80_FR_51931 80 FR 51766 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Boundary and Annexation Survey

80 FR 51766 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Boundary and Annexation Survey

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 165 (August 26, 2015)

Page Range51766-51768
FR Document2015-21106

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 165 (Wednesday, August 26, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 165 (Wednesday, August 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51766-51768]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21106]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Boundary and 
Annexation Survey

AGENCY: Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: To ensure consideration, submit written comments, on or before 
October 26, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and 
instructions to Laura Waggoner, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill 
Road, Washington, DC 20233 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau conducts the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) 
to collect and maintain information about the inventory of legal 
boundaries and legal actions affecting the boundaries of counties and 
equivalent entities, incorporated places, minor civil divisions (MCDs), 
and federally recognized legal American Indian and Alaska Native areas. 
This information provides an accurate identification of geographic 
areas for the Census Bureau to use in conducting the Decennial and 
Economic Censuses and ongoing surveys, preparing population estimates, 
and supporting other statistical programs of the Census Bureau and the 
legislative programs of the Federal government.
    Through the BAS, the Census Bureau asks each government to review 
materials for its jurisdiction to verify the correctness of the 
information portrayed. The Census Bureau requests that each government 
update the boundaries, supply information documenting each legal 
boundary change, and provide changes in the inventory of governments. 
The Census Bureau has a national implementation of the BAS, but each 
state's laws are reviewed for inclusion in the processing procedures. 
In addition, if it comes to the Census Bureau's attention that an area 
of non-tribal land is in dispute between two or more jurisdictions, the 
Census Bureau will not make annexations or boundary corrections until 
the parties come to a written agreement, or there is a documented final 
court decision regarding the matter and/or dispute. If there is a 
dispute over an area of tribal land, the Census Bureau will not make 
additions or boundary corrections until supporting documents are 
provided, or the U.S. Department of the Interior issues a comment. If 
necessary, the Census Bureau will request clarification regarding 
current boundaries, particularly if supporting documentation pre-dates 
1990, from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the 
Solicitor.
    The BAS universe and mailing materials vary depending both upon the 
needs of the Census Bureau in fulfilling its censuses and household 
surveys, and upon budget constraints. Counties or equivalent entities, 
federally recognized American Indian reservations (AIRs), Off-
Reservation Trust Lands (ORTLs), and Tribal Subdivisions are included 
in every survey.
    In the years ending in 8, 9 and 0, the BAS includes all 
governmentally active counties and equivalent entities, incorporated 
places, legally defined MCDs, and legally defined federally recognized 
American Indian and Alaska Native areas (including the Alaska Native 
Regional Corporations). Each governmental entity surveyed will receive 
materials covering its jurisdiction and one or more forms. These three 
years coincide with the Census Bureau's preparation for the Decennial 
Census. There are fewer than 40,000 governments in the universe each 
year.
    In all other years, the BAS reporting universe includes all legally 
defined federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native areas, 
all governmental counties and equivalent entities, MCDs in the six New 
England States and those incorporated places that have a population of 
2,500 or greater. The reporting universe is approximately 14,000 
governments due to budget constraints. The Census Bureau only follows 
up on a subset of governments designated as the reporting universe.
    In the years ending in 1 through 7, the Census Bureau may enter 
into agreements with individual states to modify the universe of MCDs 
and/or incorporated places to include additional entities that are 
known by that state to have had boundary changes, without regard to 
population size. Each year, the BAS will also include a single 
respondent request for municipio, barrio, barrio-pueblo, and subbarrio 
boundary and status information in Puerto Rico and Hawaiian Homeland 
boundary and status information in Hawaii.
    In the years ending in 6 through 9, state participants in the 
Redistricting Data Program (RDP) may request coordination between the 
BAS and RDP submissions for the Block Boundary Suggestion Project 
(BBSP) and Voting District Project (VTDP). The alignment of the BAS 
with the BBSP and VTDP will facilitate increased cooperation between 
state and local governments and provide the opportunity to align their 
effort with updates from state and local government officials 
participating in the BAS.
    No other Federal agency collects these data nor is there a standard 
collection of this information at the state level. BAS is a unique 
survey providing a standard result for use by federal, state, local, 
and tribal governments and by commercial, private, and public 
organizations.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau has developed and continues to use several 
methods to collect information on status and updates for legal 
boundaries. These methods are:

