[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58126-58127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23677]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis

RIN 0691-XC105


Request for Comments on Developing State-Level Statistics for the 
Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account

AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is soliciting comments 
from the public about new prototype statistics on the economic activity 
generated by outdoor recreation in each U.S. state and the District of 
Columbia. Following the public comment period, BEA will evaluate 
feedback, finalize the methodology and related materials, and begin 
publishing this data series annually in the Outdoor Recreation 
Satellite Account (ORSA).

DATES: Comments must be received no later than March 31, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments to Christian Awuku-Budu, 
Chief, Regional Research and Methodology Branch, Bureau of Economic 
Analysis, Department of Commerce, 4600 Silver Hill Road (BE-61), or via 
email at bea.gov">OutdoorRecreation@bea.gov. Comments sent by any other method 
or after March 31, 2020, may not be considered. All comments are a part 
of the public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christian Awuku-Budu, Chief, Regional 
Research and Methodology Branch, Bureau of Economic Analysis, 
Department of Commerce, 4600 Silver

[[Page 58127]]

Hill Road (BE-61), Washington, DC 20233; email bea.gov">Christian.Awuku-Budu@bea.gov; or phone (301) 278-9235.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the requirements of the Outdoor 
Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016, Public Law 114-249, 
the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) developed the Outdoor Recreation 
Satellite Account (ORSA). The ORSA measures the size of the U.S. 
outdoor recreation economy and its link to the broader national 
economy. Like other BEA accounts, the ORSA incorporates a variety of 
private and public data sources to create comprehensive measures of the 
spending and production activities that are the focus of the account. 
BEA produced the first, national prototype ORSA statistics on February 
14, 2018, and released updated national statistics on September 20, 
2018. After an additional year of development, BEA released state-level 
prototype statistics on September 20, 2019.
    The state-level prototype statistics are an extension of the 
national industry ORSA statistics. State ORSA statistics isolate the 
economic activity associated with outdoor recreation spending and 
production in a state's economy. The concepts, definitions, and 
methodology used to produce state-level prototype statistics are 
consistent with the national industry concepts, definitions, and 
methodology. However, the additional geographic detail introduces added 
complexity to the estimation methodology. ORSA spending and production 
measures must be allocated to the correct geographic region by place of 
production, not by residence of consumer. In the state-level 
statistics, outdoor recreation activity is allocated as follows:
     The value of manufactured goods is assigned to the state 
where they are produced, even if the goods are not ultimately used in 
that state.
     The value of services is assigned to the location where 
they are consumed.
     The value of production of imported goods is excluded from 
ORSA measures, but the value of the services of retailers selling 
imported goods is included and assigned to the location of the sale.
    BEA is seeking feedback on the prototype statistics and will 
continue to refine its methodology and presentation before official 
state ORSA statistics are released in the fall of 2020.
    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. What are some useful applications of state ORSA statistics?
    2. BEA plans to release the state ORSA statistics annually in 
September. Will the statistics be useful if released on this schedule? 
What time of year should the release be scheduled to maximize the 
usefulness of the statistics?
    3. Are the prototype statistics consistent with the data and 
information about outdoor recreation available from other sources? If 
not, what are some differences?
    4. Are the methodology documents available at bea.gov helpful in 
understanding the process followed to create the state-level prototype 
ORSA statistics? Are there ways the methodology could be improved?
    5. Are there additional source data that could be used to generate 
and corroborate these statistics beyond those described in the 
methodology documents available at bea.gov?

    Dated: October 7, 2019.
Christian Awuku-Budu,
Chief, Regional Research and Methodology Branch, Bureau of Economic 
Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2019-23677 Filed 10-29-19; 8:45 am]
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