[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 150 (Tuesday, August 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47162-47165]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16962]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; 2020 Census Count Question Resolution Operation

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the 
proposed reinstatement with change of the 2020 Census Count Question 
Resolution Operation, prior to the submission of the information 
collection request (ICR) to OMB for approval.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before October 5, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference ``2020 Census 
Count Question Resolution Operation'' in the subject line of your 
comments. You may also submit comments, identified by Docket Number 
USBC-2020-0005, 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 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, or Adobe PDF file formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Robin A. Pennington, Decennial Census Management Division, Program 
Management Office, by phone 301-763-8132 or by email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The 2020 Census Count Question Resolution operation (CQR) provides 
a mechanism for tribal, state, and local government units to request a 
review of their official 2020 Census results. The 2020 Census CQR is 
the only decennial operation by which corrections to the 2020 Census 
data can be made. Specifically, tribal chairpersons and the highest 
elected officials (or their representative) from state and local 
government units in the United States and Puerto Rico can submit a CQR 
case to request review of the official 2020 Census count of housing and 
associated population, and to correct boundary and count issues. 
Through this formal process, the Census Bureau reviews cases received 
to determine whether the 2020 Census count of housing (e.g., housing 
units and/or group quarters) \1\ and associated population has been 
impacted by any geographic or processing errors.
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    \1\ A group quarters is a place where people live or stay, in a 
group living arrangement, 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.
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    The 2020 Census CQR addresses two types of cases: Boundary and 
count. Boundary cases involve a review of legal government unit 
boundaries in effect as of January 1, 2020, and the associated 
addresses affected by the boundaries. Count cases involve a review of 
the geographic location or placement of housing and associated 
population (geocoding issue), as well as a review of the enumeration 
universe for census processing errors (coverage issue). Corrections 
made to the housing counts and associated population by this operation 
will result in the issuance of new, official 2020 Census counts to the 
tribal chairperson or highest elected official of affected government 
units. The Census Bureau will use these corrections to modify the 
decennial census file for use in the annual postcensal estimates, 
released for the years after a decennial census, and to create the 
errata information that will be

[[Page 47163]]

