[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54920-54923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21732]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Boundary and Annexation Survey

    The Department of Commerce will submit the following information 
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite 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. Public comments were previously requested via the 
Federal Register on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 during a 60-day comment 
period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments.
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.
    Title: Boundary and Annexation Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0151.
    Form Number(s): BAS-1, BAS-2, BAS-3, BAS-5, BAS-6, BASSC-1L, BASSC-
3L, BASSC-4L.
    Type of Request: Regular submission, Request for a Revision of a 
Currently Approved Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 40,000 governments.
    Average Hours per Response: 7.5 hours. This estimate is based on an 
average of 5 hours for a no change participant and 10 hours for a 
participant with changes.
    Burden Hours: 300,000 hours.
    Needs and Uses: The Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) provides 
tribal, state, and local governments an opportunity to review the 
Census Bureau's legal boundary data to ensure the Census Bureau has the 
correct boundary, name, and status information. BAS also allows 
participants to review and provide updates to Census Designated Places 
(CDPs). BAS fulfills the agency's responsibility as part of the 
National Spatial Data Infrastructure, for which the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16 designates the Census Bureau 
as the lead federal agency for maintaining national data about legal 
government boundaries, as well as statistical and administrative 
boundaries. BAS supports the spatial data steward responsibilities of 
the OMB E-Gov, Data.gov, the National Map, and Geographic Names 
Information System.
    The Census Bureau uses the boundaries collected in BAS to tabulate 
data for various censuses and surveys including the decennial census, 
American Community Survey (ACS), and Population Estimates Program 
(PEP). It also uses the legal boundaries collected through BAS to 
support several other programs such as Congressional and State 
Legislative redistricting, the Economic Census, the Geographic Update 
Population Certification Program, and the Special Census program.
    Numerous federal programs also rely on accurate boundaries 
collected through BAS. The U.S. Geological

[[Page 54921]]

Survey's National Map is updated annually to depict the legal 
boundaries provided by BAS. The Department of Housing and Urban 
Development uses legal boundaries to determine jurisdictional 
eligibility for various grant programs, such as the Community 
Development Block Grant program. In addition, the Department of 
Agriculture uses legal boundaries to determine eligibility for various 
rural housing and economic development programs.
    The following collection methods allow the Census Bureau to 
coordinate among various levels of governments to obtain the most 
accurate legal boundary, CDPs, and contact information:

 BAS
    [cir] Annual Response
    [cir] Submissions--Digital and Paper
    [cir] Non-Response Follow-Up
    [cir] State Agreements
    [cir] Consolidated BAS (CBAS) Agreements
 State Certification
 Boundary Quality

    The following changes have been made since the BAS 60-day 
notification was published on Tuesday, May 18, 2021.
     The paper BAS annual response form (ARF) will no longer be 
included in the late-January annual response mailing. Participants will 
be instructed to complete the online response form or provide their 
response via email.
     BAS participants requesting CD/DVD will no longer receive 
state specific inserts or paper forms. State specific insert 
information will move to the online form. The paper forms are specific 
to the paper response method and will not be included with CD/DVD 
requests.
     BAS participants requesting paper maps will no longer 
receive state specific inserts. State specific insert information will 
move to the online form.
     BAS participants requesting paper maps will receive an 
insert that includes a list of materials included in the packet. This 
insert was omitted from the 60-day notification in error.
     The governor's letter for state certification will be 
replaced by an email. A non-response follow-up email was also added.
     The state certifying official letter will be replaced by 
an email. A non-response follow-up email was also added.

BAS

    The Census Bureau collects legal boundary, CDP, and contact updates 
from tribal, state, and local governments during BAS. Governments are 
first contacted during annual response where they are asked if they 
have legal boundary, CDP, or contact updates to report. Those 
indicating they have updates to provide can choose to create a 
submission using an approved response method. Those governments that do 
not respond to annual response or those governments that indicate they 
have updates to provide are followed up with during BAS non-response 
follow-up. The BAS schedule is outlined below.
     January 1--Boundary updates must be legally in effect on 
or before this date to be reported in the current survey year.
     January to May--Tribal, state, and local governments 
respond during annual response or non-response follow-up indicating if 
they have legal boundary, CDP, or contact updates to report. Those with 
boundary updates to report download or request materials to create a 
submission to return to the Census Bureau.
     Early January--The Census Bureau sends the annual response 
email. Tribal, state, and local governments are contacted through email 
to determine if they have legal boundary, CDP, or contact updates to 
report.
     Late January--The Census Bureau sends the annual response 
letter. Tribal, state, and local governments that do not have an email 
address on file with the Census Bureau or did not respond to the annual 
response email are contacted through mail to determine if they have 
legal boundary, CDP, or contact updates to report.
     Mid-February--The Census Bureau conducts BAS non-response 
follow-up through email. Governments that have not responded to annual 
response, along with those that indicated they have boundary changes to 
report, are contacted through email.
     March 1--Boundary updates returned by this date will be 
reflected in the ACS and PEP data and in next year's BAS materials.
     March to May--The Census Bureau conducts BAS non-response 
telephone follow-up. Governments that did not respond to the annual 
response email, letter, and non-response email are contacted over the 
phone to determine if they have any legal boundary, CDP, or contact 
updates to report.
     May 31--Boundary updates returned by this date will be 
reflected in next year's BAS materials.

