[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56208-56210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25644]


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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.
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Participant Statistical Areas Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-XXXX.
    Form Number(s):

20PSAP-F-500--State Recognized Tribes Update Form.
20PSAP-F-510--Contact Update Form.
20PSAP-F-511--Product Preference Form.
20PSAP-F-520--State Tribal Liaison Contact Update Form.
20PSAP-F-530--Federally Recognized Tribe Contact Update Form.
20PSAP-F-540--Federally Recognized Tribe Product Preference Form.
    Type of Request: Regular submission.
    Number of Respondents: 3,801.
    Average Hours per Response: varies per Fiscal Year (FY).
    Average Time per Response per FY 2018: 5.
    Average Time per Response per FY 2019: 25.
    Average Time per Response per FY 2020: 10.
    Burden Hours: 152,040 (All Phases, All FYs).
    FY 2018 Burden Hours (Internal Review Phase): 19,005
    FY 2019 Burden Hours (Delineation Phase): 95,025
    FY 2020 Burden Hours (Verification Phase): 38,010

Needs and Uses

    The Partnership Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) is one of many 
voluntary geographic partnership programs. PSAP collects suggested 
statistical boundaries to update the U.S. Census Bureau's geographic 
database of addresses, streets, and boundaries. The Census Bureau uses 
its geographic database to link demographic data from surveys and the 
decennial Census to locations and areas, such as cities, school 
districts, and counties. To tabulate statistics by localities, the 
Census Bureau must have accurate addresses and boundaries.
    The boundaries collected in PSAP and other geographic programs will

[[Page 56209]]

create census blocks, which are the building blocks for all Census 
Bureau geographic boundaries. The addresses collected in the 2020 
Census Local Update of Census Addresses Operation (LUCA) will place 
households in a specific census block. While the geographic programs 
differ in requirements, timeframe, and participants, PSAP and the other 
geographic programs all follow the same basic process:
    1. The Census Bureau invites eligible participants to the program. 
For PSAP, the Census Bureau invites federally recognized tribes, Alaska 
Native Regional Associations, local or regional planning agencies, and 
council of government officials.
    2. If they elect to participate in the program, participants 
receive a copy of the boundaries or addresses the Census Bureau has on 
file. PSAP participants receive a free customized mapping software.
    3. Participants review the boundaries or addresses in the Census 
Bureau provided software and update them if needed. For PSAP, the 
Census Bureau strongly recommends that PSAP participants reach out to 
local governments to collect updates.
    4. Participants return their updates to the Census Bureau.
    5. The Census Bureau updates their geographic database with 
boundary updates from participants.
    6. The Census Bureau uses the newly updated boundaries and 
addresses to tabulate statistics.
    PSAP allows participants to review and suggest modifications to the 
boundaries for block groups, census tracts, census county divisions 
(CCDs), and census designated places (CDPs). Additionally, tribal 
governments can review or propose changes for tribal statistical areas, 
which include: Tribal block groups (TBGs), tribal census tracts (TCTs), 
CDPs, tribal designated statistical areas (TDSAs), state designated 
tribal statistical areas (SDTSAs), state reservations,\1\ Alaska Native 
village statistical areas (ANVSAs), Oklahoma tribal statistical areas 
(OTSAs), and OTSA tribal subdivisions.
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    \1\ State reservations are not statistical areas, but they are 
included in PSAP for administrative reasons.
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    The PSAP geographies represent statistical units for the tabulation 
and dissemination of small area data from the decennial census, the 
American Community Survey (ACS), and other Census Bureau programs and 
surveys. While legal boundaries, such as cities and counties, allow the 
Census Bureau to publish data by those areas, local governments often 
need data for planning by smaller units. PSAP is a unique program 
initiated and executed by the Census Bureau to allow local and regional 
governments to break larger geographic areas into smaller units so that 
they can receive 2020 Census and ACS data by these smaller units and 
better plan local services. The Census Bureau uses the information 
collected in PSAP from participating governments and agencies to 
tabulate and disseminate small area data from the decennial census, the 
American Community Survey (ACS), and other Census Bureau programs and 
surveys. In addition, these statistical geographies and the data they 
provide serve as input to governing, allocating federal funding, and 
planning of capital expenditures and basic infrastructure investment at 
the tribal, state, and county levels.
    The 2020 Census PSAP occurs between March 2018 and October 2020 and 
has three primary components:
    1. PSAP Internal Review.
    2. PSAP Delineation.
    3. PSAP Verification.