     State Certification
     Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
     Consolidation Agreements
     Annual Response
     Paper BAS
     Digital BAS
     Boundary Quality Assessment Reconciliation Project (BQARP)
     Research Projects

State Certification

    Through the BAS State Certification program, the Census Bureau 
invites the Governor-appointed State Certifying Official (SCO) from 
each state, to review the boundary and governmental unit information 
collected during the

[[Page 51767]]

previous BAS cycle. The purpose of the State Certification program is 
to verify the accuracy and validate the BAS information with state 
governments for incorporated places received from the previous BAS 
cycle. The CensusBureau requests the SCOs review data files, including 
the attribute data, legal boundary changes, as well as the legal names 
and functional statuses of incorporated places and MCDs, and any new 
incorporations or disincorporations reported through the BAS. A SCO may 
request that the Census Bureau edit the attribute data, add missing 
records, or remove invalid records if their state government maintains 
an official record of all effective changes to legal boundaries and 
governmental units as mandated by state law. State Certification 
packages contain a letter to the Governor, a State Certifying Official 
Letter, a Discrepancy Letter, and a State Certification Respondent 
Guide.

MOU

    In states with legislation requiring local governments to report 
all legal boundary updates to a state agency, state officials may enter 
into a MOU with the Census Bureau. States have the option to report to 
the Census Bureau the list of governments with known legal boundary 
changes and the Census Bureau will include in the BAS only those 
governments with known boundary changes or the state may report the 
legal boundary changes directly to the Census Bureau on behalf of the 
governments. The Census Bureau will not survey the local governments if 
the state reports for them. The Census Bureau will send a reminder 
email notification to the governments requesting them to report to the 
state contact, per MOU. The MOU, as agreed uponby the state and the 
Census Bureau, will outline the terms of the survey and reporting for 
governments.

Consolidation Agreements

    Consolidation agreements allow state and county government 
officials, in states where there are no legislative requirements for 
local governments to report their legal updates to the state or county, 
the opportunity to reduce the response burden for their local 
governments. Under a consolidation agreement, a state or county 
responds to the BAS for the local governments that agree to allow the 
state or county to respond on their behalf. The Census Bureau sends the 
BAS materials to the state or county, as appropriate, and sends a 
reminder notification to the local government to report their updates 
to their BAS consolidator.

Annual Response

    Annual Response involves an announcement email letter and a one-
page form for the state and county governments that do not have a 
consolidation agreement. Through Annual Response, county, tribal, and 
local governments indicate whether they have boundary changes to report 
and provide a current contact person. The Census Bureau requests 
governments to reply online or through email. The Annual Response 
method reduces cost and respondent burden through savings on materials 
and effort. All governments receive this notification regardless of 
population size. The Census Bureau will conduct telephone follow-up 
only to governments in the reporting universe due to budget 
constraints.
    If a government requests materials through Annual Response, they 
may choose to download digital materials or have the materials shipped 
as a traditional paper package or digital media types.

Paper BAS

    For the traditional paper package, the respondent completes the BAS 
form and draws the boundary updates on the maps using pencils provided 
in the package. The package contains large format maps, printed forms 
and supplies to complete the survey.
    The typical BAS package contains:
    1. Introductory letter from the Director of the Census Bureau;
    2. Appropriate BAS Form(s) that contains entity-specific 
identification information;
    a. BAS-1: incorporated places and consolidated cities;
    b. BAS-2: counties, parishes, and boroughs;
    c. BAS-3: MCDs;
    d. BAS-5: American Indian and Alaska Native Areas.
    3. BAS Respondent Guide;
    4. Set of maps;
    5. Return postage-paid envelope to submit boundary changes;
    6. Postcard to notify the Census Bureau of no changes to the 
boundary; and
    7. Supplies for updating paper maps.

