[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31855-31856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11218]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2022 / 
Notices  

[[Page 31855]]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Special Census Program

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 Special Census Program, 
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 July 25, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference Special 
Census Program in the subject line of your comments. You may also 
submit comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2022-0009 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 Christine Borman, Chief, Nonresponse Operations Branch, Decennial 
Census Management Division, 301-763-4315, and 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    A Special Census is an enumeration of population, housing units, 
group quarters, and transitory locations, conducted by the Census 
Bureau at the request of a Governmental Unit (GU). The Special Census 
questionnaires will collect the same information that was gathered 
during the 2020 Census. Title 13, United States Code, Section 196 
authorizes the Census Bureau to conduct Special Censuses on a cost 
reimbursable basis for the government of any state, county, city, or 
other political subdivision within a state. This includes the District 
of Columbia, American Indian Reservations, Alaskan Native villages, 
Puerto Rico, the Island Areas (e.g. American Samoa, the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and 
other governmental units that require current population data between 
decennial censuses. Local officials frequently request a Special Census 
when there has been a significant population change in their community 
due to annexation, growth, or the addition of new group quarters 
facilities. Communities may also consider a Special Census if there was 
a significant number of vacant housing units during the previous 
Decennial Census that are now occupied.
    A full Special Census is a basic enumeration of population, housing 
units, and group quarters for the entire area within the jurisdiction 
of a local GU requesting the Special Census. A partial Special Census 
is conducted using the same methodologies and procedures as a regular 
or full Special Census, but it is for an area or section within the 
jurisdiction of the local GU. For example, GUs may choose to conduct a 
partial Special Census for just those areas that might have experienced 
a large population growth or a boundary change.
    Many states use Special Census population statistics to determine 
the distribution of state funds to local jurisdictions. The local 
jurisdictions may also use the data to plan new schools, transportation 
systems, housing programs, or water treatment facilities. GUs that 
request a Special Census will receive the data files containing housing 
unit and population counts by email when data processing and disclosure 
avoidance have been completed for the Special Census. The data will 
also be posted at data.census.gov for public use. These data will not 
be used to update official 2020 Census data products and apportionment 
counts, but they will be used to update data in the Census Bureau's 
Population Estimates Program.
    The Census Bureau is requesting a reinstatement of the Special 
Census Program with change. For this Special Census Program, the Census 
Bureau will use an internet self-response instrument, which is the 
online tool through which respondents can answer their Special Census. 
The Census Bureau will also conduct fieldwork to perform listing and 
enumeration at housing units, group quarters, and transitory locations 
using a paper collection mode. As stated above, the Special Census 
questionnaires will collect the same information that was gathered 
during the 2020 Census.
    The Special Census Program will accept requests for cost estimates 
from GUs starting in March 2023 and will start data collection no 
sooner than January 2024. A Request for Cost Estimate form (SC-900 RCE) 
will be available on the Census Bureau website by February 2023. There 
is a fee to submit a request form. GUs will submit this form to the 
Census Bureau along with the fee associated with making the request. 
Once this form has been reviewed by the Census Bureau, the GU and the 
Census Bureau will coordinate to identify the exact geographic 
boundaries for the Special Census. Then the Special Census Program will 
coordinate with the Census Bureau's regional offices to determine a 
cost estimate and timeline for the Special

[[Page 31856]]

Census and will present them to the GU. The cost of a Special Census 
varies depending on the GU's housing and population counts and whether 
a government requests a full or partial Special Census. The cost 
estimate outlines the anticipated costs to the sponsoring government 
for staffing, materials, data processing and tabulation. Included with 
the cost estimate is a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Once a signed MOA 
and initial payment are transmitted to the Census Bureau, the Special 
Census process will begin. When data collection, processing, disclosure 
avoidance, and tabulation have been completed, the GU will receive 
official census statistics on the population and housing unit counts 
for the entire jurisdiction or parts of the jurisdiction, as defined in 
the MOA at the beginning of the Special Census process. All Special 
Census statistics will be subject to disclosure avoidance using 
differential privacy methods, consistent with the processes and methods 
used for 2020 Census data products, prior to their release to the 
public. Requests for cost estimates from GUs will be accepted through 
May 2027.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau plans to use an internet self-response instrument 
for respondents to respond online to the Special Census questionnaire. 
Respondents will have a number of weeks to respond to the Special 
Census questionnaire using the internet self-response instrument. At 
the start of the Special Census, the Census Bureau will send an 
invitation letter to housing units in the GU's Special Census area with 
information needed to respond online. Reminder letters and postcards 
will be sent to each housing unit to encourage self-response and 
provide information needed to do so.
    Approximately two weeks after the end of the Special Census self-
response period, the Census Bureau will conduct follow-up operations in 
the field to enumerate housing units that did not respond using the 
internet self-response instrument. Housing units that do not respond 
online will be contacted by a field representative who will conduct a 
Special Census interview using a paper questionnaire. The field 
operations will also enumerate group quarters and transitory locations 
in the GU's Special Census area. The Census Bureau plans to use a paper 
questionnaire to conduct Special Census interviews at transitory 
locations and group quarters. During the field operations, Special 
Census field representatives will also update the addresses of living 
quarters as needed, based on their observation of housing units, 
transitory locations, and group quarters.
    Several quality assurance measures will be implemented for each 
Special Census to ensure that high quality data are gathered using the 
most efficient and cost-effective procedures. These include edits 
incorporated into the online questionnaire and the ability to validate 
potentially erroneous responses in the field. Independent quality 
assurance checks and reinterview of a sample of field questionnaires 
will also be implemented to ensure the quality of the data collected in 
the field.
    As the Census Bureau develops automated tools and methods for data 
collection and listing for the 2030 Decennial Census, the Special 
Census Program may incorporate this additional automation throughout 
the decade. Updates to the operational design will be implemented no 
earlier than 2026. The incorporation of additional automation may 
increase data collection quality and efficiency, resulting in a cost 
savings for GUs, but the extent of those cost savings is currently 
unknown.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0368.
    Form Number(s): SC-Q, SC-CQ, SC-Q-TL, SC-CQ-TL, SC-Q-GE, SC-RQ, SC-
900 RCE.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, Request for a Reinstatement, 
with Change, of a Previously Approved Collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; State, Local, or Tribal 
government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 340,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: approximately 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 56,667.
    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 196.

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. 2022-11218 Filed 5-24-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P