[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 68 (Monday, April 10, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18064-18065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5155]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization

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 June 9, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20233 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Julius Smith Jr., U.S. Census Bureau, Room 2135 FOB-4, 
Washington, DC 20233, (301) 763-4683 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to revise the current OMB clearance to add 
a quarterly version of the Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization (SPCU). 
The SPCU is currently conducted annually, collecting data for fourth 
quarter operations. The annual survey collects, from manufacturing 
plants and publishers, the value of actual production and the value of 
production that could have been achieved if operating at ``full 
production'' and ``emergency production'' levels. The survey also 
collects data on work patterns by shift. These data include hours in 
operation, production workers, and plant hours worked. This annual 
survey will not change, it will continue to collect fourth quarter 
data.
    The quarterly SPCU, form MQ-C2 will collect a subset of the annual 
survey for the first, second and third quarters. These data include 
actual and full production estimates as well as work pattern data for 
days of the week in operation, hours per week in operation, weeks in 
operation during

[[Page 18065]]

the quarter and production workers. The primary user of these data will 
be the Federal Reserve Board (FRB). The FRB has already expressed an 
interest in these data and will use them in several ways. First, the 
capital workweek data will be used as an indicator of capital use in 
the estimation of monthly output (industrial production). Second, the 
workweek data will also be used to improve the projections of labor 
productivity that are used to align industrial production (IP) with 
comprehensive benchmark information in the Economic Census covering the 
Manufacturing sector and Annual Survey of Manufactures. Third, the 
utilization rate data will assist in the assessment of recent changes 
in IP, as most of the high-frequency movement in utilization rates 
reflect production changes rather than capacity changes.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau will use mail out/mail back survey forms to 
collect the data. For the quarterly survey, we will also offer an 
electronic version of the form that the respondents can respond to via 
the Internet. Companies will be asked to respond within 30 days of the 
initial mailing. This due date will be imprinted at the top of the 
form. Letters encouraging participation will be mailed to companies 
that have not responded by the designated time.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0175.
    Form Number: MQ-C1 and MQ-C2.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Manufacturing and publishing plants.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: For the MQ-C2 (quarters one 
through three), the number of respondents will be approximately 6,000. 
For the MQ-C1 (the fourth quarter), the number of respondents will 
remain at 17,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: The estimated time per response is 1.5 
hours for form MQ-C2 and 2.25 hours for form MQ-C1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Total annual burden hours for 
form MQ-C2 is 27,000, and for form MQ-C1, it remains 38,250. The total 
burden is 62,250.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $1,202,558.
    Respondents Obligation: Response to the quarterly form, MQ-C2 will 
be voluntary and response to the annual form, MQ-C1 will remain 
mandatory.
    Legal Authority: These surveys are conducted under the authority of 
Title 13 U.S. Code, sections 182, 224 and 225.

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 to be collected; 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; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 4, 2006.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-5155 Filed 4-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P