Digital BAS

    Digital BAS includes options to receive software and spatial data 
to make boundary updates or to make boundary updates electronically by 
submitting a digital file. A local contact from each government 
verifies the legal boundary, and then provides boundary changes and 
updated contact information. An official signs the materials, verifies 
the forms, and returns the information to the Census Bureau.
    The typical Digital BAS package contains:
    1. Introductory letter from the Director of the Census Bureau;
    2. Appropriate BAS Form(s) that contains entity-specific 
identification information;
    a. BAS-1: incorporated places and consolidated cities;
    b. BAS-2: counties, parishes, and boroughs;
    c. BAS-3: MCDs; and
    d. BAS-5: American Indian and Alaska Native Areas.
    3. CD or DVD and software CD for Geographic Update Partnership 
Software (GUPS); and
    4. Postcard to notify the Census Bureau of no changes to the 
boundary.
    The key dates for governments are as follows:
    1. Annual Response emailed or mailed to the local contact in 
December of each year.
    2. BAS package/materials shipped during the months of December, 
January, February, March, and April of each year.
    3. Requests to change the method of participation (i.e., paper to 
digital submission and vice versa) are due by April 15th of each year.
    4. Responses for inclusion in the American Community Survey (ACS) 
and Population Estimates Program (PEP) are due by March 1st of each 
year, with an effective date of January 1st of the year in question or 
earlier.
    5. Responses for inclusion in the following year's BAS materials 
are due by May 31st of each year and will include any annexation 
received from the previous or current year.
    6. In year 2020, all legal documentation for inclusion in the 2020 
Census must be effective as of January 1, 2020 or earlier. All legal 
boundary changes will be placed on hold and updated during the 2021 BAS 
if effective January 2, 2020 or later.

BQARP

    To improve boundary quality in the Census Bureau's Master Address 
File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/
TIGER) System, the Census Bureau is introducing the Boundary Quality 
Assessment Reconciliation Project (BQARP) to support the BAS program. 
BQARP is a project to assess, analyze, and improve the spatial quality 
of legal and administrative boundaries within MAF/TIGER. Ensuring 
quality boundaries is a critical component of the geographic 
preparations for the 2020 Census and the Census Bureau's

[[Page 51768]]

ongoing Geographic Partnership Programs (GPPs) and surveys. 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 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-
16. The goal of BQARP is to establish a new, accurate baseline for 
boundaries within an entire state or county, which the BAS would then 
continue the collection of annexations and de-annexations on a 
transaction basis as they occur over time. The estimated work burden 
for participation is 25 hours per participant.

Research Projects

    BAS continues to work to improve the survey based on feedback 
received from local governments. The Census Bureau plans to conduct two 
research projects during 2016. The first research project is for BAS 
form redesign for potential use for the 2017 BAS Forms. The second 
research project is to test an option for local governments to provide 
a list of addresses associated with an annexation to continue to 
improve data quality in MAF/TIGER. Participation is voluntary for these 
research projects. The estimated work burden for participation is 3 
hours per participant.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0151.
    Form Number: BAS 1, BAS 2, BAS 3, BAS 5, BAS 6, BASSC-1, BASSC-2, 
BASSC-3, and BASSC-4.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: All active, functioning counties or statistically 
equivalent entities, incorporated places (including consolidated 
cities), MCDs, all federally recognized AIRs and ORTLs entities in the 
United States, and municipios, barrios and subbarrios in Puerto Rico.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:
    Annual Response Notification: 39,400.
    No Change Response: 25,000.
    Telephone Follow-up: 14,000.
    Packages with Changes: 5,000.
    State Certification Review: 49.
    State Certification Local Review: 1,000.
    Boundary Quality Assessment Reconciliation Project: 16.
    Redistricting Data Program Reconciliation State Review: 50.
    Redistricting Data Program Reconciliation Local Review: 2,000.
    Research Projects: 40.
    Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 86,555.
    Estimated Time per Response:
    Annual Response Notification: 30 minutes.
    No Change Response: 4 hours.
    Telephone Follow-up: 30 minutes.
    Packages with Changes: 8 hours.
    State Certification Review: 10 hours.
    State Certification Local Review: 2 hours.
    Boundary Quality Assessment Reconciliation Project: 25 hours.
    Redistricting Data Program Reconciliation State Review: 20 hours.
    Redistricting Data Program Reconciliation Local Review: 2 hours.
    Research Projects: 3 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours per Year:
    Annual Response Notification: 19,700.
    No Change Response: 100,000.
    Telephone Follow-up: 7,000.
    Packages with Changes: 40,000.
    State Certification Review: 490.
    State Certification Local Review: 2,000.
    Boundary Quality Assessment Reconciliation Project: 400.
    Redistricting Data Program Reconciliation State Review: 1,000.
    Redistricting Data Program Reconciliation Local Review: 4,000.
    Research Projects: 120.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 174,710.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 6.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Summarization of comments submitted in response to this notice will 
be included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection. Comments will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 21, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-21106 Filed 8-25-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P



