[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 9 (Friday, January 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2199-2200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00538]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau

[Docket Number: 231218-0307]
RIN 0607-XC073


Draft Plan for Providing Public Access to the Results of 
Federally Funded Research

AGENCY: Census Bureau, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The United States Census Bureau seeks comments on the Draft 
U.S. Census Bureau Plan for Providing Public Access to Results of 
Federally Funded Research. The Census Bureau is taking steps to make 
its scientific data and publications more readily available and 
accessible by the public, as directed in an August 2022 Memorandum from 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The Census Bureau's 
Public Access Plan applies to the results of research funded wholly or 
in part by the Census Bureau, presented in peer-reviewed scholarly 
publications including book chapters and peer-reviewed conference 
proceedings as appropriate, and scientific data as defined in the OSTP 
Memo. The document outlines the Census Bureau's plan for implementing 
new requirements to manage the public access of scientific data and 
publications. Public comments received on the Public Access Plan will 
inform Census Bureau as it develops policies and procedures to 
implement the Plan.

DATES: Responses must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 
12, 2024 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by either of the following 
methods:
     Electronic submission: Submit electronic public comments 
via the Federal eRulemaking Portal.
    1. Go to www.regulations.gov and enter Docket Number USBC-2023-0015 
in the search field.
    2. Click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields.
    3. Enter or attach your comments.
     By email: Comments in electronic form may also be sent to 
[email protected] in any of the following formats: HTML, 
ASCII, Word, RTF, or PDF.
    Please submit comments only and include your name, organization's 
name (if any), and cite ``Census Bureau Public Access Plan'' in all 
correspondence. Comments containing references, studies, research, and 
other empirical data that are not widely published should include 
copies of the referenced materials.
    All comments responding to this document will be a matter of public 
record. Relevant comments will generally be available on the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at https://www.Regulations.gov.
    The Census Bureau will not accept comments accompanied by a request 
that part or all of the material be treated confidentially because of 
its business proprietary nature or for any other reason. Therefore, do 
not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive, 
protected, or personal information, such as account numbers, Social 
Security numbers, or names of other individuals.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this notice 
contact: Mike Castro, email address [email protected], (301) 
763-6280. Please direct media inquiries to the Census Bureau's Public 
Information office at 301-763-3030.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Census Bureau (Census Bureau) 
mission is to serve as the nation's leading provider of quality data 
about its people and economy. This can be accomplished in part through 
equitable delivery of federally funded research results and data.
    The Census Bureau publishes this notice to seek comments on the 
Draft U.S. Census Bureau Plan for Providing Public Access to Results of 
Federally Funded Research, posted at www.census.gov/open. The Census 
Bureau developed this Public Access Plan in response to a public access 
memorandum, Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally 
Funded Research issued by the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
(OSTP) on August 25, 2022 which expanded on the February 22, 2013, 
memorandum Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded 
Scientific Research and brought the Census Bureau's research activities 
in scope.
    The Draft U.S. Census Bureau Plan for Providing Public Access to 
Results of Federally Funded Research applies to the results of research 
funded wholly or in part by the Census Bureau, presented in peer-
reviewed scholarly publications including book chapters and peer-
reviewed conference proceedings as appropriate, and ``scientific data'' 
as defined in the OSTP memorandum. This Public Access Plan, promotes 
the following objectives:
     Fulfill the requirement in the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy

[[Page 2200]]

(OSTP's) August 25, 2022, memorandum subject ``Ensuring Free, 
Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research'' to 
develop a Public Access Plan.
     Reaffirm the Census Bureau's commitments to
     promote open science including reproducibility and trust 
in federal statistics;
     be transparent with respondents about how their data is 
used; and
     protect respondent privacy and confidentiality.
     Ensure effective access to and reliable preservation of 
Census Bureau peer-reviewed scholarly publications and digital 
scientific data for use in research, development, education, and 
scientific discovery by depositing them in appropriate repositories, 
including data repositories that align with the OSTP's guidance on 
``Desirable Characteristics of Data Repositories for Federally Funded 
Research.''
    The Census Bureau Public Access Plan was reviewed by the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy in the Office of Management and Budget, 
and those comments have been addressed in the plan being posted for 
comment.
    The Census Bureau invites respondents to comment on the plan 
including, but not limited to, the following questions that pertain to 
the implementation its new public access plan:
     What are the best practices (from academia, industry, and 
other stakeholder communities) in managing public access of data and 
research results?
     What are the biggest challenges to implementing a public 
access policy, and how can these challenges be addressed?
     How can the Census Bureau ensure equity in publication 
opportunities?
     How can the Census Bureau ensure public access and 
accessibility to outputs of Census Bureau-funded research?
     How can the Census Bureau monitor impacts on affected 
communities--authors and readers alike?
     How can the Census Bureau improve the plan to provide 
greater public access to Census Bureau-funded research results?
    Comments relating to the text of the Draft U.S. Census Bureau Plan 
for Providing Public Access to Results of Federally Funded Research 
should reference the document by page and line number. All comments 
must be received in accordance with the DATES and ADDRESSES sections of 
the notice above.
    Robert L. Santos, Director, Census Bureau, approved the publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register.

    Dated: January 4, 2024.
Shannon Wink,
Program Analyst, Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Census Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2024-00538 Filed 1-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P