Private sector 
designers have worked with the Census Bureau to simplify the forms and 
implement the user-friendly features shown to increase response during 
testing and research conducted by the Census Bureau.
     Placing unaddressed ``Be Counted'' forms in locations such 
as community centers and Walk-In Questionnaire Assistance Centers for 
use by people who believe they have not been counted in the census. The 
Census Bureau intends to make these forms available in Spanish and 
English in Puerto Rico.
     Employing new methods to find and enumerate people, such 
as enumerating persons who use services at shelters, soup kitchens, and 
other facilities and placing unaddressed ``Be Counted'' forms in 
publicly accessible locations for pick up and completion by people who 
believe that they have not been counted in the census.
     Providing telephone questionnaire assistance.
    The Census Bureau intends to employ statistical sampling to check 
the quality of the work. An independent quality check--called the 
Integrated Coverage Measurement survey--will use the information 
gathered from a second, independent operation to improve the accuracy 
of the census. The Integrated Coverage Measurement survey will be 
submitted separately for OMB review.

III. Data

    OMB Number: Not available.
    Form Numbers:

Update/Leave Short Forms: D-1(UL) PR, D-1(UL) PR(S), D-1A(UL) PR, D-
1A(UL) PR(S)
Update/Leave Long Forms: D-2(UL) PR, D-2(UL) PR(S), D-2A(UL) PR, D-
2A(UL) PR(S)
Enumerator Short Forms: D-1(E) PR, D-1(E) PR(S), D-1(E)SUPP-PR, D-
1(E)SUPP-PR(S)
Enumerator Long Forms: D-2(E) PR, D-2(E) PR(S), D-2(E)SUPP-PR, D-
2(E)SUPP-PR(S)
Household Followup: D-1(HF) PR, D-1(HF) PR(S), D-2(HF) PR, D-2(HF) 
PR(S)
Be Counted Forms: D-10 PR, D-10 PR(S)
Individual Census Questionnaires: D-15A PR, D-15A PR(S), D-15B PR, D-
15B PR(S)
Individual Census Reports: D-20A PR, D-20A PR(S), D-20B PR, D-20B PR(S)
Military Census Report: D-21 PR
Shipboard Census Report: D-23 PR

    Letters/Cards/Notices:

Advance Letter: D-5(UL) PR (Spanish/English),
Reminder Postcard: D-9(UL) PR (Spanish/English),
Initial Cover Letter--short: D-16A(L) PR, D-16A(L) PR(S)
Initial Cover Letter--long: D-16B(L) PR, D-16B(L) PR(S)
Flyer--Whole Household Usual Home Elsewhere: D-11 PR, D-11 PR(S)
Household Followup Letter--short: D-19A(L) PR, D-19A(L) PR(S)
Household Followup Letter--long: D-19B(L) PR, D-19B(L) PR(S)
Notice of Visit: D-26 PR, D-26 PR(S)
Privacy Act Notice: D-31 PR (Spanish/English)
Reinterview: D-806 PR, D-806 PR(S)

    Type of Review: Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,400,000 households (approx.) 
(Short Form: 83%; Long form: 17%); Reinterview: 15,820 households.
    Estimated Time Per Response:

Short Form: 13 minutes
Long Form: 48 minutes
Reinterview: 6 minutes

    Estimated Total Annual Burden:

Short Form: 251,767 hours
Long Form: 190,400 hours
Reinterview: 1,582 hours
Total: 443,749 hours

    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to the respondent is 
their time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 141 and 193. Title 13 
U.S.C. Section 191 directs the inclusion of Puerto Rico within the 
geographic scope of the census.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; the comments will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 12, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-22145 Filed 8-17-98; 8:45 am]
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