made available on the web on a flow basis as case research is 
completed.
    The CQR does not revise the population counts sent to the President 
by April 30, 2021, which determine apportionment of the U.S. House of 
Representatives or to revise population counts relating to differential 
privacy, which is the new mathematical approach developed to protect 
the identify of individual respondents in the 2020 Census population 
counts. Visit the Disclosure Avoidance and the 2020 Census website for 
more information on the implementation of differential privacy to 
protect 2020 Census data.\2\
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    \2\ <https://www.census.gov/about/policies/privacy/statistical_safeguards/disclosure-avoidance-2020-census.html>.
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    The Census Bureau will accept CQR cases between October 1, 2021 and 
June 30, 2023. The Census Bureau will only accept cases that originate 
from the tribal chairperson or highest elected official of tribal, 
state, and local government units. After a government unit initiates a 
case in writing through mail or email, the tribal chairperson or 
highest elected official may designate officials representing them to 
work with the Census Bureau on their respective CQR case(s).
    The Census Bureau process for CQR includes researching the issues 
brought forth by cases and, as appropriate, making corrections and 
issuing revised official counts of population and housing, which the 
Census Bureau uses for its Population Estimates Program. The Census 
Bureau will not accept cases to review the overseas counts of persons 
in the military and Federal civilian personnel stationed overseas and 
their dependents living with them. The Census Bureau obtains overseas 
counts using administrative records.
    The Census Bureau will make corrections based on appropriate 
documentation provided by the questioning government unit and through 
research of the official 2020 Census records. The Census Bureau will 
not collect additional data for the enumeration of housing through CQR 
and will not incorporate CQR corrections into the 2020 Census data 
summary files and tables or re-tabulate any of the other 2020 Census 
data products.
    The Census Bureau describes the resulting corrective action from 
the two CQR case types as follows:
     Boundary cases may correct the inaccurate recording of 
boundaries, legally in effect on January 1, 2020, and update the 
housing counts for the blocks affected by the boundary correction if 
the government unit supplies the required individual address records 
for the affected block(s). Boundary changes effective after January 1, 
2020, boundary corrections submitted without individual address 
records, and boundary corrections that do not affect counts are out of 
scope for CQR.
     Count cases with geocoding issues may correct inaccurate 
geographic locations or placement of housing and associated population 
within the correct government unit boundaries and 2020 census 
tabulation blocks.
     Count cases with coverage issues may result in the 
addition of specific housing and associated population identified 
during the census process, but erroneously included as duplicates or 
excluded from enumeration. Coverage corrections are limited to census 
processing errors, i.e., erroneous exclusions of housing identified as 
existing in census records as of April 1, 2020.
    For count cases, updated counts for the number of housing units 
and/or group quarters is the only requirement for a government unit to 
supply with their submission. This differs from the 2010 CQR 
requirement that requested a list of addresses and updated counts for 
the blocks included in the case. During 2020 CQR, a government unit 
does not provide updated population counts for the housing units and/or 
group quarters within the 2020 census tabulation blocks in question.
    The Census Bureau will research accepted cases to determine whether 
it can identify information about the existence of housing on April 1, 
2020 that does not appear in the final census files because of an error 
(e.g., boundary, geocoding, or coverage) resulting in an incorrect 
population or housing count. When CQR research shows that errors 
occurred, the Census Bureau will provide corrected official counts of 
population and housing to all affected government units in 
determination letters that will be distributed on a flow basis as 
research is completed. The Census Bureau will also distribute errata 
showing these corrections based on CQR cases on the CQR website, but 
will not incorporate CQR corrections into the 2020 Census data summary 
files and tables or re-tabulate any of the other 2020 Census data 
products.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau requires documentation before committing 
resources to review and research CQR cases. The submitted case must 
specify whether it disputes the location of a government unit boundary, 
the count of housing units and/or group quarters in one or more 2020 
census tabulation blocks, or both.
    The CQR case documentation can be prepared and submitted in paper 
format by mail or prepared electronically and submitted using the 
Census Bureau's Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM). Use of SWIM is new 
for 2020 CQR. No web interface for sharing digital files existed for 
use during 2010 CQR. Information about specific case criteria, block 
count lists, acceptable map types, and acceptable address types, is 
included below.

Boundary Case Criteria

    Tribal, state, and local government units must base boundary cases 
on the legal boundaries in effect on January 1, 2020. The Census Bureau 
will compare the maps and appropriate documentation submitted by the 
government unit with the information used by the Census Bureau to 
depict the boundaries for the 2020 Census.
    Government units initiating a boundary case must submit a map (or 
maps) indicating the portion of the boundary that the Census Bureau 
potentially depicted incorrectly, including the 2020 census tabulation 
block numbers associated with the boundary, as well as depicting the 
correct location of the boundary. See the Acceptable Map Types section 
below for additional details.
    The government unit must provide a list of residential addresses in 
the 2020 census tabulation blocks affected by the incorrect boundary, 
indicating their coordinates or location in relationship to the 
boundary. The list of addresses must follow the templates provided on 
the CQR website or within the Geographic Update Partnership Software 
(GUPS).\3\ The government unit must certify that the submitted 
addresses existed and were available for occupancy on April 1, 2020. 
They must provide information regarding the validity of the address 
source(s) by discussing its creation, usual use, and maintenance cycle. 
See the Acceptable Address Types section below for additional details.
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    \3\ GUPS replaces the MAF/TIGER Partnership Software (MTPS) used 
for 2010 CQR.
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    Boundary cases affected by legal actions not recorded by the Census 
Bureau, such as annexation, de-annexation, incorporation, 
disincorporation, must include legal documentation stating the 
effective date of January 1, 2020, or before, and ordinance or 
resolution number or law approving the boundary change. Additionally, 
the government unit must provide evidence that the state

[[Page 47164]]

certifying official has approved the boundary change if required by 
state law, and provide a statement that the boundary change is not 
under litigation.

