[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 41 (Thursday, March 1, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8832-8835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04156]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Redistricting 
Data Program

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.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before April 30, 2018.

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 the internet 
at [email protected]). You may also submit comments, identified by 
Docket Number USBC-XXXX-XXXX, to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: 
http://www.regulations.gov. All comments received are part of the 
public record. No comments will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov 
for public viewing until after the comment period has closed. Comments 
will generally be posted without change. All Personally

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Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) voluntarily 
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit 
Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected 
information. You may submit attachments to electronic comments in 
Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to James Whitehorne, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver 
Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Overview

    The Redistricting Data Program (RDP) is one of many voluntary 
geographic data exchange programs that collects 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, congressional and legislative districts, and 
counties. To tabulate statistics by localities, the Census Bureau must 
have accurate addresses and boundaries.
    The boundaries collected in the RDP and other geographic programs 
will create census blocks, which are the building blocks for all Census 
Bureau geographic boundaries. While the geographic programs differ in 
requirements, timeframe, and participants, the RDP and the other 
geographic programs all follow the same basic process:
    1. The Census Bureau invites eligible participants to the program. 
For the RDP, we invite nonpartisan state liaisons appointed by the 
legislative leadership of each state.
    2. If they elect to participate in the program, participants 
receive a digital copy of the boundaries the Census Bureau has on file. 
Participants review the boundaries and update them if needed. RDP 
participants can choose to review and provide their boundary updates 
using a free customized mapping software, or using their own mapping 
software.
    3. Participants return their updates to the Census Bureau.
    4. The Census Bureau updates its geographic database with boundary 
updates from participants.
    5. The Census Bureau uses the newly updated boundaries and 
addresses to tabulate statistics.

II. Abstract

    The Census Bureau is requesting a three-year clearance for the 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 through 2021 to continue the phases of the 2020 
Census RDP Operation. The current three-year RDP clearance and the 
project specific Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 
0607-0988 will expire in November 2018. The new clearance allows the 
Census Bureau to provide RDP-specific materials, procedures, and burden 
hours to the liaisons from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 
Puerto Rico to complete two rounds of verification of the Voting 
District Project (VTDP), Phase 2, in 2019 and 2020. The RDP has added a 
second round of VTDP verification in 2020, resulting in an increase of 
4,836 hours in total burden from the burden described in the 
previously-approved OMB package. Leading up to the decennial census, 
many geographies are changing simultaneously and consequently may 
affect the Voting District (VTD) geography. This second verification is 
necessary to make sure that VTD geographies are up-to-date and align 
with decennial geography. The Census Bureau will deliver the 2020 
Census Redistricting Data (Phase 3) by April 1, 2021. RDP is executed 
under the provisions of Title 13, Section 141(c) of the United States 
Code (U.S.C.).
    Under the provisions of Public Law 94-171, as amended (Title 13, 
United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 141(c)), the Director of the 
Census Bureau is required to provide the ``officers or public bodies 
having initial responsibility for the legislative apportionment or 
districting of each state . . .'' with the opportunity to specify 
geographic areas (e.g., Voting Districts (VTDs), wards, and election 
precincts) for which they wish to receive decennial census population 
counts for the purpose of reapportionment or redistricting.

III. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau develops and uses different methods to collect 
data from program participants. The Census Bureau issued invitation 
letters by mail (U.S. Postal Service) and follow-up emails to the 
officers or public bodies having initial responsibility for legislative 
reapportionment and redistricting. The 50 states, the District of 
Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico have identified non-
partisan liaisons that are already working directly with the Census 
Bureau on the 2020 Census RDP.
    In addition, to begin work on Phase 1 and Phase 2, the Census 
Bureau provides to states:
    1. Data from the Master Address File/Topologically Integrated 
Geographic Encoding and Referencing system.
    2. The Geographic Update Program Software (GUPS), an optional 
software tool.
    3. The procedures necessary for each state to participate.
    States are not required to use GUPS, but they have to submit their 
submission to the Census Bureau electronically in Census Bureau-
specified formats. During the submission period, the Census Bureau 
provides training in the use of GUPS and assists the states in 
understanding the procedures necessary for processing files for their 
submission.
    State liaisons have participated and/or will continue to provide 
inputs in the following phases of the program:

Phase 1: Block Boundary Suggestion Project (BBSP) (2015-2017)

    Between 2015 and 2017, the Census Bureau collaborated with each 
state liaison to collect and verify suggestions for 2020 Census 
tabulation blocks through the BBSP. The purpose of the BBSP was to 
afford states the opportunity to identify non-standard features often 
used as electoral boundaries (such as a power line or stream, rather 
than a street centerline, which might divide voters on the same street 
into two districts) for use as 2020 Census tabulation block boundaries. 
For the first time, states also had the opportunity to review legal 
limits, such as county and incorporated place boundaries, as reported 
through the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). The Census Bureau 
conducts the BAS annually to update information about the legal 
boundaries and names of all governmental units. The alignment of the 
BAS with the BBSP facilitated the cooperation between state and local 
governments. States that chose to participate in Phase 1 received 
guidelines and training for providing their suggestions.