                                               51766                      Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 165 / Wednesday, August 26, 2015 / Notices

                                                  Total Burden Hours: 1.790.                           programs of the Census Bureau and the                 States and those incorporated places
                                                                                                       legislative programs of the Federal                   that have a population of 2,500 or
                                               Ruth Brown,
                                                                                                       government.                                           greater. The reporting universe is
                                               Departmental Information Collection                        Through the BAS, the Census Bureau                 approximately 14,000 governments due
                                               Clearance Officer.
                                                                                                       asks each government to review                        to budget constraints. The Census
                                               [FR Doc. 2015–21121 Filed 8–25–15; 8:45 am]             materials for its jurisdiction to verify the          Bureau only follows up on a subset of
                                               BILLING CODE 3410–34–P                                  correctness of the information                        governments designated as the reporting
                                                                                                       portrayed. The Census Bureau requests                 universe.
                                                                                                       that each government update the                          In the years ending in 1 through 7, the
                                               DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                                  boundaries, supply information                        Census Bureau may enter into
                                                                                                       documenting each legal boundary                       agreements with individual states to
                                               Census Bureau                                           change, and provide changes in the                    modify the universe of MCDs and/or
                                                                                                       inventory of governments. The Census                  incorporated places to include
                                               Proposed Information Collection;
                                                                                                       Bureau has a national implementation                  additional entities that are known by
                                               Comment Request; Boundary and
                                                                                                       of the BAS, but each state’s laws are                 that state to have had boundary changes,
                                               Annexation Survey
                                                                                                       reviewed for inclusion in the processing              without regard to population size. Each
                                               AGENCY:   Census Bureau, Commerce.                      procedures. In addition, if it comes to               year, the BAS will also include a single
                                               ACTION:   Notice.                                       the Census Bureau’s attention that an                 respondent request for municipio,
                                                                                                       area of non-tribal land is in dispute                 barrio, barrio-pueblo, and subbarrio
                                               SUMMARY:    The Department of                           between two or more jurisdictions, the                boundary and status information in
                                               Commerce, as part of its continuing                     Census Bureau will not make                           Puerto Rico and Hawaiian Homeland
                                               effort to reduce paperwork and                          annexations or boundary corrections                   boundary and status information in
                                               respondent burden, invites the general                  until the parties come to a written                   Hawaii.
                                               public and other Federal agencies to                    agreement, or there is a documented                      In the years ending in 6 through 9,
                                               take this opportunity to comment on                     final court decision regarding the matter             state participants in the Redistricting
                                               proposed and/or continuing information                  and/or dispute. If there is a dispute over            Data Program (RDP) may request
                                               collections, as required by the                         an area of tribal land, the Census Bureau             coordination between the BAS and RDP
                                               Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,                        will not make additions or boundary                   submissions for the Block Boundary
                                               Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C.                            corrections until supporting documents                Suggestion Project (BBSP) and Voting
                                               3506(c)(2)(A)).                                         are provided, or the U.S. Department of               District Project (VTDP). The alignment
                                               DATES: To ensure consideration, submit                  the Interior issues a comment. If                     of the BAS with the BBSP and VTDP
                                               written comments, on or before October                  necessary, the Census Bureau will                     will facilitate increased cooperation
                                               26, 2015.                                               request clarification regarding current               between state and local governments
                                               ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments                  boundaries, particularly if supporting                and provide the opportunity to align
                                               to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental                        documentation pre-dates 1990, from the                their effort with updates from state and
                                               Paperwork Clearance Officer,                            U.S. Department of the Interior, Office               local government officials participating
                                               Department of Commerce, Room 6616,                      of the Solicitor.                                     in the BAS.
                                                                                                          The BAS universe and mailing                          No other Federal agency collects these
                                               14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
                                                                                                       materials vary depending both upon the                data nor is there a standard collection of
                                               Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
                                                                                                       needs of the Census Bureau in fulfilling              this information at the state level. BAS
                                               Internet at jjessup@doc.gov).
                                                                                                       its censuses and household surveys, and               is a unique survey providing a standard
                                               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        upon budget constraints. Counties or
                                               Direct requests for additional                                                                                result for use by federal, state, local, and
                                                                                                       equivalent entities, federally recognized             tribal governments and by commercial,
                                               information or copies of the information                American Indian reservations (AIRs),
                                               collection instrument(s) and                                                                                  private, and public organizations.
                                                                                                       Off-Reservation Trust Lands (ORTLs),
                                               instructions to Laura Waggoner, U.S.                    and Tribal Subdivisions are included in               II. Method of Collection
                                               Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road,                   every survey.
                                               Washington, DC 20233 (or via the                                                                                 The Census Bureau has developed
                                                                                                          In the years ending in 8, 9 and 0, the             and continues to use several methods to
                                               Internet at laura.l.waggoner@                           BAS includes all governmentally active
                                               census.gov).                                                                                                  collect information on status and
                                                                                                       counties and equivalent entities,                     updates for legal boundaries. These
                                               SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              incorporated places, legally defined                  methods are:
                                                                                                       MCDs, and legally defined federally
                                               I. Abstract                                                                                                      • State Certification
                                                                                                       recognized American Indian and Alaska                    • Memorandum of Understanding
                                                  The Census Bureau conducts the                       Native areas (including the Alaska                    (MOU)
                                               Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)                    Native Regional Corporations). Each                      • Consolidation Agreements
                                               to collect and maintain information                     governmental entity surveyed will                        • Annual Response
                                               about the inventory of legal boundaries                 receive materials covering its                           • Paper BAS
                                               and legal actions affecting the                         jurisdiction and one or more forms.                      • Digital BAS
                                               boundaries of counties and equivalent                   These three years coincide with the                      • Boundary Quality Assessment
                                               entities, incorporated places, minor civil              Census Bureau’s preparation for the                   Reconciliation Project (BQARP)
                                               divisions (MCDs), and federally                         Decennial Census. There are fewer than                   • Research Projects
                                               recognized legal American Indian and                    40,000 governments in the universe
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                                               Alaska Native areas. This information                   each year.                                            State Certification
                                               provides an accurate identification of                     In all other years, the BAS reporting                Through the BAS State Certification
                                               geographic areas for the Census Bureau                  universe includes all legally defined                 program, the Census Bureau invites the
                                               to use in conducting the Decennial and                  federally recognized American Indian                  Governor-appointed State Certifying
                                               Economic Censuses and ongoing                           and Alaska Native areas, all                          Official (SCO) from each state, to review
                                               surveys, preparing population estimates,                governmental counties and equivalent                  the boundary and governmental unit
                                               and supporting other statistical                        entities, MCDs in the six New England                 information collected during the


