[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 219 (Tuesday, November 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56293-56298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24570]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
[Docket Number 180926886-8886-01]
Block Groups for the 2020 Census--Final Criteria
AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of final criteria and program implementation.
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SUMMARY: Block groups are statistical geographic subdivisions of a
census tract defined for the tabulation and presentation of data from
the decennial census and selected other statistical programs. Block
groups also will be used to tabulate and publish estimates from the
American Community Survey (ACS) after 2020 and potentially data from
other Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) censuses and surveys. The
Census Bureau is publishing this notice in the Federal Register to
announce final criteria for defining block groups for the 2020 Census
Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP). In addition to block
groups, the program also encompasses the review and update of census
tracts, census designated places, and census county divisions.
DATES: This notice's final criteria will be applicable on December 13,
2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information on
this program should be directed to Vincent Osier at the Geographic
Standards, Criteria, and Quality Branch, Geography Division, U.S.
Census Bureau, via email at [email protected] or by telephone at
301-763-3056.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Block groups are statistical geographic subdivisions of a census
tract defined for the tabulation and presentation of data from the
decennial census and selected other statistical programs. Block groups
also will be used to tabulate and publish estimates from the American
Community Survey (ACS) \1\ after 2020 and potentially data from other
Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) censuses and surveys.
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\1\ The ACS is conducted in the United States and in Puerto
Rico. In Puerto Rico the survey is called the Puerto Rico Community
Survey. For ease of discussion, throughout this document the term
ACS is used to represent the surveys conducted in the United States
and in Puerto Rico.
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The Census Bureau is publishing this notice in the Federal Register
to announce final criteria for defining block groups for the 2020
Census. In addition to providing final criteria for block groups, this
notice also contains a summary of comments received in response to
proposed criteria published in the Federal Register on February 15,
2018 (83 FR 6937), as well as the Census Bureau's response to those
comments. After publication of this final criteria in the Federal
Register, the Census Bureau will offer designated governments or
organizations an opportunity to review and, if necessary, suggest
updates to the boundaries and attributes of the block groups in their
geographic area under the Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP).
In addition to block groups, the program also encompasses the review
and update of census tracts, census designated places, and census
county divisions. The Census Bureau published a notice, explaining PSAP
process and participation, in the Federal Register on November 28, 2017
(82 FR 56208).
I. History of Block Groups
The Census Bureau first delineated block groups as statistical
geographic divisions of census tracts for the 1970 Census, comprising
contiguous combinations of census blocks for data presentation
purposes. At that time, census block groups only existed in urbanized
areas in which census blocks were defined. Block groups were defined
without regard to political and administrative boundaries, with an
average population of 1,000, and to be approximately equal in area.
As use of census block, block group, and census tract data
increased among data users, the Census Bureau expanded these programs
to cover additional geographic areas while redefining the population
threshold criteria to more adequately suit data users' needs. The 1990
Census was the first in which census blocks and block groups were
defined throughout the entirety of the United States, Puerto Rico, and
the Island Areas. For the 2000 Census, as with census tracts, the
Census Bureau increased the number of geographic areas whose boundaries
could be used as block group boundaries, and allowed tribal governments
of federally recognized American Indian tribes with a reservation and/
or off-reservation trust lands to delineate tribal block groups without
regard to state and/or county boundaries, provided the tribe had a 1990
Census population of at least 1,000.
For the 2010 Census, the Census Bureau adopted changes to block
group criteria that recognized their utility as a framework of small
geographic areas and established tribal block groups as a geographic
framework for presenting and analyzing statistical and other data for a
variety of communities, settlement patterns, and landscapes. The Census
Bureau augmented its minimum and maximum population threshold with
housing unit thresholds for use in defining block groups for seasonal
communities that have no or low population on census day (April 1). In
addition, the Census Bureau formalized criteria for block groups
defined for employment centers, airports, parks, large water bodies,
and other special land uses that had been permitted in previous
decades, but never specified within the criteria. The Census Bureau
also established tribal block groups as a geographic framework defined
within federally recognized American Indian reservations and off-
reservation trust lands that is fully separate from the standard block
groups defined within counties.