1. PSAP Internal Review

    Census Bureau staff performs an internal review of PSAP entities 
prior to the distribution of materials to PSAP participants. This 
internal review ensures each of the statistical areas meets the 
population, housing, and geographic criteria as defined by the program. 
During the internal review process, the Census Bureau reviews, revises, 
and updates a draft plan of these statistical areas. This geographic 
plan aims to help participants efficiently identify and prioritize 
areas that need to be reviewed and revised for their local areas.
    From March 2018 through May 2018, Census Bureau staff initially 
contacts the 2010 Census PSAP participants to solicit participation in 
the 2020 Census PSAP. If 2010 Census PSAP participants decline to 
participate in the 2020 Census PSAP, the Census Bureau will reach out 
and invite local or regional planning agencies (RPAs) that can cover 
relatively large areas. To obtain coverage nationwide, the Census 
Bureau works with federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Regional 
Associations (ANRAs), local or regional planning agencies, and councils 
of government officials (COGs). The Census Bureau strongly recommends 
PSAP participants to seek input from other census data users and 
stakeholders regarding 2020 Census PSAP statistical area delineations. 
Participants reach out to local governments for additional inputs and 
coordinate the multiple interests and requests that arise. Local 
governments that are interested in participating may contact the 
participants covering their area. The Census Bureau will publish the 
contact information of the 2020 Census PSAP participants on the PSAP 
Web site. The Census Bureau will contact federally recognized tribes to 
solicit their participation in the 2020 Census PSAP. For state 
recognized tribes, the Census Bureau will invite state governors to 
designate or appoint a state tribal liaison for the 2020 Census PSAP. 
The Census Bureau will also contact State Data Centers to help build 
the 2020 Census PSAP invitation and communication lists.
    In July 2018, participants receive an official invitation package 
with a Contact Update Form that they fill out and return to the Census 
Bureau by mail. The Census Bureau then sends reminder packages to 
participants who do not respond in the time period mentioned on the 
Contact Update Form.

2. PSAP Delineation

    In January 2019, the Census Bureau notifies program participants of 
the start of the delineation phase. The Census Bureau conducts the 
delineation phase of the 2020 Census PSAP boundaries using the web-
based Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS), a customized 
geographic information system (GIS) based on an open-source platform. 
Participants can either download the materials and software online from 
the Census Bureau's Web site or have them shipped on DVDs. Participants 
have a maximum of 120 days from the date of receipt of materials to 
complete and submit statistical geography updates to the Census Bureau.

3. PSAP Verification

    The verification phase starts January 2020 and allows participants 
to review the proposed edits from Census Bureau geographers. The Census 
Bureau sends a prepaid postcard to participants asking them to verify, 
accept, or reject the final version of the proposed plan, which is 
available online or by paper maps for tribal participants. Participants 
have 90 calendar days to review updates. Census Bureau staff contacts 
non-respondents through a follow-up mail-out and follow-up telephone 
calls. Once the Census Bureau receives the postcard with a 
participant's approval or acceptance of the final verification plan, 
the Census Bureau finalizes the 2020 statistical boundaries.
    Method of Collection: The Census Bureau offers two methods of 
collection for the 2020 Census PSAP:

[[Page 56210]]

    1. GUPS submission (electronic): The Census Bureau uses several 
formats to collect information and updates for statistical boundaries 
during the internal review, delineation, and verification phases. The 
Census Bureau collects updated contact information from participants 
who choose to participate in the program online, by email, and by 
telephone. The Census Bureau-provided software, GUPS, is the only 
method of response for state and local governments. However, tribal 
participants reviewing TBGs, TCTs, or CDPs may elect to use GUPS or 
Census Bureau provided paper map products to review and edit tribal 
statistical geographies.
    2. Paper map submission: Participants reviewing ANVSAs, OTSAs, OTSA 
tribal subdivisions, TDSAs, or SDTSAs are provided Census Bureau paper 
map products to review and edit tribal statistical areas.

                                            2020 Census PSAP Schedule
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                                 Date                                                     Event
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March-May 2018........................................................  Contact 2010 Census PSAP participants to
                                                                         inquire about 2020 Census PSAP
                                                                         participation.
July 2018.............................................................  PSAP invitation materials sent to PSAP
                                                                         participants.
January 2019..........................................................  PSAP delineation phase begins.
                                                                         Participants have 120 calendar days to
                                                                         submit updates.
February 2019.........................................................  PSAP Webinar trainings begin.
July 2019.............................................................  Send PSAP participants communication
                                                                         notifying closeout of delineation
                                                                         phase.
January 2020..........................................................  PSAP verification phase begins.
                                                                         Participants have 90 calendar days to
                                                                         review updates.
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    Affected Public: All federally or state recognized American Indian 
tribes and Alaska Natives in the United States, states, counties, local 
governments, and planning agencies.
    Frequency: PSAP occurs once per decade in order to support the 
Decennial Census, the American Community Survey, and other Census 
Bureau programs and surveys.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 6.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce 
collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-25644 Filed 11-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P