83 FR 12561 - Notice of Correction to Federal Register Notice for Pilot of USPS Postal Carriers as Census Enumerators During 2018 End-to-End Census Test

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
U.S. Census Bureau

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 56 (March 22, 2018)

On September 20, 2017, the Census Bureau published a notice, Federal Register Document 2017-20036 (Federal Register Volume 82, Number 181, Pages 43934-43935), proposing to conduct a proof of concept study on the use of the United States Postal Service (USPS) Postal Carriers as Census Enumerators in conjunction with the 2018 End-to-End Census Test--Peak Operations. This notice corrects Federal Register Document 2017-20036 to cancel this collection after the Federal Register Notice was published for public comment.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 12561]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05874]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Census Bureau


Notice of Correction to Federal Register Notice for Pilot of USPS 
Postal Carriers as Census Enumerators During 2018 End-to-End Census 
Test

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of correction.

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SUMMARY: On September 20, 2017, the Census Bureau published a notice, 
Federal Register Document 2017-20036 (Federal Register Volume 82, 
Number 181, Pages 43934-43935), proposing to conduct a proof of concept 
study on the use of the United States Postal Service (USPS) Postal 
Carriers as Census Enumerators in conjunction with the 2018 End-to-End 
Census Test--Peak Operations. This notice corrects Federal Register 
Document 2017-20036 to cancel this collection after the Federal 
Register Notice was published for public comment.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Census Bureau cancelled the proof of 
concept study after determining during discussions with USPS that 
postal carriers had certain disclosure obligations that made it 
impossible for them to comply with the strict legal confidentiality 
requirements under Title 13 governing Census data.
    The Census Bureau received a total of twelve sets of comments on 
the initial Federal Register Notice posting, none of which were 
dispositive. Two sets of comments requested more information or 
materials about who would be performing enumeration in special 
situations, including deployed military and others living outside the 
country at the time of enumeration. The Census Bureau has special 
operations and procedures for enumeration of people in these 
situations, and the proposal for use of USPS Postal Carriers as Census 
Enumerators did not extend to special operations.
    Three sets of comments generally expressed support for conducting 
the pilot. One commenter noted that mail carriers know their area of 
delivery and the people who live there, also expressing a general 
concern for the safety of those performing enumeration activities. 
Another commenter suggested that part-time carriers would be better as 
enumerators than full-time carriers due to schedule flexibility and 
hourly wages, as well as knowledge of more than one carrier route. The 
third commenter thought the idea was potentially good, but that care 
would be required in a nationwide implementation and that results from 
the pilot test would be important.
    Seven sets of comments expressed concerns about using Postal 
Carriers to conduct enumeration activities. These comments generally 
noted that Postal Carriers already work full-time jobs, that Postal 
Carriers' familiarity with addresses does not necessarily translate 
into knowledge of the people living at those addresses, and that using 
Postal Carriers instead of Census employees would not be economically 
expedient. The latter comment also referenced a Government 
Accountability Office report that studied the use of Postal Carriers to 
conduct enumeration activities. Other commenters stated that Postal 
Carriers and Enumerators require different skill sets to perform in 
their respective positions and that using Postal Carriers for 
enumeration could endanger the public perception of Postal Carriers. 
Yet other comments stated that the test site was not representative of 
the communities that typically do not self-respond, that the 
relationship between Postal Carriers and their customers could affect 
the quality and completeness of data collected, and that enumerating a 
housing unit could alter the long-term relationship between Postal 
Carriers and the residents of that housing unit.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-05874 Filed 3-21-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P