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                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 165 / Wednesday, August 26, 2015 / Notices                                           51767

                                               previous BAS cycle. The purpose of the                  Annual Response                                       materials, verifies the forms, and returns
                                               State Certification program is to verify                   Annual Response involves an                        the information to the Census Bureau.
                                               the accuracy and validate the BAS                                                                                The typical Digital BAS package
                                                                                                       announcement email letter and a one-
                                               information with state governments for                                                                        contains:
                                                                                                       page form for the state and county
                                               incorporated places received from the                                                                            1. Introductory letter from the
                                                                                                       governments that do not have a
                                               previous BAS cycle. The CensusBureau                                                                          Director of the Census Bureau;
                                                                                                       consolidation agreement. Through
                                               requests the SCOs review data files,                                                                             2. Appropriate BAS Form(s) that
                                                                                                       Annual Response, county, tribal, and
                                               including the attribute data, legal                                                                           contains entity-specific identification
                                                                                                       local governments indicate whether
                                               boundary changes, as well as the legal                                                                        information;
                                                                                                       they have boundary changes to report                     a. BAS–1: incorporated places and
                                               names and functional statuses of                        and provide a current contact person.
                                               incorporated places and MCDs, and any                                                                         consolidated cities;
                                                                                                       The Census Bureau requests                               b. BAS–2: counties, parishes, and
                                               new incorporations or disincorporations                 governments to reply online or through
                                               reported through the BAS. A SCO may                                                                           boroughs;
                                                                                                       email. The Annual Response method                        c. BAS–3: MCDs; and
                                               request that the Census Bureau edit the                 reduces cost and respondent burden
                                               attribute data, add missing records, or                                                                          d. BAS–5: American Indian and
                                                                                                       through savings on materials and effort.              Alaska Native Areas.
                                               remove invalid records if their state                   All governments receive this
                                               government maintains an official record                                                                          3. CD or DVD and software CD for
                                                                                                       notification regardless of population                 Geographic Update Partnership
                                               of all effective changes to legal                       size. The Census Bureau will conduct
                                               boundaries and governmental units as                                                                          Software (GUPS); and
                                                                                                       telephone follow-up only to                              4. Postcard to notify the Census
                                               mandated by state law. State                            governments in the reporting universe
                                               Certification packages contain a letter to                                                                    Bureau of no changes to the boundary.
                                                                                                       due to budget constraints.                               The key dates for governments are as
                                               the Governor, a State Certifying Official                  If a government requests materials
                                               Letter, a Discrepancy Letter, and a State                                                                     follows:
                                                                                                       through Annual Response, they may                        1. Annual Response emailed or
                                               Certification Respondent Guide.                         choose to download digital materials or               mailed to the local contact in December
                                               MOU                                                     have the materials shipped as a                       of each year.
                                                                                                       traditional paper package or digital                     2. BAS package/materials shipped
                                                 In states with legislation requiring                  media types.                                          during the months of December,
                                               local governments to report all legal                                                                         January, February, March, and April of
                                               boundary updates to a state agency,                     Paper BAS
                                                                                                                                                             each year.