II. Summary of Comments Received in Response to the Proposed Criteria
The Federal Register notice published on February 15, 2018 (83 FR
6937) requested comment on the proposed block group criteria for the
2020 Census. The proposed criteria were unchanged from the final
criteria adopted for the 2010 Census.
The Census Bureau received comments from 16 individuals on one or
more topics related to (1) use of non-visible political boundaries when
defining block groups, (2) use of employment data to define block
groups
[[Page 56294]]
encompassing areas with substantial amounts of commercial, industrial,
or other non-residential activity for the purpose of transportation
planning, and (3) defining block groups to align with former census
tract boundaries when census tracts are merged. Commenters represented
state and local government agencies, regional planning organizations
and councils of governments, state data centers, and non-governmental
organizations. Comments received by the Census Bureau are summarized
below, as well as the Census Bureau's response to these comments.
1. Using Non-Visible Minor Civil Division Boundaries in Michigan as
Block Group Boundaries
The Census Bureau received three comments from individuals in
Michigan noting that all minor civil division (MCD) boundaries in
Michigan should be permitted to be block group boundaries for the 2020
Census as was the case in the past. The commenters correctly noted that
in Table 1, Acceptable Minor Civil Division and Incorporated Place
Boundaries, the proposed criteria were in error with regard to
Michigan. The Census Bureau has corrected the table in the final
criteria.
2. Defining Block Groups on the Basis of Employment and Jobs
The Census Bureau received 14 comments related to defining block
groups encompassing areas with concentrations of employment and jobs or
other types of non-residential uses to improve the utility of block
groups for transportation and journey-to-work analysis and planning.
Eleven commenters suggested adoption of a minimum threshold of 600
workers/jobs (and no maximum or optimum thresholds) to be applied as an
alternative to the existing minimum population or housing unit
threshold or in combination with population or housing unit thresholds.
One commenter supported the use of worker/job counts when defining
block groups, but did not specify a minimum threshold. Two commenters
expressed support for modifying criteria for special use block groups
primarily to improve identification of block groups encompassing areas
with concentrations of employment. One of these commenters noted that
applying employment thresholds was not necessary as the sample design
for the American Community Survey (which is the source for much of the
demographic data used in journey-to-work analysis) focused on
residential population concentrations and not employment
concentrations. Changes to the special use block group criteria could
achieve the result desired by commenters proposing employment
thresholds and could also provide greater flexibility when defining
block groups.
Based on consideration of the comments received on this topic and
further discussion with stakeholders in the transportation community,
the Census Bureau will change its criteria for defining special use
block groups to no longer specify minimum land area requirements.
Special use block groups should be comparable in land area size to
surrounding block groups so as to assure data reliability and quality
when reporting on workplace-related data and to avoid data disclosure
issues. The Census Bureau also recommends that, when defining special
use block groups encompassing employment centers and areas with
concentrations of jobs, PSAP participants should strive for a minimum
threshold of 600 workers/jobs.
3. Defining Block Groups To Follow Former Census Tract Boundaries
One commenter proposed that, when census tracts are merged, an
effort should be made to align the boundaries for block groups within
the new census tract with the boundaries of the former census tracts
that were merged. The commenter noted that this would facilitate
historical comparisons of data, particularly when chronicling change in
the sociodemographic characteristics of neighborhoods, allowing data
users to use block group data to bridge back to previous decades'
census tracts.
The Census Bureau agrees with the sentiments expressed by this
commenter. We also agree with the suggestion to align block group
boundaries with the boundaries of former census tracts in those
instances in which census tracts have been merged and will update both
the final block group and final census tract criteria accordingly.
