[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31405-31406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15524]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

[Docket Number 090429803-9711-01]


Procedures for Participating in the 2010 Decennial Census New 
Construction Program

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) requests public 
comment on the New Construction Program, which allows tribal and local 
governments to submit lists of addresses for newly constructed housing 
units to the Census Bureau. The purpose of this program is to ensure 
that the Census Bureau's address list is as complete and accurate as 
possible for the conduct of the Decennial Census on April 1, 2010.

DATES: To ensure consideration during the decision-making process, the 
Census Bureau must receive all comments in writing on or before July 
31, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the proposed 2010 Census New 
Construction Program should be submitted to Arnold A. Jackson, 
Associate Director for Decennial Census, U.S. Census Bureau, through 
one of the following methods:
    FAX: Comments may be faxed to (301) 763-8867.
    E-mail: Comments may be e-mailed to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Correspondence about the Census 
Bureau's 2010 Census New Construction Program in general should be 
directed to Timothy F. Trainor, Chief, Geography Division, U.S. Census 
Bureau, through one of the following methods:
    FAX: Correspondence may be faxed to (301) 763-4710.
    E-mail: Correspondence may be e-mailed to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its objective to produce a 
complete and accurate population count, the Census Bureau proposes to 
implement the 2010 Decennial Census New Construction Program to capture 
the addresses of newly constructed housing units. Specifically, the 
purpose is to utilize tribal and local knowledge of recent and in-
progress construction to identify, and add to the census address list, 
the addresses for housing units not yet existent at the time of the 
Address Canvassing Operation, a nationwide check during the Spring/
Summer of 2009 in which the Census Bureau verified the census address 
list that will be used to deliver questionnaires for the Decennial 
Census. During address canvassing, census workers systematically 
canvassed all census blocks looking for living quarters and add, 
delete, and correct entries on the census address list to ensure its 
completeness and accuracy. The Address Canvassing Operation is expected 
to conclude on July 17, 2009. In order to account for any housing units 
whose construction began after the start of the Address Canvassing 
Operation, the Census Bureau is proposing to implement the New 
Construction Program.
    The 2010 Decennial Census New Construction Program is conducted by 
the Census Bureau under the authority of Title 13, United States Code 
(U.S.C.), Section 141(a), and is separate and distinct from the Local 
Update of Census Addresses Program (see 73 FR 12369) in that its only 
purpose is to identify addresses for housing units newly constructed 
starting in March 2009 that are expected to be closed to the elements 
(final roof, windows and doors) by Census Day, April 1, 2010. The New 
Construction Program was conducted for the first time as part of Census 
2000.

Proposed 2010 Decennial Census New Construction Program

    The 2010 Census New Construction Program is offered to Federally 
Recognized American Indian tribal governments with reservations and/or 
trustlands, and local governments (counties, incorporated places, and 
functioning minor civil divisions) with jurisdictions where the Census 
Bureau will deliver the census questionnaires

[[Page 31406]]

by mail. For other areas, Census Bureau enumerators will hand deliver 
the census questionnaires to all housing units in each block, including 
any newly constructed units not already on the census address list. 
Tribal and local governments that wish to participate in the Program 
will be invited to submit a list of addresses of newly constructed 
housing units for inclusion in the Census Address List. The address 
list submitted by New Construction Program participants must only 
include addresses for housing units for which construction began during 
or after March 2009 that are expected to be closed to the elements 
(final roof, windows and doors) by Census Day, April 1, 2010. No street 
or boundary updates will be accepted by the New Construction Program.
    The New Construction Program will not accept additions of Group 
Quarters addresses. Group Quarters addresses are defined as places 
where people live or stay in a group living arrangement that is owned 
or managed by an entity or organization providing housing and/or 
services for the residents. The Census Bureau has programs that are 
specifically designed to capture new Group Quarters addresses, 
including but not limited to, Group Quarters Validation, Group Quarters 
Advanced Visit, Group Quarters Enumeration, and the Count Review 
program.
    The Census Bureau plans to mail a New Construction Program 
invitation letter and registration forms in July 2009 to the tribal and 
local governments that are eligible to participate in the New 
Construction Program. Interested tribal and local governments will be 
asked to return the registration form in order to participate in the 
program. As part of the registration form, the participant must 
identify the format of the maps or spatial data that they wish to 
receive from the Census Bureau. The maps or spatial data are for use as 
a reference for assigning census tract and block codes (geocoding) for 
each submitted address. The maps are offered in Portable Document 
Format (PDF) and spatial data are available from TIGER[supreg] in 
shapefile format that requires a Geographic Information System (GIS) 
software application for viewing.
    For governments choosing maps in PDF, the Census Bureau will 
provide Adobe[supreg] Reader[supreg] software to view the PDF maps. For 
those participants who choose to use shapefiles, the Census Bureau will 
provide the MAF/TIGER Partnership Software (MTPS) to enter addresses 
and output them in the prescribed format. The MTPS is an easy-to-use 
desktop tool that makes participation easier for governments without a 
GIS system. The MTPS also provides map viewing capability when used 
with the shapefiles provided by the Census Bureau. However, 
participants may use their own software to create a computer readable 
list of addresses in the prescribed format.
    The Census Bureau will send out New Construction materials to 
registered participants during November 2009 through January 2010. The 
PDF package will contain the following:
    (1) The New Construction Quick Start Document;
    (2) The New Construction User Guide;
    (3) The New Construction Address List Template;
    (4) Zip Software;
    (5) CD Readme.txt File;
    (6) PDF Software (Adobe[supreg] Reader[supreg]);
    (7) New Construction Map PDFs.
    The MTPS/Shapefile package will contain the following:
    (1) The New Construction Quick Start Document;
    (2) The New Construction User Guide;
    (3) The New Construction MTPS User Guide;
    (4) The New Construction Address List Template;
    (5) Zip Software;
    (6) CD Readme.txt File;
    (7) MTPS Software;
    (8) Shapefiles.
    Participants must submit their New Construction address lists to 
the Census Bureau within forty-five (45) calendar days after receipt of 
the New Construction materials. ``Receipt'' as used herein is defined 
as the delivery date reported to the Census Bureau by the delivery 
service that delivers the New Construction materials to the eligible 
government. The New Construction addresses must be returned in the 
Census Bureau's predefined format and each address must be 
``geocoded,'' or assigned to the census tract and block in which it is 
located as shown on the New Construction census maps (PDF or 
shapefiles).
    Files that are submitted in the proper format are compared against 
the Census Bureau's Master Address File to check for any addresses 
already on the list. The Census Bureau, using the participant supplied 
addresses, will visit and attempt to enumerate each newly constructed 
housing unit that has been identified as missing from our list. The 
census enumeration process will determine the final housing unit status 
and population for each new unit.

Classification

Executive Order 12866
    This notice has been determined to not be significant under 
Executive Order 12866.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure 
to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of 
information displays a current, valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C., Chapter 
35, the Census Bureau requested, and OMB granted, clearance for the 
information collection requirements for this program on April 15, 2009 
(OMB Control Number 0607-0795, expires on April 30, 2012).

Thomas L. Mesenbourg,
Acting Director, U.S. Census Bureau.
[FR Doc. E9-15524 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P