[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 171 (Thursday, September 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46997-46998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23708]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Census 2000--American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 2, 
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 352, 
Washington, DC 20233-0001, (301) 457-3947.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau will conduct Census 2000 operations in American 
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the 
U.S. Virgin Islands (collectively referred to as the Island Areas) in 
partnership with the government of each Island Area.
    The United States Constitution mandates that a census of the 
Nation's population be taken every ten years. In Title 13, U.S. Code, 
the Congress gave the Secretary of Commerce (delegated to the Director 
of the Census Bureau) authority to undertake the decennial census.
    The geographic scope of the decennial census is specified in Title 
13 U.S.C., Section 191 as covering the 50 states, the District of 
Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam, and any other 
areas as may be determined by the Secretary of Commerce. In Census 
2000, we also will enumerate the Pacific Island Area of American Samoa.
    The Census Bureau's goal in Census 2000 is to take the most 
accurate and cost-effective census possible. The goal in selecting 
Census 2000 questionnaire content for the Island Areas is to fulfill 
the many statutory data requirements of Federal agencies, as well as 
the needs of the Island Areas to administer governmental programs. 
Census data are the definitive benchmark for virtually all demographic 
information used by the Island Areas and local governments, policy 
makers, educators, journalists, and community and nonprofit 
organizations.
    Based on the Census Bureau's review of the subject recommendations 
submitted by the Island Areas Interagency Committees, there will be one 
questionnaire for the Pacific Island Areas and a separate one for the 
U.S. Virgin Islands. Using two questionnaires will enable the Census 
Bureau to address the different needs of the areas.
    The Census Bureau will collect demographic, social, economic, and 
housing characteristics from the Island Areas population. Many of the 
questions included on the questionnaires are the same as those on the 
stateside short and long-form questionnaires; others are modified 
stateside questions as recommended by the Island Areas Interagency 
Committees to reflect the unique social, economic, and climatic 
characteristics of these areas. There will be no sampling for content 
in the Island Areas; all forms distributed will be long-forms.

[[Page 46998]]

    In the process of developing our data collection forms, the Census 
Bureau has tried to reduce respondent burden in two ways: (1) including 
only those questions that are explicitly required in Federal or local 
law or whose use is strongly implied by the data requirements in the 
law--both forms have fewer questions than their 1990 counterparts, and 
(2) working through the decade developing forms that are easy to 
understand and fill out.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau will develop and sign a Memorandum of Agreement 
with the Governor of each of the Island Areas that outlines the mutual 
roles and responsibilities of each party in the conduct of Census 2000 
for each Island Area.
    The Census Bureau will conduct a blanket mailing of unaddressed 
questionnaires to postal patrons in each of the Island Areas. Housing 
units also will receive an advance letter before questionnaire 
delivery. Enumerators will visit each housing unit and pick up a 
completed questionnaire or conduct an interview if the respondent did 
not complete the questionnaire. They also will develop an address list 
for the area and spot each housing unit's location on a map at the time 
of enumeration. This operation is called list/enumerate.
    The Census Bureau plans to take the following additional steps to 
improve response to the census:
     Encourage the Island Areas governments to build 
partnerships with local government agencies and community groups to 
alert them to problems and advise them about 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.
     Employ new methods to find and enumerate people, such as 
enumerating persons who use services at shelters and other facilities 
and placing unaddressed ``Be Counted'' forms in publicly accessible 
locations such as community centers for pick up and completion by 
people who believe that they have not been counted in the census.
     Make greater use of the telephone as a data collection 
tool.

III. Data

    OMB Number: Not available.
    Form Numbers:
    Advance Census Report Long Form: D-13 (AS), D-13 (CNMI), D-13 (G), 
D-13 (VI).
    Enumerator Questionnaire Long Form: D-2E (AS), D-2E (CNMI), D-
2E(G), D-2E (VI).
    Enumerator Questionnaire Supplement: D-2(E) SUPP AS, D-2(E) SUPP 
CNMI, D-2(E) SUPP G, D-2(E) SUPP VI.
    ``Be Counted'' Forms: D-10(AS), D-10 (CNMI), D-10(G), D-10(VI).
    Individual Census Reports: D-20B (PI), D-20B (VI).
    Military Census Report: D-21 (PI).
    Letters/Cards/Notices: D-1(F) PI, D-1(F) VI, D-5(L) AS, D-5 (L) 
CNMI, D-5(L) G, D-5(L) VI, D-13(L) AS, D-13(L) CNMI, D-13(L) G, D-13 
(L) VI, D-26 (PI), D-26(VI), D-31 (PI), D-31(VI), D-3309.

    Note: American Samoa (AS), Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands (CNMI), Guam (G), and Virgin Islands (VI).

    Type of Review: Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,440 households in American 
Samoa, 12,560 households in CNMI, 36,530 households in Guam, 38,310 
households in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
    Estimated Time Per Response: AS Long Form: 62 minutes; CNMI Long 
Form: 45 minutes; G Long Form: 41 minutes; VI Long Form: 40 minutes; 
All Areas Vacants: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: AS Long Form: 10,834 hours; CNMI 
Long Form: 9,620; G Long Form: 25,335 hours; VI Long Form: 26,262 
hours; Total: 72,051 hours.

    Note: Although the questionnaire content is the same for the 
Pacific Island Areas, the respondent burden differs for each area 
because of the expected household size.

    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to respondent is their 
time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 141 and 191.

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 28, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-23708 Filed 9-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P