[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 194 (Wednesday, October 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60623-60624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25506]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Generic 
Clearance for Master Address File (MAF) and Topologically Integrated 
Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) Update Activities

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

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 December 7, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via email at 
[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Mike Benton, U.S. Census Bureau, 5H022D, 
Washington DC 20233, 301-763-2860 (or via email at 
[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau presently operates a generic clearance covering 
activities involving respondent burden associated with updating our 
Master Address File (MAF) and Topologically Integrated Geographic 
Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) Database (MTdb). The MTdb is the 
Census Bureau's integrated address geographic database. We now propose 
to extend the generic clearance to cover update activities we will 
undertake during the next three fiscal years.
    Under the terms of the generic clearance, we plan to submit a 
request for OMB approval that will describe, in general terms, all 
planned activities for the entire period. We will provide information 
to OMB at least two weeks before the planned start of each activity 
giving more exact details, examples of forms, and final estimates of 
respondent burden. We also will file a year-end summary with OMB after 
the close of each fiscal year giving results of each activity 
conducted. The generic clearance enables OMB to review our overall 
strategy for MTdb updating in advance, instead of reviewing each 
activity in isolation shortly before the planned start.
    The Census Bureau used the addresses in the MTdb for mailing and 
delivering questionnaires to households during the 2010 Census and will 
do so for the 2020 Census. These addresses are also used as a sampling 
frame for our demographic current surveys. Prior to Census 2000, the 
Census Bureau built a new address list for each decennial census. The 
MTdb built for the 2010 Census is designed to be kept up-to-date, 
thereby eliminating the need to develop a completely new address list 
for future censuses and surveys. The Census Bureau plans to use the 
MTdb for post-Census 2010 evaluations and as a sampling frame for the 
American Community Survey and our other demographic current surveys. 
The TIGER component of the MTdb is a geographic system that maps the 
entire country in Census Blocks with applicable address ranges or 
living quarter location information. The MTdb allows us to assign each 
address to the appropriate Census Block, produce maps as needed and 
publish results at the appropriate level of geographic detail. The 
following are descriptions of activities we plan to conduct under the 
clearance for the next three fiscal years. The Census Bureau has 
conducted these activities (or similar ones) previously and the 
respondent burden remains relatively unchanged from one time to 
another. The estimated number of respondents is based on historical 
contact data, and applied to the number of Census Blocks in sample.

Demographic Area Address Listing (DAAL)

    The Demographic Area Address Listing (DAAL) program encompasses the 
geographic area updates for the Community Address Updating System 
(CAUS) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the area and 
group quarters frame listings for many ongoing demographic surveys (the 
Current Population Survey, the Consumer Expenditures Survey, etc.), and 
any other operations which choose to use the Listing and Mapping 
Application (LiMA) for evaluations, assessments, or to collect updates 
for the MTdb. Note that LiMA replaced the Automated Listing and Mapping 
System (ALMI). The CAUS program was designed to address quality 
concerns relating to areas with high concentrations of noncity-style 
addresses, and to provide a rural counterpart to the update of city-
style addresses the Census Bureau will receive from the U.S. Postal 
Services's Delivery Sequence File. The ongoing demographic surveys, as 
part of the 2000 Sample Redesign Program, use the MTdb as one of 
several sources of addresses from which they select their samples.
    The DAAL program is a cooperative effort among many divisions at 
the Census Bureau; it includes automated listing software, systems, and 
procedures that will allow us to conduct listing operations in a 
dependent manner based on information contained in the MTdb. The DAAL 
operations will be conducted on an ongoing basis in potentially any 
county across the country. Field Representatives (FRs) will canvass 
selected 2010 Census tabulation blocks in an effort to improve the 
address list in areas where substantial address changes may have 
occurred that have not been added to the MTdb through regular update 
operations, and/or in blocks in the area or group quarters frame sample 
for the demographic surveys. FRs will update existing address 
information and, when necessary, contact individuals to collect 
accurate location and mailing address information. In general, contact 
with a household will occur only when the FR is adding a unit to the 
address list, there is a missing mailing address flag, and/or the 
individual's address is not posted or visible to the FR. There is no 
pre-determined or scripted list of questions asked for households as 
part of this listing operation. If an address is not posted or visible 
to the FR, the FR will ask about the address of the structure, the 
mailing address, and, in some instances, the year the structure was 
built. If the occupants of these households are not at home, the FR may 
attempt to contact a neighbor to obtain the correct address 
information. DAAL will collect Group Quarters (GQ) information from all 
GQs in the selected blocks, there is not scripted list of questions, 
the FRs will ask information about the GQ such as the number of beds, 
the GQ name, and so on.
    DAAL is an ongoing operation. Listing assignments are distributed 
quarterly with the work conducted throughout the time period. We expect 
the DAAL listing operation will be conducted throughout the entire time 
period of the extension.

MAF Coverage Study

    The MAF Coverage Study (MAFCS) is an ongoing Address Canvassing 
operation designed to produce MAF

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coverage estimates at national and sub-national levels. In addition, 
MAFCS will evaluate the in-office address canvassing operation and 
provide continuous updates to the MAF for current surveys and the 
Census. MAFCS leverages existing Census Bureau programs and systems to 
achieve these objectives. Data collection for MAFCS will occur using 
DAAL and DAAL staff; hence, there will be a large increase to the DAAL 
operation workload.

II. Method of Collection

    The primary method of data collection for most operations/
evaluations will be personal observation or personal interview by FRs 
using the operation/evaluation's listing form or questionnaire. In some 
cases, the interview could be by telephone callback if no one was home 
during the initial visit.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0809.
    Form Number: Some form numbers for activities have not yet been 
assigned.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:

FY16: 60,000 HH
    2,000 GQs
FY17: 60,000 HH
    2,000 GQs
FY18: 60,000 HH
    2,000 GQs

    Estimated Time per Response: 3 min/HH; 10 min/GQ
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:

FY16: 3,333
FY17: 3,333
FY18: 3,333

    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 United States Code, Sections 141 and 193.

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: October 2, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-25506 Filed 10-6-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P