BAS--Annual Response

    The Census Bureau first contacts tribal, state, and local 
governments during annual response. During this phase, the Census 
Bureau contacts all eligible governments through email and mail. The 
BAS annual response email includes program information and directs 
governments to respond through an online form if they have legal 
boundary, CDP, or contact updates to report. Only those governments 
that do not have an email address on file with the Census Bureau or did 
not respond to the annual response email are contacted through mail. 
The mailed package consists of a letter and program flyer.
    Through annual response, participants are instructed to review the 
legal boundary, name, and status information, along with the contact 
information that the Census Bureau has on file for their government. 
BAS participants are also able to review CDP boundaries. Eligible 
governments can review their boundaries using the Census Bureau's 
TIGERweb online GIS viewer, partnership shapefiles, or PDF maps.
    Participants respond if they have legal boundary, CDP, or contact 
updates to report through an online form, email, fax, or mail. Those 
indicating they have updates to provide can choose to create a 
submission using the Census Bureau's Geographic Update Partnership 
Software (GUPS) tool, their own GIS, or on paper maps. Participants can 
request to receive the materials to create their submission through 
download, by mail on CD/DVD or on large format paper maps.
    The Census Bureau uses email and encourages participants to use the 
online form to respond to annual response to reduce cost and 
participant burden.

BAS--Submissions

    Tribal, state, and local governments with boundary updates can 
choose to create a submission using either digital or paper response 
methods during annual response. The data provided to the partners, by 
the Census Bureau, are derived from its Master Address File and 
Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Reference (MAF/TIGER) 
System. The boundary data reflects updates reported by partners through 
the prior year's BAS.

BAS--Digital Submission Methods

    The Census Bureau offers participants two digital submission 
methods. Governments with boundary updates can create a submission 
using the GUPS tool or their own GIS. When completing annual response, 
participants select one of the following options:
     CD/DVD. Participants can choose to receive GUPS and the 
partnership shapefiles through mail on CD/DVD.

[[Page 54922]]

     Download. Participants can choose to download GUPS and 
partnership shapefiles, or partnership shapefiles only to use in their 
own GIS. The Census Bureau also offers a partnership toolbox that can 
be used in the partner's own GIS.
    Those partners that elect to receive digital materials on CD/DVD 
will receive a package through the mail containing the following 
materials:
     Letter.
     CD or DVD containing GUPS tool.
     CD or DVD containing partnership shapefiles, respondent 
guides, and a readme text file.
    Governments that elect to download materials can find the software, 
partnership shapefiles, respondent guides, and other information 
included in the letter on the BAS website.
    Tribal, state, and local governments use GUPS or their own GIS to 
create a submission with legal boundaries updates, and optionally, 
CDPs, linear features, and landmarks updates. Partners return these 
updates electronically using the Census Bureau's SWIM file transfer 
module. Governments selecting one of the digital response methods 
during annual response will receive SWIM access information through 
email.

BAS--Paper Submission Method

    The Census Bureau also provides partners a paper map option to 
create a submission with legal boundary, CDP, linear feature, and 
landmark updates. When completing annual response, partners select the 
following option:
     Paper maps. Participants can choose to receive large 
format paper maps through mail. Those partners that elect to receive 
paper maps will receive a package through the mail containing the 
following materials:
     Letter.
     Insert listing materials included in the package.
     Form specific to the government type.
    [cir] BAS-1--Incorporated places and consolidated cities.
    [cir] BAS-2--Counties and county equivalent governments.
    [cir] BAS-3--Minor civil divisions.
    [cir] BAS-5--Federally recognized tribal reservations and off-
reservation trust lands.
     Large format paper maps covering the extent of the 
government.
     Supplies to update the paper maps.
     Respondent guide.
     Postage-paid return envelope.
    Tribal, state, and local governments use the provided supplies to 
annotate legal boundaries updates, and optionally, CDPs, linear 
features, and landmarks updates on paper maps. Partners return these 
updates using the Census Bureau provided postage-paid return envelope.

BAS--Non-Response Follow-Up

    Tribal, state, and local governments that do not respond to annual 
response or those governments that indicate they have updates to 
provide are followed up with during BAS non-response follow-up. Non-
response follow-up is conducted through email and over the phone.
    Governments that have not responded to annual response, along with 
those that indicated they have boundary changes to report, are first 
contacted through email. The email reminds participants to respond 
through an online form if they have legal boundary, CDP, or contact 
updates to report. Those governments that indicated they have boundary 
updates to report are requested to submit those updates to the Census 
Bureau by the BAS program deadline.
    Partners that still have not responded are contacted by phone later 
in the program cycle. Governments are requested to provide a response 
over the phone on whether they have legal boundary, CDP, or contact 
updates to report. Again, those governments that indicated they have 
boundary updates to report are reminded to submit those updates to the 
Census Bureau by the program deadline.

