[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 125 (Friday, June 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31020-31021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13858]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis

[190605488948801]
RIN 0691-XC101


Request for Comment; Notice of Development of Gross Domestic 
Product by County Statistics

AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is soliciting comments 
from the public on its new prototype Gross Domestic Product by County 
statistics, including comments on the methodology, presentation, 
granularity, and scope. Following the public comment period, BEA will 
incorporate feedback, finalize the methodology and related materials, 
and begin publishing this data series as an official series annually. 
Gross Domestic Product by County statistics will provide information on 
the economic activity generated in each of the nation's counties or 
county equivalents.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than July 29, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments via email to bea.gov">gdpbycounty@bea.gov or 
via U.S. Mail addressed to Mauricio Ortiz, Chief, Regional Income 
Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce, 4600 
Silver Hill Road (BE-55), Washington, DC 20233. Comments sent by any 
other method or after the comment period may not be considered. All 
comments are a part of the public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mauricio Ortiz, Chief, Regional Income 
Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce, 4600 
Silver Hill Road (BE-55), Washington, DC 20233; phone: (301) 278-9269 
or via email to bea.gov">Mauricio.Ortiz@bea.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Statistics measuring county gross domestic 
product (GDP)--the value of goods and services produced there--will 
help create a more complete picture of the geographic distribution of 
U.S. economic activity. The information will help policymakers and 
regional planners promote local economic growth and direct resources to 
the places most in need. The statistics will be a new tool to help 
businesses make decisions about investment and growth and to help 
residents better understand their county's economic health. The data 
can be used to compare the size and growth (or decline) of local 
economies across the country.
    In July 2016, BEA released a paper, laying out a research agenda to 
produce GDP statistics for each of the nation's 3,113 counties or 
county equivalents, such as Louisiana's parishes and Alaska's boroughs. 
Building on that research, in December 2018 BEA released a prototype 
set of county GDP statistics measuring the economic performance of 
counties or county equivalents, covering the years 2012 through 2015. A 
paper published in the March 2019 issue of BEA's Survey of Current 
Business detailed the data sources and methods used to calculate the 
GDP by county prototype statistics.
    BEA is seeking feedback on the prototype statistics and will 
continue to refine its methodology and presentations before official 
county GDP

[[Page 31021]]

statistics are slated to be released in December 2019.
    BEA invites comments from the public, private industry, state and 
local governments, non-profit organizations, and other interested 
parties to assist in improving the prototype statistics' quality, 
reliability, and usefulness. In particular, BEA is interested in 
feedback regarding the following:
    1. How do you plan to use county GDP statistics?
    2. Would an annual publication in December meet your needs? If not, 
what time of the year would be most valuable to inform planning and 
other uses?
    3. Are the prototype estimates consistent with the data and local 
information that you have on specific counties? If not, please outline 
the differences.
    4. Do you have any feedback about the methodology used to create 
the prototype county GDP statistics described in the March 2019 issue 
of BEA's online Survey of Current Business (available at bea.gov)?
    5. Are there additional source data that you believe could be used 
to generate and corroborate these statistics beyond those described in 
the March 2019 article?
    6. Which would better meet your needs:
    Less-detailed industry breakdowns, which will result in fewer data 
suppressions to protect confidentiality or more-detailed industry 
breakdowns, with the necessary suppressions?

    Dated: June 4, 2019.
Mauricio Ortiz,
Chief, Regional Income Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2019-13858 Filed 6-27-19; 8:45 am]
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