[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 120 (Friday, June 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35121-35123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-13906]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2010 Decennial 
Census-American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau.

ACTION: Notice.

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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: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before August 19, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of questionnaires and instructions should be directed to Frank 
Vitrano, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 3H174, Washington, DC 20233-9200, 
301-763-3961 (or via Internet at: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau will conduct the 2010 Census 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 U.S. Virgin Islands of the United States, 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and any other 
areas as may be determined by the Department of State. In the 2010 
Census, Census also will enumerate the Pacific Island Area of American 
Samoa.
    The Census Bureau's goal in the 2010 Census is to take the most 
accurate and cost-effective census possible. The goal in selecting the 
2010 Census 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.
    Each Island Area government was asked to form an Interagency 
Committee, composed of data users from the public, and private sectors, 
to review the Census 2000 questionnaire and make recommendations for 
the 2010 Census. 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.
    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 decennial census short form and the American Community Survey 
long-form questionnaires. Other questions, as recommended by the Island 
Areas Interagency Committees, are modifications of stateside questions, 
or questions that 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.
    In the process of developing the data collection forms, the Census 
Bureau has tried to reduce respondent burden by including only those 
questions that are required in Federal or local law, or implied in the 
data requirements for the participation in Federal or local government 
programs.

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 the 2010 
Census for each Island Area.

[[Page 35122]]

A. Delivery Strategy for Questionnaires and Letters

    The Census Bureau will conduct a blanket mailing of unaddressed 
Advance Census Reports (ACRs) to residential customers 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 ACR or conduct an interview with an Enumerator 
Questionnaire (EQ), if the respondent did not complete the ACR. 
Enumerators also will develop an address list for the area and map spot 
the location of each housing unit at the time of enumeration. This 
operation is called list/enumerate.
    In summary, mailings will include:
     An advance notice letter that alerts households that the 
census form will be sent to them soon, and
     An initial mailing package that includes the ACR
    If the mailed ACR is not completed upon arrival, the enumerator 
will conduct an interview using an EQ.

B. Group Quarters (GQ) Operation

    1. Group Quarters Advance Visit (GQAV): The GQAV operation informs 
the GQ contact person of the upcoming GQ enumeration, addresses privacy 
and confidentiality concerns relating to personal identifiable 
information, and identifies any security issues, such as restricted 
access, required credentials, etc. Crew leaders visit all GQs and 
conduct an interview with the designated contact person to verify the 
GQ name, address, contact name, and phone number, and obtain an agreed 
upon date and time to conduct the enumeration and an expected Census 
Day population. The information collected during the interview is used 
to prepare the correct amount of census materials needed to conduct the 
enumeration at the facility.
    2. Group Quarters Enumeration (GQE): The GQE operation will be 
conducted at the Group Quarters on the date agreed upon during the 
Advance Visit. During the GQE, three different enumeration methods can 
be used to enumerate the population: (1) Interview residents in group 
quarters like college dormitories; (2) distribute questionnaire packets 
for residents in colleges and universities to complete; and (3) use 
administrative records in places where it is disruptive or unsafe for 
Census personnel, such as prisons. Enumerators will visit group 
quarters to develop a control list of all residents and distribute 
census questionnaires (Individual Census Reports or ICRs) for residents 
to complete, interview the residents and enter the data on the ICR, or 
use administrative records to complete the ICR. Enumerators collect and 
review completed ICRs to ensure that they are complete and legible. 
They also will complete an ICR for any resident on the control list who 
did not complete one.
    3. Service-Based Enumeration (SBE): The SBE is designed to 
enumerate people experiencing homelessness and who may otherwise be 
missed during the enumeration of housing units and group quarters. 
People are enumerated at places where they receive services and at 
targeted non-sheltered outdoor locations. SBE locations likely will 
include shelters for people experiencing homelessness (emergency and 
transitional shelters, and hotels and motels providing shelter for 
people experiencing homelessness), domestic violence shelters, soup 
kitchens, regularly scheduled mobile food van stops, and targeted non-
sheltered outdoor locations. This operation is conducted to provide an 
opportunity for people experiencing homelessness to be included in the 
census.
    4. Military Group Quarters Enumeration: Military Group Quarters 
Enumeration is a special component of the GQE designed to enumerate 
military personnel assigned to barracks, dormitories, military 
treatment facilities, and disciplinary barracks and jails. Military 
Census Reports (MCRs) are distributed to the residents of the military 
facilities. (Military families living in housing units on bases are 
enumerated using the list/enumerate methodology.) For people living or 
staying in Military GQs, the Census Bureau provides enumeration 
procedures, training and questionnaires to military personnel on the 
base who then conduct the actual enumeration. During the military 
enumeration, designated base personnel distribute census questionnaires 
to all military personnel assigned to the GQs, including all people in 
the disciplinary barracks and jails. Within a few days, base personnel 
collect the completed questionnaires, obtaining census information for 
any missing cases. Census staff return to the base to collect the 
completed questionnaires.
    5. Military/Vessels Enumeration (MVE) in the Pacific Island Areas 
(PIAs): The MVE is a special component of Group Quarters Enumeration 
designed to enumerate people residing on U.S. military ships in 
operation in the PIAs at the time of the census. This is also sometimes 
called ``Shipboard Enumeration.'' The MVE uses questionnaires which are 
distributed to every military vessel home-ported in the PIAs. The 
Census Bureau provides enumeration procedures, training, and 
questionnaires to personnel on the vessels who then conduct the actual 
enumeration. Designated vessel personnel distribute the census 
questionnaires to those living on the vessels, collect the completed 
questionnaires, and return them to the Local Census Offices in the 
PIAs.