III. General Principles and Criteria for Block Groups for the 2020
Census
A. General Principles
1. Block groups are statistical geographic subdivisions of a census
tract and are the smallest geographic areas for which the Census Bureau
provides sample data, primarily from the ACS 5-year period estimates.
2. Block groups form the geographic framework within which census
blocks are numbered.
3. In order to ensure a minimal level of reliability in sample data
and minimize potential disclosures of sensitive information, a block
group should contain either at least 600 people or at least 240 housing
units at minimum, and 3,000 people or 1,200 housing units at maximum.
The housing unit criterion is used to accommodate areas that are
occupied seasonally and may otherwise show a discrepancy between
decennial and ACS figures. \2\ For the ACS, block groups are not
designed to be used individually, rather they provide a smaller
geographic area than census tracts that allow data users to combine
them to create larger geographic areas that may be more meaningful for
their specific use.
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\2\ ``Occupied seasonally'' refers to seasonal communities in
which residents often are not present on the date of the decennial
census, but will be present at other times of the year and for which
estimates may be reflected in the ACS. The ACS is designed to
produce local area data as of a 12-month period estimate (or an
average).
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4. The Census Bureau also recognizes that there are significant
geographic areas that are characterized by unique populations (e.g.,
prisons or universities) or not characterized by residential
populations at all (e.g., National Parks or large bodies of water)
which local participants may wish to exclude from populated block
groups for either analytical or cartographic purposes. These areas may
be designated as special use block groups to distinguish them from
standard populated block groups. Special land and/or water use block
groups are not required, but if delineated they must be designated as a
specific type of special use (discussed below), have an official name,
ideally have no residential population or housing units or at least
meet all minimum population or housing thresholds mention above, and
must not create noncontiguous block groups. While there are no longer
minimum land area measurement thresholds for special uses block groups
in urban or rural areas, such block groups should be comparable in size
to surrounding block groups, particularly if defined to encompass
employment centers or other areas containing a greater concentration of
jobs than residents. The Census Bureau recognizes that some special use
areas not intended for residential population, such as parks, may
contain some minimal population, such as caretakers or the homeless,
but since the primary purpose of block groups is to help provide high-
quality statistical data about the population, the participant and the
Census Bureau must decide if a special use block group would be useful
in such a situation.
[[Page 56295]]
B. Criteria
The criteria herein apply to the United States, including federally
recognized American Indian reservations (AIRs) and off-reservation
trust lands (ORTLs), Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas. \3\ The Census
Bureau may modify and, if necessary, reject any proposals for block
groups that do not meet the published criteria. In addition, the Census
Bureau reserves the right to modify the boundaries and attributes of
block groups as needed to meet the published criteria and/or maintain
geographic relationships before or after the final tabulation geography
is set for the 2020 Census.
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\3\ For Census Bureau purposes, the United States typically
refers to only the fifty states and the District of Columbia, and
does not include the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, the Island
Areas, and the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands). The Island Areas
includes American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. Minor Outlying
Islands are an aggregation of nine U.S. territories: Baker Island,
Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway
Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Island.
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The Census Bureau sets forth the following criteria for use in
reviewing, updating, and delineating 2020 Census block groups:
1. Block groups must not cross census tract boundaries.
This criterion takes precedence over all other criteria or
requirements. By definition, because census tracts cannot cross county
\4\ and state boundaries, neither can block groups. It is only
permissible to define a block group with fewer than 600 people in a
county that has a population less than 600, coextensive with a special
use census tract, or as a special use block group delineated within a
standard census tract.
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\4\ For the Census Bureau's purposes, the term ``county''
includes parishes in Louisiana; boroughs, city and boroughs,
municipalities, and census areas in Alaska; independent cities in
Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia; districts and islands in
American Samoa; districts in the U.S. Virgin Islands; municipalities
in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; municipios in
Puerto Rico; and the areas constituting the District of Columbia and
Guam. This notice will refer to all these entities collectively as
``counties''.
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2. Block groups must cover the entire land and water area of each
census tract.