                                               state officials may enter into a MOU                      For the traditional paper package, the                 3. Requests to change the method of
                                               with the Census Bureau. States have the                 respondent completes the BAS form and                 participation (i.e., paper to digital
                                               option to report to the Census Bureau                   draws the boundary updates on the                     submission and vice versa) are due by
                                               the list of governments with known                      maps using pencils provided in the                    April 15th of each year.
                                               legal boundary changes and the Census                   package. The package contains large                      4. Responses for inclusion in the
                                               Bureau will include in the BAS only                     format maps, printed forms and                        American Community Survey (ACS)
                                               those governments with known                            supplies to complete the survey.                      and Population Estimates Program (PEP)
                                               boundary changes or the state may                         The typical BAS package contains:                   are due by March 1st of each year, with
                                               report the legal boundary changes                         1. Introductory letter from the                     an effective date of January 1st of the
                                               directly to the Census Bureau on behalf                 Director of the Census Bureau;                        year in question or earlier.
                                               of the governments. The Census Bureau                     2. Appropriate BAS Form(s) that                        5. Responses for inclusion in the
                                               will not survey the local governments if                contains entity-specific identification               following year’s BAS materials are due
                                               the state reports for them. The Census                  information;                                          by May 31st of each year and will
                                               Bureau will send a reminder email                         a. BAS–1: incorporated places and                   include any annexation received from
                                               notification to the governments                         consolidated cities;                                  the previous or current year.
                                               requesting them to report to the state                    b. BAS–2: counties, parishes, and                      6. In year 2020, all legal
                                               contact, per MOU. The MOU, as agreed                    boroughs;                                             documentation for inclusion in the 2020
                                               uponby the state and the Census                           c. BAS–3: MCDs;                                     Census must be effective as of January
                                               Bureau, will outline the terms of the                     d. BAS–5: American Indian and                       1, 2020 or earlier. All legal boundary
                                               survey and reporting for governments.                   Alaska Native Areas.                                  changes will be placed on hold and
                                               Consolidation Agreements                                  3. BAS Respondent Guide;                            updated during the 2021 BAS if
                                                                                                         4. Set of maps;                                     effective January 2, 2020 or later.
                                                 Consolidation agreements allow state                    5. Return postage-paid envelope to
                                               and county government officials, in                                                                           BQARP
                                                                                                       submit boundary changes;
                                               states where there are no legislative                     6. Postcard to notify the Census                      To improve boundary quality in the
                                               requirements for local governments to                   Bureau of no changes to the boundary;                 Census Bureau’s Master Address File/
                                               report their legal updates to the state or              and                                                   Topologically Integrated Geographic
                                               county, the opportunity to reduce the                     7. Supplies for updating paper maps.                Encoding and Referencing (MAF/
                                               response burden for their local                                                                               TIGER) System, the Census Bureau is
                                               governments. Under a consolidation                      Digital BAS                                           introducing the Boundary Quality
                                               agreement, a state or county responds to                  Digital BAS includes options to                     Assessment Reconciliation Project
                                               the BAS for the local governments that                  receive software and spatial data to                  (BQARP) to support the BAS program.
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                                               agree to allow the state or county to                   make boundary updates or to make                      BQARP is a project to assess, analyze,
                                               respond on their behalf. The Census                     boundary updates electronically by                    and improve the spatial quality of legal
                                               Bureau sends the BAS materials to the                   submitting a digital file. A local contact            and administrative boundaries within
                                               state or county, as appropriate, and                    from each government verifies the legal               MAF/TIGER. Ensuring quality
                                               sends a reminder notification to the                    boundary, and then provides boundary                  boundaries is a critical component of
                                               local government to report their updates                changes and updated contact                           the geographic preparations for the 2020
                                               to their BAS consolidator.                              information. An official signs the                    Census and the Census Bureau’s


