Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 51349 [2011-21066]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 160 (Thursday, August 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 51349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21066]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Survey of Residential Building or Zoning Permit Systems.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0350.
    Form Number(s): C-411(V), C-411(M), C-411(C).
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 500.
    Number of Respondents: 2,000.
    Average Hours per Response: 15 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The Census Bureau produces statistics used to 
monitor activity in the large and dynamic construction industry. These 
statistics help state and local governments and the federal government, 
as well as private industry, to analyze this important sector of the 
economy. The accuracy of the Census Bureau statistics regarding the 
amount of construction authorized depends on data supplied by building 
and zoning officials throughout the country. The Census Bureau uses 
Form C-411 to obtain information from state and local building permit 
officials needed for updating the universe of permit-issuing places 
which serves as the sampling frame for the Report of Privately-Owned 
Residential Building or Zoning Permits Issued (OMB number 0607-0094), 
also known as the Building Permits Survey (BPS), and the Survey of 
Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions (OMB number 0607-0110), also 
known as Survey of Construction (SOC). These two sample surveys provide 
widely used measures of construction activity, including the principal 
economic indicators New Residential Construction and New Home Sales. 
Data from the BPS and SOC are also used by the Bureau of Economic 
Analysis (BEA) in the calculation of estimates of the Residential Fixed 
Investment portion of the Nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In 
addition, data from the BPS are used by the Census Bureau in the 
calculation of annual population estimates; these estimates are widely 
used by government agencies to allocate funding and other resources to 
local governments.
    The questions on Form C-411 pertain to the legal requirements for 
issuing building or zoning permits in the local jurisdictions. 
Information is obtained on such items as geographic coverage and types 
of construction for which permits are issued.
    We have redesigned the form to create three versions: C-411(V) for 
verification of coverage for jurisdictions with existing permit 
systems; C-411(M) for municipalities where a new permit system may have 
been established; and C-411(C) for counties where new permit systems 
may have been established.
    This will clarify the instructions and the information requested in 
each of these situations but will not affect respondent burden.
    The appropriate form is sent to a jurisdiction when we have reason 
to believe that a new permit system has been established or an existing 
one has changed. This is based on information from a variety of sources 
including survey respondents, regional councils and our own efforts to 
keep abreast of changes in corporate status.
    We use the information to verify the existence of new permit 
systems or changes to existing systems. Based on the information, we 
add new permit-issuing places to the universe, delete places no longer 
issuing permits, and make changes to the universe to reflect those 
places that have merged.
    Failure to maintain the universe of permit-issuing places would 
result in deficient samples and inaccurate statistics. This in turn 
jeopardizes the accuracy of the above mentioned economic indicators. 
These indicators are closely monitored by the Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System and other economic policy makers because of the 
sensitivity of the housing industry to changes in interest rates.
    Affected Public: State, local or Tribal Government.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 9(b), 161, 
and 182.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
dhynek@doc.gov).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) 
or e-mail (bharrisk@omb.eop.gov).

    Dated: August 15, 2011.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-21066 Filed 8-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P