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)

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, 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.

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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