Because census tracts must cover the entire area of a county, by
definition, block groups also must cover the entire area of each census
tract within each county.
3. A block group must comprise a reasonably compact and contiguous
land area.
Noncontiguous boundaries are permitted only where a contiguous area
or inaccessible area would not meet population or housing unit count
requirements for a separate block group, in which case the
noncontiguous or inaccessible area must be combined within an adjacent
or proximate block group. For example, an island that does not meet the
minimum population threshold for recognition as a separate block group
should be combined with other proximate land to form a single block
group. Each case will be reviewed and accepted at the Census Bureau's
discretion.
4. Block group boundaries should follow visible and identifiable
features.
To make the location of block group boundaries less ambiguous,
wherever possible, block group boundaries should follow significant,
visible, easily identifiable features. The use of visible features
facilitates the location and identification of block group boundaries
in the field, both on the ground and in imagery. The selection of
permanent physical features also increases the stability of the
boundaries over time, as the locations of many visible features in the
landscape tend to change infrequently. If block group boundaries are
changed, they should not be moved from a more significant feature
(e.g., a highway or a major river) to a less significant feature (e.g.,
a neighborhood road or a small tributary stream). The Census Bureau
also requires the use of state and county boundaries in all states to
be used as census tract and block group boundaries. The Census Bureau
also permits the use of incorporated place and minor civil division
(MCD) boundaries in states where those boundaries tend to remain
unchanged over time (see Table 1).
The following features are preferred as block group boundaries for
the 2020 Census:
a. State, county, and census tract boundaries must always be block
group boundaries. This criterion takes precedence over all other
boundary criteria or requirements.
b. AIR and ORTL boundaries.
c. Visible, perennial, stable, relatively permanent natural and
constructed features, such as roads, shorelines, rivers, perennial
streams and canals, railroad tracks, or above-ground high-tension power
lines.
d. Boundaries of legal and administrative entities in selected
states. Table 1 identifies by state which MCD and incorporated place
boundaries may be used as block group boundaries.
e. Additionally, the following legally defined, administrative
boundaries are permitted as block group boundaries:
i. Barrio, barrio-pueblo, and subbarrio boundaries in Puerto Rico;
ii. Census subdistrict and estate boundaries in the U.S. Virgin
Islands;
iii. County and island boundaries (both MCD equivalents) in
American Samoa;
iv. Election district boundaries in Guam;
v. Municipal district boundaries in the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands; and
vi. Alaska Native Regional corporation boundaries in Alaska, at the
discretion of the Census Bureau, insofar as such boundaries are
unambiguous for allocating living quarters as part of 2020 Census
activities.
f. The boundaries of large parks, forests, airports,
penitentiaries/prisons, and/or military installations, provided the
boundaries are clearly marked or easily recognized in the field in
imagery and on the ground.
g. When acceptable visible and governmental boundary features are
not available for use as block group boundaries, the Census Bureau may,
at its discretion, approve other nonstandard visible features, such as
major ridgelines, above-ground pipelines, intermittent streams, or
fence lines. The Census Bureau may also accept, on a case-by-case
basis, relatively short stretches of boundaries of selected nonstandard
and potentially nonvisible features, such as cadastral and parcel
boundaries or the straight-line extensions or other lines-of-sight
between acceptable visible features.
[[Page 56296]]
Table 1--Acceptable Minor Civil Division (MCD) and Incorporated Place Boundaries
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Boundaries of
MCDs not
coincident with All Only conjoint
All MCD the boundaries incorporated incorporated
State boundaries of incorporated place place
places that boundaries boundaries
themselves are
MCDs
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Alabama..................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Alaska...................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Arizona..................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Arkansas.................................... ............... ............... ............... X
California.................................. ............... ............... ............... X
Colorado.................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Connecticut................................. X ............... X ...............
Delaware.................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Florida..................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Georgia..................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Hawaii...................................... ............... ............... ............... ...............