Count Case Criteria (Geocoding/Coverage)

    Government units filing cases to dispute the housing counts of 2020 
census tabulation blocks, whether caused by geocoding or coverage 
issues, must submit a block count list that includes the contested 2020 
census tabulation block(s) within their government unit and the correct 
count of housing units and group quarters as of April 1, 2020. CQR 
participants may use the housing unit and the group quarters counts by 
2020 census tabulation block contained in the Public Law 94-171 
Redistricting Data Files or the Demographic and Housing Characteristics 
File, a variation of the former Summary File 1, to determine the 
official counts from the 2020 Census. Government units may use the 
files in conjunction with the 2020 TIGER/Line shapefiles, 2020 Census 
Block Maps, or Public Law 94-171 County Block Maps. This material will 
be released to the public through the Census Bureau website no later 
than July 31, 2021. Access to the housing unit and the group quarters 
counts by 2020 census tabulation block will be available to CQR 
participants through download from the CQR website. Collectively, the 
census data products will provide CQR participants with the appropriate 
tools for assessing the accuracy of their decennial census counts and 
determining whether initiating a case is necessary.
    A government unit may provide a map depicting the location of the 
housing units and group quarters to assist the Census Bureau with their 
research. Participants should only provide a list of residential 
addresses for count cases in any subsequent submissions or re-
submissions to help the Census Bureau conduct additional research after 
the Census Bureau completed an initial determination. The list of 
addresses must follow the templates provided on the CQR website or 
within GUPS. If providing an address list, the government unit must 
certify that the submitted addresses existed and were available for 
occupancy on April 1, 2020. They must provide information regarding the 
validity of the address source(s) by discussing its creation, usual 
use, and maintenance cycle.

Acceptable Map Types

    2020 Census Public Law 94-171 County Block Maps--Large format, 
county based maps produced by the Census Bureau as a reference for the 
Redistricting Data Files available for all States, the District of 
Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Used to determine if filing a case is 
necessary and to support a boundary case.
    2020 Census Block Maps--Large format, government unit based maps 
produced by the Census Bureau to support the Decennial Census data 
release. Used to reference the Demographic and Housing Characteristics 
File, a variation of the former Summary File 1, to determine if filing 
a case is necessary and to support a boundary case.
    2020 TIGER/Line shapefiles--Available as spatial files and for use 
in GUPS or other geographic information system (GIS) software used to 
determine if filing a case is necessary and if so, to generate maps or 
files for submission with a boundary case.
    2020 Census Block Work Maps--Small format, tabulation block based 
maps produced by the Census Bureau, upon request of a government unit. 
Used to annotate address map spots to support a boundary case where the 
scale of the large format products is inadequate. Other materials 
suffice to determine whether filing a case is necessary.
    Other paper maps showing the 2020 census tabulation block numbers 
and boundaries--Used to support a boundary case. These maps must use 
the 2020 TIGER/Line shapefiles as their source and show legal 
boundaries of the government unit as of January 1, 2020, census tracts, 
census tabulation blocks, and any other legal entity involved in a 
case. In general, these maps compare to the 2020 Census Block Maps.

Acceptable Address Types

    City Style Addresses--City style addresses must include house 
number, apartment number (if applicable), street name, ZIP code, and 
state, county, 2020 census tract, and 2020 census tabulation block code 
information. The Census Bureau requires government units to use the 
template within GUPS or on the CQR website to generate an acceptable 
list of city style addresses.
    Non-City Style Addresses--Non-city style addresses include rural 
route addresses, physical location descriptions, and any other 
addresses that do not contain components of a city style address. The 
Census Bureau requires government units use the template within GUPS or 
on the CQR website to generate an acceptable list of non-city style 
addresses.
    Group Quarters Addresses--Group quarters addresses must include the 
group quarters name and telephone number or email address, and may 
include city style or non-city style addresses. Government units must 
use the template within GUPS or on the CQR website to generate an 
acceptable list of group quarters addresses.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0879.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, Request for a Reinstatement, 
with Change, of a Previously Approved Collection.
    Affected Public: Tribal, State, or local government units in the 
United States and Puerto Rico.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5.2 hours (based on 40 records per 
case).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,800.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0. (This is not the cost of 
respondents' time, but the indirect costs respondents may incur for 
such things as purchases of specialized software or hardware needed to 
report, or expenditures for accounting or records maintenance services 
required specifically by the collection.)
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 141.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include, or summarize, each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying

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information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-16962 Filed 8-3-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P