C. Field Follow-Up (FFU) Operations

    The field follow-up operation tries to improve data quality and 
coverage by correcting Assignment Areas (AAs) with failed edit or 
missing questionnaires. Additionally, enumerators will also confirm 
that housing units are correctly classified as vacant units.
    1. Failed-Edit Questionnaires: During the clerical edit operation, 
questionnaires are examined by the Local Census Office (LCO) clerks for 
completeness. Missing person or housing data are identified. 
Questionnaires which fail the office edit operation are assigned to LCO 
clerks to attempt a telephone interview with the households for which 
telephone numbers were provided on the questionnaires. Households that 
did not provide telephone numbers must be visited by enumerators to 
obtain the missing data.
    2. Missing Questionnaires: After the initial field office merge 
operation is conducted, addresses are identified in the address 
registers for which there are no questionnaires. Enumerators will visit 
these addresses and complete questionnaires for each address.
    3. Vacant/Delete Check (VDC) Field Operation: The VDC Operation is 
an independent follow-up of selected addresses that are classified as 
vacant or delete. These addresses are assigned to a different 
enumerator than the enumerator who made the original classification. 
Enumerators will verify the Census Day (April 1, 2010) status of the 
assigned addresses and complete a census questionnaire for all VDC 
cases. In cases where a housing unit looks visibly demolished, the 
enumerator must conduct an interview with a proxy respondent (e.g., 
neighbor or mailman) to confirm that the housing unit was vacant on 
Census Day. If the housing unit looks occupied, an interview will be 
conducted with a household member to confirm the status of the unit on 
Census Day. Although the VDC workload is comprised of only cases 
identified as vacant, the VDC enumerator may determine that a case is 
vacant or occupied.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: None.

[[Page 35123]]

    Form Numbers:
    Letters:
    D-5(L) AS, Advance Letter--AS
    D-5(L) CNMI, Advance Letter--CNMI
    D-5(L) G, Advance Letter--Guam
    D-5(L) VI, Advance Letter--USVI (English, Spanish)
    D-13(L) AS, Cover Letter for Advanced Census Report--AS
    D-13(L) CNMI, Cover Letter for Advanced Census Report--CNMI
    D-13(L) G, Cover Letter for Advanced Census Report--Guam
    D-13(L) VI, Cover Letter for Advanced Census Report--USVI (English, 
Spanish)

Questionnaires

    D-13 AS, Advanced Census Report--AS
    D-13 CNMI, Advanced Census Report--CNMI
    D-13 G, Advanced Census Report--Guam
    D-13 VI, Advanced Census Report--USVI
    D-2(E) AS, Enumerator Questionnaire--AS
    D-2(E) CNMI, Enumerator Questionnaire--CNMI
    D-2(E) G, Enumerator Questionnaire--Guam
    D-2(E) VI, Enumerator Questionnaire--USVI (English)
    D-2(E) VI Spanish, Enumerator Questionnaire--USVI (Spanish)
    D-2(E) SUPP AS, Enumerator Continuation Questionnaire--AS
    D-2(E) SUPP CNMI, Enumerator Continuation Questionnaire--CNMI
    D-2(E) SUPP G, Enumerator Continuation Questionnaire--Guam
    D-2(E) SUPP VI, Enumerator Continuation Questionnaire--USVI
    D-2(E) SUPP VI Spanish, Enumerator Continuation Questionnaire--USVI 
Spanish
    D-20 PI, Individual Census Report--Pacific Islands
    D-20 VI, Individual Census Report--USVI
    D-21 PI, Military Census Report
    D-23 PI, Shipboard Census Report--Pacific Islands
    Job Aids:
    D-1(F) PI, Enumerator Job Aid--Pacific Islands
    D-1(F) VI, Enumerator Job Aid--USVI
    Notices:
    D-26 PI, Notice of Visit--Pacific Islands
    D-26 VI, Notice of Visit--USVI
    D-31 PI, Confidentiality Notice--Pacific Islands
    D-31 VI, Confidentiality Notice--USVI.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 11,100 households in American 
Samoa; 19,400 households in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands; 52,500 households in Guam; 55,300 households in the U.S. 
Virgin Islands.
    Estimated Time Per Response: American Samoa Census Form: 64 
minutes; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Census Form: 
47 minutes; Guam Census Form: 43 minutes; the U.S. Virgin Islands 
Census Form: 42 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: American Samoa Census Form: 
11,840 hours; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Census 
Form: 15,197; Guam Census Form: 37,625 hours; the U.S. Virgin Islands 
Census Form: 38,710 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0.
    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 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: June 16, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-13906 Filed 6-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P