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                                               51768                      Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 165 / Wednesday, August 26, 2015 / Notices

                                               ongoing Geographic Partnership                            No Change Response: 4 hours.                        DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                                               Programs (GPPs) and surveys. In                           Telephone Follow-up: 30 minutes.
                                               addition, the improvement of boundary                     Packages with Changes: 8 hours.                     International Trade Administration
                                               quality is an essential element of the                    State Certification Review: 10 hours.               [A–570–022]
                                               Census Bureau’s commitment as the                         State Certification Local Review: 2
                                               responsible agency for legal boundaries                 hours.                                                Certain Uncoated Paper From the
                                               under the Office of Management and                        Boundary Quality Assessment                         People’s Republic of China:
                                               Budget (OMB) Circular A–16. The goal                    Reconciliation Project: 25 hours.                     Preliminary Determination of Sales at
                                               of BQARP is to establish a new, accurate                  Redistricting Data Program                          Less Than Fair Value and
                                               baseline for boundaries within an entire                Reconciliation State Review: 20 hours.                Postponement of Final Determination
                                               state or county, which the BAS would                      Redistricting Data Program
                                               then continue the collection of                         Reconciliation Local Review: 2 hours.                 AGENCY:   Enforcement and Compliance,
                                               annexations and de-annexations on a                       Research Projects: 3 hours.                         International Trade Administration,
                                               transaction basis as they occur over                      Estimated Total Burden Hours per                    Department of Commerce.
                                               time. The estimated work burden for                     Year:                                                 SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce
                                               participation is 25 hours per participant.                Annual Response Notification:                       (Department) preliminarily determines
                                                                                                       19,700.                                               that certain uncoated paper (uncoated
                                               Research Projects                                         No Change Response: 100,000.                        paper) from the People’s Republic of
                                                  BAS continues to work to improve the                   Telephone Follow-up: 7,000.                         China (PRC) is being, or is likely to be,
                                               survey based on feedback received from                    Packages with Changes: 40,000.                      sold in the United States at less than fair
                                               local governments. The Census Bureau                      State Certification Review: 490.                    value (LTFV), as provided in section
                                               plans to conduct two research projects                    State Certification Local Review:                   733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as
                                               during 2016. The first research project is              2,000.                                                amended (the Act). The period of
                                               for BAS form redesign for potential use                   Boundary Quality Assessment                         investigation (POI) is July 1, 2014,
                                               for the 2017 BAS Forms. The second                      Reconciliation Project: 400.                          through December 31, 2014. The
                                               research project is to test an option for                 Redistricting Data Program                          estimated weighted-average dumping
                                               local governments to provide a list of                  Reconciliation State Review: 1,000.                   margins of sales at LTFV are shown in
                                               addresses associated with an annexation                   Redistricting Data Program                          the ‘‘Preliminary Determination’’
                                               to continue to improve data quality in                  Reconciliation Local Review: 4,000.                   section of this notice. Interested parties
                                               MAF/TIGER. Participation is voluntary                     Research Projects: 120.                             are invited to comment on this
                                               for these research projects. The                          Estimated Total Burden Hours:                       preliminary determination.
                                               estimated work burden for participation                 174,710.                                              DATES: Effective date: August 26, 2015.
                                               is 3 hours per participant.                               Estimated Total Annual Cost to                      FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                                                                       Public: $0.                                           Stephanie Moore or Paul Stolz, AD/CVD
                                               III. Data                                                 Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.                 Operations, Office III, Enforcement and
                                                  OMB Control Number: 0607–0151.                         Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C.                    Compliance, International Trade
                                                  Form Number: BAS 1, BAS 2, BAS 3,                    Section 6.                                            Administration, U.S. Department of
                                               BAS 5, BAS 6, BASSC–1, BASSC–2,                                                                               Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution
