[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 221 (Friday, November 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64896-64898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25283]


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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 Post-Census Group Quarters Review

AGENCY: 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 a 
proposed new information collection, the 2020 Post-Census Group 
Quarters Review, 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 January 18, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference 2020 Post-Census

[[Page 64897]]

Group Quarters Review in the subject line of your comments. You may 
also submit comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2021-0025 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 Sonia Collazo, Supervisory Statistician, 301-763-3350, and 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The 2020 Post-Census Group Quarters Review (2020 PCGQR) provides a 
mechanism for tribal, state, and local governmental units in the United 
States and Puerto Rico, or their designated representatives, to submit 
a request that the Census Bureau review their population counts for 
group quarter facilities by block to correct error(s) affecting the 
inclusion of group quarters and their population from the 2020 Census.
    The Census Bureau has a comprehensive program to improve the 
quality of the population counts. For example, the Census Bureau 
provides an opportunity for tribal, federal, state, and local 
governments to review and improve the address lists and maps used to 
conduct the 2020 Census through the Local Update of Census Addresses 
program. In 2020, the Census Bureau used administrative records to 
classify some addresses as occupied, vacant, or nonresidential for 
enumeration. The Census Bureau also conducts the Population Estimates 
Program to calculate population change since the most recent decennial 
census and produce a time series of estimates of population, 
demographic components of change, and housing units. Beginning in 
January 2022, the Census Bureau will begin accepting and processing 
challenges submitted by eligible tribal, state, and local government 
officials through the Count Question Resolution (CQR) Program. The 
purpose of CQR is to provide a mechanism for governmental units to 
request a review of their official Census results and to help ensure 
that housing and population counts are correctly allocated to census 
tabulation blocks in the 50 states, District of Columbia and Puerto 
Rico. CQR provides corrected counts for housing units and population 
counts existing as of April 1 of the decennial year when the decennial 
census record shows that a housing unit or its associated population 
was identified during the enumeration, but erroneously excluded from or 
included in the census count due to a processing error. As part of the 
preparation for the 2020 CQR program, the Census Bureau published a 
Federal Register Notice on August 4, 2020 (85 FR 47162). The Census 
Bureau received several comments urging the Census Bureau to expand the 
CQR program in 2020 to accept and process submissions of population 
counts for group quarters facilities that the eligible governmental 
unit believed was not collected by the Census Bureau in the 2020 
decennial census enumeration. Because the CQR program cannot be an 
extension of the decennial enumeration, the Census Bureau was unable to 
make changes to CQR consistent with these comments. However, the Census 
Bureau considered these comments in conjunction with its comprehensive 
program to improve the quality of the group quarters and associated 
population counts and the use of administrative records to support 
Census Bureau programs under Title 13, United States Code. The Census 
Bureau will conduct a 2020 PCGQR to collect information in support of 
its ongoing programs, such as the Population Estimates program and the 
American Community Survey program. The Census Bureau will issue 
certified population correction counts, as determined by Census Bureau 
research. The Census Bureau will incorporate all 2020 PCGQR revisions 
into the intercensal population estimates and American Community Survey 
estimates starting in 2022 and will post the results on the Census 
Bureau 2020 PCGQR website.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau will accept 2020 PCGQR cases submitted by tribal, 
state, and local governmental units from Spring 2022 through Summer 
2023. Governmental units wanting to submit a case will be provided an 
Excel spreadsheet template that will be submitted through the Census 
Bureau's Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM). The Census Bureau will only 
accept cases that initiate from the highest elected or appointed 
official of tribal, state, and local governmental units, or their 
designated representative. Regardless of who makes the case submission, 
the Census Bureau must receive notification from the highest elected or 
appointed official of the governmental unit that indicates they want 
the Census Bureau to review their population counts for group quarter 
facilities data through the 2020 PCGQR process. This level of 
notification assures the Census Bureau that the highest level of 
leadership is informed and in agreement with filing a case on behalf of 
the governmental unit. The notification must accompany the supporting 
documentation submitted with the case.
    While the 2020 PCGQR is not an extension of the CQR or the 
decennial census program, the Census Bureau will conduct 2020 PCGQR 
case research by examining the census records for the 2020 tabulation 
block(s) identified in a 2020 PCGQR case using the Master Address File. 
All boundaries in the published 2020 Census results are current as of 
January 1, 2020, and all group quarters and population counts are 
current as of April 1, 2020; therefore, any changes to counts that 
occurred past those dates are out of scope. These standards will ensure 
that the information submitted as part of a 2020 PCGQR case is 
consistent with existing Census Bureau records, which will allow the 
Census Bureau to use the submitted records in other Census Bureau 
programs, such as the Population Estimates Program and American 
Community Survey. No new decennial information products will be created 
by the 2020 PCGQR. The Census Bureau will not revise any 2020 Census 
information products, such as the population counts delivered to the 
President for apportionment or the 2020 Census Public Law 94-171 
Redistricting Data Files and Geographic Products. Federal law requires 
decennial census data collection to end; therefore, the Census Bureau 
cannot continue collecting information for the decennial census through 
a 2020 PCGQR.
    When a submission is received, the Census Bureau will conduct 
research and assess the records contained in that submission for 
quality. Once the Census Bureau completes this research and assessment, 
the Census Bureau will respond to the governmental unit in writing with 
an official determination letter. This determination letter will state 
how the case was resolved and information on the resolution, such as, 
if the Census Bureau will or will not

[[Page 64898]]

accept the records. If the Census Bureau's research and assessment 
determines that a submission identifies existing group quarters and its 
associated population counts, then the Census Bureau will accept the 
records and update populations counts for the governmental unit for use 
in Census Bureau programs, as appropriate. The Census Bureau will issue 
certified population count corrections, which governmental units can 
use for any purpose requiring their official Census counts. The Census 
Bureau will incorporate all 2020 PCGQR revisions into the intercensal 
population estimates and American Community Survey estimates starting 
in 2022 and will post the new counts on our website. The Census Bureau 
will attempt to respond to each inquiry within 90 days of receipt and 
complete all case research and resolution by no later than September 
30, 2023.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, New Information Collection.
    Affected Public: Tribal, State or Local governmental units in the 
United States and Puerto Rico.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5.2 hours.
    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 6.

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 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. 2021-25283 Filed 11-18-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P