State Agreements

    BAS state agreements allow for the coordination and sharing of 
information and resources between the Census Bureau and state 
governments in collecting boundary information for local governments. 
Through this agreement with state governments, the Census Bureau aims 
to reduce the duplication of effort across various levels of 
governments as well as the cost and time burden associated with 
participating in BAS. To facilitate a state agreement, the Census 
Bureau may enter a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the state. 
States interested in establishing a state agreement MOU can do so when 
there is state legislation requiring local governments to report all 
legal boundary updates to a state agency.
    The Census Bureau currently maintains two types of state 
agreements. In the first type of agreement, the state reports boundary 
changes for all local governments within its jurisdiction during BAS. 
Local governments in this type of agreement are notified about BAS, 
however, do not receive materials to participate, and are instructed to 
report all boundary updates to the state so that they are reported to 
the Census Bureau. Under the second type of agreement, the state 
provides the Census Bureau with a list of local governments that 
reported boundary changes. The Census Bureau uses the list to target 
those local governments during BAS. States have the option to report 
the list of governments with known legal boundary changes to the Census 
Bureau.

Consolidated BAS (CBAS) Agreements

    The Census Bureau offers CBAS agreements to counties or county 
equivalent governments that are interested in submitting boundary 
updates for legal governments within their jurisdiction. CBAS 
agreements help ensure collection of complete and accurate boundary 
data, reduces duplication of effort between local and county 
governments and the Census Bureau, and reduces the cost and time burden 
on local governments. Once entered into a CBAS agreement, local 
governments are notified about BAS, however, do not receive materials 
to participate, and are instructed to report all boundary updates to 
the county or county equivalent government so that they are reported to 
the Census Bureau.

State Certification

    The state certification program provides an annual opportunity for 
state agencies to verify that the legal boundary, name, and status 
information received through BAS updates were reported in accordance 
with state law. The Census Bureau requests that each state governor 
designate a state certifying official (SCO) to participate in the 
program. The SCO reviews listings of legal boundary changes, as well as 
government names and statuses that were submitted through the previous 
year's BAS. These listings include the attribute information for new 
incorporations, dissolutions, mergers, consolidations, and legal 
boundary changes. The listings also include the names and functional 
statuses of all local governments within the state's jurisdiction. The 
SCO can request that the Census Bureau edit the attribute data, add 
missing records, or remove invalid records. Invalid records only are 
removed if the state government maintains an official record of all 
changes to legal boundaries and governments as mandated by state law. 
The state certification schedule is as follows:
     October--The Census Bureau sends an email to governors 
requesting the state appoint an SCO to participate in the program. Non-
response emails are sent to governors that do not respond.

[[Page 54923]]

     December--The Census Bureau distributes the SCO emails. 
The SCO email contains information required by the SCO to participate 
in the program. Non-response emails are sent to SCOs that do not 
respond.
     March--The Census Bureau distributes discrepancy emails to 
local governments based on feedback from the SCO.
    The state certification materials include emails to the governor, 
general emails to convey any additional information, respondent guide, 
legal boundary change, and government name and status listings to the 
SCO, and discrepancy emails to local governments. The listings and 
respondent guide are provided on the BAS website. The SCO returns all 
updates electronically through the SWIM file transfer module.

Boundary Quality

    The Boundary Quality project is designed to assess, analyze, and 
improve the spatial quality of legal, statistical, and administrative 
boundaries within the Census Bureau's MAF/TIGER System. Ensuring 
quality boundaries is a critical component of the geographic 
preparations for each decennial census and the Census Bureau's ongoing 
geographic programs. In addition, the improvement of boundary quality 
is an essential element of the Census Bureau's commitment as the 
responsible agency for legal boundaries under OMB Circular A-16.
    The Boundary Quality project represents an effort to systematically 
target and assess boundary quality within the Census Bureau's MAF/TIGER 
System. Historically, it has relied exclusively on geographic programs 
such as BAS and the Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) to 
obtain updates to tribal, state, local government, and CDP boundaries. 
While programs like BAS play an essential role in improving boundary 
quality, the goal of boundary quality activities is to establish a more 
accurate baseline for legal boundaries and CDPs within an entire state 
or county. BAS would build on this baseline by collecting individual 
legal boundary changes and optionally associated addresses, and CDP 
updates, on a transaction basis as they occur over the years.
    Affected Public: Tribal, state, and local governments in all 50 
states and District of Columbia.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, U.S.C., Section 6.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of 
Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. 
Find this information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function and 
entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 
0607-0151.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-21732 Filed 10-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P