                                                                                                       IV. Request for Comments
                                               BASSC–3, and BASSC–4.                                                                                         Avenue NW., Washington DC 20230;
                                                  Type of Review: Regular submission.                     Comments are invited on: (a) Whether               telephone: (202) 482–3692 or (202) 482–
                                                  Affected Public: All active,                         the proposed collection of information                4474, respectively.
                                               functioning counties or statistically                   is necessary for the proper performance               SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                               equivalent entities, incorporated places                of the functions of the agency, including
                                               (including consolidated cities), MCDs,                  whether the information shall have                    Background
                                               all federally recognized AIRs and                       practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the              The Department published a notice of
                                               ORTLs entities in the United States, and                agency’s estimate of the burden                       initiation of this investigation on
                                               municipios, barrios and subbarrios in                   (including hours and cost) of the                     February 18, 2015.1 For a complete
                                               Puerto Rico.                                            proposed collection of information; (c)               description of the events that followed
                                                  Estimated Number of Respondents:                     ways to enhance the quality, utility, and             the initiation of this investigation, see
                                                  Annual Response Notification:                        clarity of the information to be                      the memorandum that is dated
                                               39,400.                                                 collected; and (d) ways to minimize the               concurrently with this determination
                                                  No Change Response: 25,000.                          burden of the collection of information               and hereby adopted by this notice.2 The
                                                  Telephone Follow-up: 14,000.                         on respondents, including through the                 Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a
                                                  Packages with Changes: 5,000.                        use of automated collection techniques                public document and is on file
                                                  State Certification Review: 49.                      or other forms of information                         electronically via Enforcement and
                                                  State Certification Local Review:                    technology.                                           Compliance’s Antidumping and
                                               1,000.                                                     Summarization of comments
                                                  Boundary Quality Assessment                          submitted in response to this notice will                1 See Certain Uncoated Paper From Australia,
                                               Reconciliation Project: 16.                             be included in the request for OMB                    Brazil, the People’s Republic of China, Indonesia,
                                                  Redistricting Data Program                           approval of this information collection.              and Portugal: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value
                                               Reconciliation State Review: 50.                                                                              Investigations, 80 FR 8608 (February 18, 2015)
                                                                                                       Comments will also become a matter of                 (Initiation Notice).
                                                  Redistricting Data Program                           public record.
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                                                                                                                                                                2 See Memorandum from Christian Marsh, Deputy
                                               Reconciliation Local Review: 2,000.                                                                           Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and
                                                  Research Projects: 40.                                 Dated: August 21, 2015.
                                                                                                                                                             Countervailing Duty Operations, to Paul Piquado,
                                                  Estimated Total Number of                            Glenna Mickelson,                                     Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
                                               Respondents: 86,555.                                    Management Analyst, Office of the Chief               Compliance, entitled ‘‘Decision Memorandum for
                                                                                                       Information Officer.                                  the Preliminary Determination in the Antidumping
                                                  Estimated Time per Response:                                                                               Duty Investigation of Certain Uncoated Paper from
                                                  Annual Response Notification: 30                     [FR Doc. 2015–21106 Filed 8–25–15; 8:45 am]           Indonesia’’ (Preliminary Decision Memorandum),
                                               minutes.                                                BILLING CODE 3510–07–P                                dated concurrently with this notice.



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Document Created: 2015-12-15 10:58:45
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 10:58:45
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
DatesTo ensure consideration, submit written comments, on or before October 26, 2015.
ContactDirect requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions to Laura Waggoner, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).
FR Citation80 FR 51766 

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