[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49253-49254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16850]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

[Docket Number 070725407-7408-01]


American Community Survey Data Products

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Beginning in 2008, the Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) 
will introduce multyear estimates into the American Community Survey 
(ACS) data products. The Census Bureau is proposing to modify its 
current line of data products to accommodate the multiyear estimates 
and is requesting comments from current and potential users of ACS data 
products to help guide this modification. The ACS data products are 
currently only available in the form of single-year estimates for years 
2005 and 2006.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 27, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to the Director, U.S. Census 
Bureau, Room 8H001, Mail Stop 0100, Washington, DC 20233-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Hillmer, Assistant Division 
Chief, Data Products, American Community Survey Office, on (301) 763-
2994, by e-mail at [email protected], or by mail at Room 
3K275, Washington, DC 20233-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ACS is the Nation's largest survey with 
an annual sample size of approximately 3 million addresses in the 
United States and Puerto Rico. The ACS is part of the 2010 Decennial 
Census Program and provides annually updated, detailed demographic, 
socioeconomic, and housing information for communities across the 
United States and Puerto Rico.
    In 2008, the ACS will publish multiyear estimates in the form of 3-
year period estimates for years 2005-2007, in addition to the single-
year estimates for 2007. The current line of data products was 
developed for the initial releases of ACS data that only included 
single-year estimates. The Census Bureau is most interested in 
suggestions on how the current data products can be modified to 
incorporate the multiyear estimates in ways that are most useful for 
data users. To view the Census Bureau proposal, please visit http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/proposal_acsdataproducts.pdf.
    Census Bureau working groups have sought to improve the ACS data 
products by taking into account the previous comments and suggestions 
of data users. On May 14, 2004 (69 FR 26806), the ACS program issued an 
earlier Federal Register notice and request for comments on the data 
products. That notice focused on soliciting comments for data products 
released in 2005. The Census Bureau received 31 responses to the 2004 
notice; each response was reviewed in detail. Several suggestions were 
incorporated into the ACS data products starting in 2005. For 
additional information on the earlier 2004 notice, please contact the 
official identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this notice.
    We have developed a preliminary version of the suite of data 
products for the multiyear estimates and are now asking for feedback 
from public data users. In particular, the Census Bureau is looking for 
feedback about the basic concept of each product and its usefulness to 
the public. We welcome all comments and suggestions about how the 
product could be improved to seamlessly incorporate the multiyear 
estimates into the existing data products. This second solicitation is 
for the data release scheduled for 2008 and does not relate to earlier 
data releases.
    The following provides a description of each of the types of data 
products. All of the data products include sampling errors displayed as 
margins of error.
     Detailed Tables--These tables provide basic distributions 
of characteristics. They are the most detailed data and are the basis 
for other ACS products. The detailed tables include tables iterated for 
nine race and Hispanic origin universes and tables that show imputation 
(allocation) rates for selected variables.
     Data Profiles--Detailed tables that provide summaries by 
demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics.
     Narrative Profiles--Data profile information presented in 
a user-friendly, text-and-graphic format that put various topics into 
words for the general user.
     Geographic Ranking Tables (state rankings)--These tables 
compare indicators for the United States, all states, and the District 
of Columbia. Ranking tables also can be viewed as charts that show the 
estimate as a point and the upper and lower bounds of the confidence 
interval as ``wings'' or ``arms'' extending to either side of the

[[Page 49254]]

estimate. These tables and charts are available as Adobe Acrobat files.
     Thematic Maps--Display geographic variation in map format 
from the geographic ranking tables.
     Geographic Comparison Tables--These are single-variable 
tables comparing key indicators for geographies other than States.
     Subject Tables--These tables highlight a particular 
subject of interest.
     Selected Population Profiles--Data profiles for selected 
population groups.
     Public Use Microdata Sample File (PUMS)--Computerized 
files containing record-level data that can be used to create custom 
analyses. The geography on these files is the same as the PUMS that 
were defined for the Census 2000 Sample PUMS files.
    Please go to the American FactFinder (AFF) Web site to review each 
data product in detail. Users can access the AFF from the Census 
Bureau's home page at http://www.census.gov/., or from the AFF link on 
the ACS home page at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/. Users can view and 
download each data product. If you have questions about any of these 
data products, please contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure 
to comply with, a collection of information subject to requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), unless that collection of 
information displays a current, valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 United States 
Code, Chapter 35, the OMB approved the ACS survey under OMB Control 
Number 0607-0810. We will furnish report forms to organizations 
included in the survey, and additional copies will be available upon 
written request to the Director, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 
20233-0101.

    Dated: August 21, 2007.
Charles Louis Kincannon,
Director, Bureau of the Census.
 [FR Doc. E7-16850 Filed 8-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P