Idaho....................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Illinois.................................... ............... X \a\ ............... X
Indiana..................................... X ............... ............... X
Iowa........................................ ............... X ............... X
Kansas...................................... ............... X ............... X
Kentucky.................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Louisiana................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Maine....................................... X ............... X ...............
Maryland.................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Massachusetts............................... X ............... X ...............
Michigan.................................... ............... X ............... X
Minnesota................................... ............... X ............... X
Mississippi................................. ............... ............... ............... X
Missouri.................................... ............... X \b\ ............... X
Montana..................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Nebraska.................................... ............... X \a\ ............... X
Nevada...................................... ............... ............... ............... X
New Hampshire............................... X ............... X ...............
New Jersey.................................. X ............... X ...............
New Mexico.................................. ............... ............... ............... X
New York.................................... X ............... X ...............
North Carolina.............................. ............... ............... ............... X
North Dakota................................ ............... X ............... X
Ohio........................................ ............... X ............... X
Oklahoma.................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Oregon...................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Pennsylvania................................ X ............... X ...............
Rhode Island................................ X ............... X ...............
South Carolina.............................. ............... ............... ............... X
South Dakota................................ ............... X ............... X
Tennessee................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Texas....................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Utah........................................ ............... ............... ............... X
Vermont..................................... X ............... X ...............
Virginia.................................... ............... ............... ............... X
Washington.................................. ............... ............... ............... X
West Virginia............................... ............... ............... ............... X
Wisconsin................................... ............... X ............... X
Wyoming..................................... ............... ............... ............... X
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\a\ Townships only.
\b\ Governmental townships only.
5. Population, Housing Unit, and Area Measurement Thresholds
The following are the population, housing unit, and area
measurement threshold criteria for block groups (as summarized in Table
2). The same population and housing unit thresholds apply to all types
of non-special use block groups, including those delineated for AIRs
and ORTLs, the Island Areas, and encompassing group quarters, military
installations, and institutions.
[[Page 56297]]
Table 2--Block Group Thresholds
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Block group type Threshold types Minimum Maximum
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Standard & tribal block groups....... Population thresholds.. 600.................... 3,000
Housing unit thresholds 240.................... 1,200
Special use block groups............. Area measurement....... At least comparable in At least comparable in
land area size to land area size to
surrounding block surrounding block
groups. groups.
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Population thresholds.. None (or very little), or must be within the
standard block group thresholds.
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a. 2010 Census population counts should be used in census block
group review in most cases. Housing unit counts should be used for
block groups in seasonal communities that have little or no population
on Census Day (April 1). Locally produced population and housing unit
estimates can be used when reviewing and updating block groups,
especially in areas that have experienced considerable growth since the
2010 Census.
b. The housing unit thresholds are based on a national average of
2.5 people per household. The Census Bureau recognizes that there are
regional variations to this average, and will take this into
consideration when reviewing all census block group proposals.
c. For the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will allow the
delineation of special use census tracts, and special use block groups
will be created coextensive with these special use census tracts, but
they are not required. A special use census tract, and hence a special
use block group, must be designated as a specific use type (e.g., state
park), must have an official name (e.g., Jay Cooke State Park), have no
(or very little) residential population or meet population or housing
unit thresholds, and must not create a noncontiguous census tract/block
group. In some instances, multiple areas can be combined to form a
single special land use census tract/block group if the land management
characteristics are similar, such as a special land use census tract/
block group comprising an area with a concentration of employment or
adjacent federal and state parks. Any resulting special use census
tract/block group should be at least as large in area as the
surrounding adjacent standard, populated census tracts/block groups.
6. Identification of Block Groups
a. A block group encompasses a cluster of census blocks. Each
standard block group is identified using a single-digit number that
will correspond to the first digit in the number of each census block
encompassed by the block group. For example, block group 3 includes all
census blocks numbered in the 3000 range within a single census tract.
b. The range of acceptable standard block group numbers is 1
through 9.
c. Block group numbers must be unique within a census tract.