Phase 2: Voting District Project (VTDP) (2018-2020)

    The VTDP is the second phase of the RDP operation. During this 
phase, states are able to submit their VTD boundaries and to suggest 
legal boundary updates to the Census Bureau. In addition, state 
liaisons who participated in the delineation have two opportunities to 
verify the submitted VTDs prior to release of the 2020 Census 
redistricting data tabulations, which occurs in Phase 3. VTDP 
delineation occurs between

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January and May 2018 and is included in the current OMB clearance. VTDP 
verifications occur in early 2019 and early 2020.
 VTDs Delineation (2018)
    States that choose to participate in VTDP receive geographic 
products that allow them the opportunity to update the VTDs for 
inclusion in the 2020 Census tabulation geography. State liaisons also 
have the option to continue to align their effort with updates from 
state and local government officials participating in the BAS. The VTD/
BAS updates continue through May 2018.
 VTDs Verification (2019 and 2020)
    The Census Bureau will conduct two rounds of verification of the 
VTDs. The Census Bureau will perform an initial VTD verification 
between December 2018 and May 2019. Leading up to the decennial census, 
many geographies are changing simultaneously and subsequently may 
affect the VTD geography. In order to provide current VTDs to the 
states that align better with decennial geography, a second round of 
verification will occur between December 2019 and March 2020 for states 
that participated in the initial delineation and first verification.
    Participation in the 2020 Census RDP Phases 1 (BBSP) and 2 (VTDP), 
under Title 13, U.S.C., is voluntary. However, the Census Bureau cannot 
ensure that the 2020 Census tabulation geography will support the 
redistricting needs of a state that has chosen not to participate in 
Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Phase 3: Delivery of the 2020 Census Redistricting Data (2021)

    By April 1, 2021, the Director of the Census Bureau will, in 
accordance with Title 13, U.S.C., furnish the Governor and state 
legislative leaders, both the majority and minority, and any public 
bodies responsible for legislative redistricting, with 2020 Census 
population counts for standard census tabulation areas (e.g., states, 
Congressional districts, state legislative districts, American Indian 
areas, counties, cities, towns, census tracts, census block groups, and 
census blocks) regardless of a state's participation in Phase 1 or 2. 
The Director of the Census Bureau will provide 2020 Census population 
counts for those states participating in Phase 2, for both the standard 
tabulation areas and for VTDs. For each state, this delivery will occur 
no later than April 1, 2021.

Phase 4: Collection of Post-Census Redistricting Data Plans (2011-2022)

 2010 Census
    Beginning in 2011 and every two years thereafter, the Census Bureau 
solicits from each state the newly drawn legislative and Congressional 
district plans and prepares appropriate data tabulations based on the 
new districts. From November 2015 through May 2016, the Census Bureau 
completed the data collection and verification of the 115th 
Congressional Districts (CDs) and 2016 State Legislative Districts 
(SLDs). The 116th CDs and SLDs collection and verification will occur 
between November 2017 and May 2018. The Census Bureau is not planning 
to collect the 117th CDs and SLDs in 2020.
 2020 Census
    Between November 2021 and May 2022, the Census Bureau will solicit 
from each state the boundaries of the newly drawn 118th CDs and 2022 
SLDs. This effort will occur every two years in advance of the 2030 
Census in order to update these boundaries with new or changed plans. A 
verification phase will occur with each update.

Phase 5: Review of the 2020 Census RDP and Recommendations for the 2030 
Census RDP (2020 Post-Data Collection)

    As the final phase of the 2020 Census RDP, the Census Bureau will 
work with the states to conduct a thorough review of the RDP. The 
intent of this review, and the final report that results, is to provide 
guidance to the Secretary and the Census Bureau Director in planning 
the 2030 Census RDP.

IV. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0988.
    Form Number(s): Not available.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 52.
    Estimated Time per Response: 72 hours.
    Estimated Burden Hours (Information Collection Renewal--FY 2019-
2021): 11,284.

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                                                  Estimated total hour burden per fiscal year (FY)
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         Phases/activities                  Currently approved OMB                        Renewal
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                                        2016         2017         2018         2019         2020         2021
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BBSP Annotation Phase 1...........        6,448  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
BBSP Verification Phase 2.........  ...........        3,224  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
VTDP Delineation Phase 1..........  ...........  ...........       12,896  ...........  ...........  ...........
VTDP Delineation round one........  ...........  ...........  ...........        6,448  ...........  ...........
VTDP Verification round two.......  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........        4,836  ...........
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    Total Estimated Hour Burden...                  22,984
                                                    11,284
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,761.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

    Authority: Legal Authority:
    Title 13, U.S.C., Sections 16, 141, and 193.

V. 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;

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they also will become a matter of public record.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-04156 Filed 2-28-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P