[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 47128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18648]



[[Page 47128]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Survey of Residential Building or Zoning Permit Systems.
    Form Number(s): C-411.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0350.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 500.
    Number of Respondents: 2,000.
    Average Hours Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau produces statistics used to 
monitor activity in the large and dynamic construction industry. These 
statistics help state and local governments and the Federal government, 
as well as private industry, to analyze this important sector of the 
economy. The accuracy of the Census Bureau statistics regarding the 
amount of construction authorized depends on data supplied by building 
and zoning officials throughout the country.
    The Census Bureau uses Form C-411 to obtain information from state 
and local building permit officials needed for updating the universe of 
permit-issuing places which serves as the sampling frame for the Report 
of Privately-Owned Residential Building or Zoning Permits Issued (OMB 
Control No. 0607-0094), also known as the Building Permits Survey 
(BPS), and the Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions (OMB 
Control No. 0607-0110), also known as Survey of Construction (SOC). 
These two sample surveys provide widely used measures of construction 
activity, including the economic indicators New Residential 
Construction and New Home Sales. The questions on Form C-411 pertain to 
the legal requirements for issuing building or zoning permits in the 
local jurisdictions. Information is obtained on such items as 
geographic coverage and types of construction for which permits are 
issued.
    The form is sent to jurisdictions when the Census Bureau has reason 
to believe that a new permit system has been established or an existing 
one has changed. This is based on information from a variety of sources 
including survey respondents, regional councils and Census' efforts to 
keep abreast of changes in corporate status. Based on the information 
collected, the Census Bureau adds new permit-issuing places to the 
universe, deletes places no longer issuing permits, and makes changes 
to the universe to reflect those places that have merged.
    Failure to maintain the universe of permit-issuing places would 
result in deficient samples and inaccurate statistics. This in turn 
jeopardizes the accuracy of the above-mentioned economic indicators. 
These indicators are closely monitored by the Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System and other economic policy makers because of the 
sensitivity of the housing industry to changes in interest rates.
    Affected Public: State, local or Tribal government; Federal 
government.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: The Census Bureau is authorized under Title 13, 
United States Code, Sections 9(b), 161, and 182 to collect information 
on new residential buildings.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) 
or e-mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: August 7, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-18648 Filed 8-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P