7. Block Group Types
Table 3 provides a summary of the types of block groups (with their
respective population, housing unit, and area measurement thresholds)
that the Census Bureau will use for the 2020 Census.
Table 3--Summary of Block Group Types
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Distinction from Population Housing unit Area measurement
Block group types standard block groups thresholds thresholds thresholds
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Standard block groups.......... ...................... Min: 600, Max: Min: 240, Max: None.
3,000. 1,200.
Tribal block groups............ Tribal block groups Min: 600, Max: Min: 240, Max: None.
are conceptually 3,000. 1,200.
similar and
equivalent to census
block groups defined
within the standard
state-county-tract-
block group
geographic hierarchy
used for tabulating
and publishing
statistical data.
Special use block groups....... A block group, usually None (or very None (or very At least
coextensive with a little) or little) or comparable in
special census tract, within the within the size to
encompassing an standard block standard block surrounding
employment center, group thresholds. group thresholds. standard block
large airport, public groups.
park, public forest,
or large water body
with no (or very
little) population or
housing units.
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C. Tribal Block Groups
Tribal block groups are statistical geographic entities defined by
the Census Bureau in cooperation with tribal officials to provide
meaningful, relevant, and reliable data for small geographic areas
within the boundaries of federally recognized AIRs and/or ORTLs. As
such, they recognize the unique statistical data needs of federally
recognized American Indian tribes. The delineation of tribal block
groups allows for an unambiguous presentation of statistical data
specific to the federally recognized AIR and/or ORTL without the
imposition of state or county boundaries, which might artificially
separate American Indian populations located within a single AIR and/or
ORTL. To this end, the American Indian tribal participant may define
tribal block groups that cross county or state boundaries, or both. For
federally recognized American Indian tribes with AIRs and/or ORTLs that
have fewer than 1,200 residents, the Census Bureau will define one
tribal census tract and one tribal block group coextensive with the AIR
and/or ORTL. Tribal block groups must be delineated to meet all other
census block group criteria, and must be identified uniquely so as to
clearly distinguish them from county-based block groups. The Census
Bureau will address the type of identifiers required for tribal block
groups in more detail in a separate Federal Register notice pertaining
to all American Indian areas, including statistical areas defined
[[Page 56298]]
through PSAP. Tribal block group boundaries will be held as census
block boundaries. Census blocks, however, will be numbered uniquely
within county-based block groups, and thus there will not be a direct
relationship between a tribal block group identifier and the census
block numbers. Tribal block groups are conceptually similar and
equivalent to census block groups defined within the standard state-
county-tract-block group geographic hierarchy used for tabulating and
publishing statistical data.
In order to provide meaningful statistical geographic areas within
the AIR and/or ORTL, as well as make meaningful and reliable data
available for these areas and their populations, tribal block group
geography is maintained separately from standard, county-based block
groups. This change was first introduced for the 2010 Census, creating
standard block groups nationwide and maintaining tribal block groups as
a completely separate set of geography from standard block groups for
both geographic and data presentation purposes, and eliminates, in
part, the reliability and availability data issues for the tribal block
groups and the derived standard block groups that were present in
Census 2000.\5\
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\5\ For Census 2000, tribal block groups were defined for
federally recognized AIRs and/or ORTLs, and standard block groups
were identified by superimposing county and state boundaries onto
the Census 2000 tribal block groups. For Census 2000 products in
which data were presented by state and county, the standard state-
county-tract-block group hierarchy was maintained, even for
territory contained within an AIR and/or ORTL. In such instances,
the state-county portions of tribal block groups were identified as
individual block groups, and these standard block groups may not
have met the minimum population or housing unit thresholds,
potentially limiting sample data reliability or availability for
both the tribal block groups and the derived standard block groups.
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As with standard block groups submitted through this program, the
tribal block groups are submitted to the Census Bureau, and are subject
to review to ensure compliance with the published criteria. Detailed
criteria pertaining to tribal block groups will be published in a
separate Federal Register notice pertaining to all American Indian
areas, including statistical areas defined through PSAP.
IV. Definitions of Key Terms
Alaska Native Regional Corporation (ANRC)--A corporate geographic
area established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (Pub. L.
92-203, 85 Stat. 688 (1971)) to conduct both the business and nonprofit
affairs of Alaska Natives. Twelve ANRCs cover the entire state of
Alaska except for the Annette Island Reserve.
American Indian off-reservation trust land (ORTL)--An area of land
located outside the boundaries of an AIR, whose boundaries are
established by deed, and which are held in trust by the U.S. federal
government for a federally recognized American Indian tribe or members
of that tribe.
American Indian reservation (AIR)--An area of land with boundaries
established by final treaty, statute, executive order, and/or court
order and over which a federally recognized American Indian tribal
government has governmental authority. Along with ``reservation'',
designations such as colonies, communities, pueblos, rancherias, and
reserves apply to AIRs.
Conjoint--A description of a boundary line shared by two adjacent
geographic entities.
Contiguous--A description of areas sharing common boundary lines,
more than a single point, such that the areas, when combined, form a
single piece of territory. Noncontiguous areas form disjoint pieces.
Group quarters--A location where people live or stay in a group
living arrangement that is owned or managed by an entity or
organization providing housing and/or services for the residents. This
is not a typical household-type living arrangement. These services may
include custodial or medical care as well as other types of assistance,
and residency is commonly restricted to those receiving these services.
People living in group quarters are usually not related to each other.
Group quarters include such places as college residence halls,
residential treatment centers, skilled nursing facilities, group homes,
military barracks, correctional facilities, and workers' dormitories.
Incorporated place--A type of governmental unit, incorporated under
state law as a city, town (except in New England, New York, and
Wisconsin), borough (except in Alaska and New York), or village,
generally to provide governmental services for a concentration of
people within legally prescribed boundaries.
Minor civil division (MCD)--The primary governmental or
administrative division of a county in 28 states and the Island Areas
having legal boundaries, names, and descriptions. The MCDs represent
many different types of legal entities with a wide variety of
characteristics, powers, and functions depending on the state and type
of MCD. In some states, some or all of the incorporated places also
constitute MCDs.
Nonvisible feature--A map feature that is not visible on the ground
and in imagery such as a city or county boundary through space, a
property line, or line-of-sight extension of a road.
Retracting--Substantially changing the boundaries of a census tract
so that comparability over time is not maintained.
Special use census tract/block group--Type of census tract or block
group that must be designated as a specific use type (e.g., state park
or large lake) and have an official name (e.g., Jay Cooke State Park or
Lake Minnetonka), should have no (or very little) population or housing
units, and must not create a noncontiguous census tract/block group. If
delineated in a densely populated, urban area, a special use census
tract/block group must have an area of at least one square mile. If
delineated completely outside an urban area, a special use census
tract/block group must have an area of at least 10 square miles.
Statistical geographic entity--A geographic entity that is
specially defined and delineated, such as block group, CDP, or census
tract, so that the Census Bureau may tabulate data for it. Designation
as a statistical entity neither conveys nor confers legal ownership,
entitlement, or jurisdictional authority.
Visible feature--A map feature that can be seen on the ground and
in imagery, such as a road, railroad track, major above-ground
transmission line or pipeline, river, stream, shoreline, fence, sharply
defined mountain ridge, or cliff. A nonstandard visible feature is a
feature that may not be clearly defined on the ground (such as a
ridge), may be seasonal (such as an intermittent stream), or may be
relatively impermanent (such as a fence). The Census Bureau generally
requests verification that nonstandard features used as boundaries for
the PSAP geographic areas pose no problem in their location during
field work.
Dated: November 1, 2018.
Ron S. Jarmin,
Deputy Director, Performing the Non-Exclusive Functions and Duties of
the Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 2018-24570 Filed 11-9-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P