Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 7, 2004 / Notices 70629

(CCL) and the U.S. Munitions List 

(USML). The requirement to implement 

this process went into effect October 18, 

2003. On July 29, 2003, the President 

signed Executive Order 13312, which 

executed prohibitions to Public Law 

108–19, the Clean Diamond Trade Act 

thereby authorizing the mandatory 

electronic filing of rough diamonds. 

Implementation for this process went 

into effect October 20, 2003. On 

September 30, 2002, the President 

signed into law the Foreign Relations 

Authorization Act, Public Law 107–228. 

This law authorizes the Secretary of 

Commerce, with the concurrence of the 

Secretary of State and the Secretary of 

Homeland Security, to publish 

regulations in the Federal Register

detailing that upon the effective date of 

these regulations, all persons who are 

required to file export information 

under Title 13, U.S.C., chapter 9, file 

such information through the AES and 

there will no longer be provisions made 

for manual filing thereafter. On October 

22, 2003, The Census Bureau published 

an Advanced Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking in the Federal Register (68 

FR 60301) announcing the Census 

Bureau’s intent to propose the rule 

mandating electronic filing through the 

AES of all information on export 

shipments that require the filing of a 

SED and allowed the public to comment 

on this subject. 

II. Method of Collection 

A paper SED or electronic AES record 

is required, with certain exceptions, for 

all export shipments valued more than 

$2,500 from the United States, including 

Foreign Trade Zones located therein, 

Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands 

to foreign countries; for exports between 

the United States and Puerto Rico; and 

for exports to the U.S. Virgin Islands 

from the United States or Puerto Rico. 

The AES record information is also 

required for the export of rough 

diamonds and all exports requiring a 

license from the Bureau of Industry and 

Security, a license or license exception 

from the Department of State, or other 

government agency, regardless of value, 

unless exempted from the requirement 

for filing AES information by the 

licensing government agency. The SED/

AES program is unique among Census 

Bureau statistical collections since it is 

not sent to respondents to solicit 

responses as is the case with surveys. 

Filing export information via the SED or 

AES is a mandatory process under Title 

13, Chapter 9, U.S.C. The Census 

Bureau has seen a progressive growth in 

the number of electronic filers, with a 

comparable decrease in the number of 

the paper SED filers. For example, the 

requirements to file export information 

through the AES for all USML and CCL 

shipments has resulted in the 

elimination of more than 360,000 paper 

SEDs annually. Exporters can access the 

AES via the Census Bureau’s free 

Internet-based system, AESDirect, or 

they can integrate the AES into their 

company’s computer network and file 

directly with the U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection (CBP). Exporters may 

also download the SED, Commerce 

Form 7525–V, from the Internet and 

print it on the required ‘‘buff’’ colored 

paper.

For exports to Canada, a 

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 

signed by the CBP and statistical 

agencies in the United States and 

Canada enables the United States to 

substitute Canadian import statistics for 

U.S. export statistics. Similarly, in 

accordance with the MOU, Canada 

substitutes U.S. import statistics for 

Canadian exports to the United States. 

This exchange of data eliminates the 

requirement for U.S. exporters to file 

any information with the U.S. 

Government for exports of nonlicensed 

shipments to Canada, thus resulting in 

the elimination of over eight million 

paper SEDs annually. Export shipments 

to Canada that require a license must be 

filed through the AES. Also, export 

shipments from the United States 

through Canada destined to a country 

other than Canada require a SED or AES 

record. 

U.S. principal parties in interest 

(USPPI) or authorized agents file 

individual paper SEDs with exporting 

carriers at the time export shipments 

leave the United States. For the AES, 

USPPIs or authorized agents file export 

data electronically with the Census 

Bureau or the CBP. Carriers submit 

paper SED documents to CBP officials 

when the carrier departs from the 

United States and the CBP then 

transmits the export information to the 

Census Bureau for statistical processing. 

The AES enables the Government to 

significantly improve the quality, 

timeliness, and coverage of export 

statistics. Since July 1995, the Census 

Bureau and the CBP have utilized the 

AES to improve the reporting of export 

trade information, customer service, 

compliance with and enforcement of 

export laws, and provide paperless 

reports of export information. The AES 

also enables the U.S. Government to 

increase its ability to prevent the export 

of certain items by unauthorized parties, 

to unauthorized destinations and end 

users through electronic filing. 

III. Data 

OMB Number: 0607–0152. 

Commerce Form Number: 7525–V, 

Automated Export System (AES) 

submissions. 

Type of Review: Regular submission. 

Affected Public: Exporters, 

Forwarding agents, Export Carriers. 

Estimated Number of Respondents:

223,213. 

Estimated Time Per Response: 11.0 

minutes for 7525–V, 3.0 minutes for 

AES Submissions. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 814,140 (SEDs 198,000) (AES 

616,140). 

Estimated Total Annual Cost:

$13,156,502. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory. 

Legal Authority: Title 13, United 

States Code, Chapter 9; Public Law 107–

228 Foreign Relations Authorization 

Act. 

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. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for Office of 

Management and Budget approval of 

this information collection; they also 

will become a matter of public record.

Dated: December 1, 2004. 

Madeleine Clayton, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 04–26780 Filed 12–6–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–07–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau 

The American Community Survey

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment 

request. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, as part of its continuing 

effort to reduce paper work and 

respondent burden, invites the general 

public and other federal agencies to take 

this opportunity to comment on 

70630 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 7, 2004 / Notices 

proposed 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: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before February 7, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

to Diana Hynek, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, 

Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 

14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 

Internet at DHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the information collection 

instrument(s) and instructions should 

be directed to Lawrence McGinn, U.S. 

Census Bureau, American Community 

Survey Office, Washington, DC 20233. 

Phone: (301) 763–8050.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

Given the rapid demographic changes 

experienced in recent years and the 

strong expectation that such changes 

will continue and accelerate, the oncea-decade data collection approach of a 

decennial census is no longer 

acceptable. To meet the needs and 

expectations of the country, the Census 

Bureau developed the American 

Community Survey. This survey will 

collect long-form data every month and 

provide tabulations of these data on a 

yearly basis. In the past, the long-form 

data were collected only at the time of 

each decennial census. The American 

Community Survey will allow the 

Census Bureau to remove the long form 

from the 2010 Census, thus reducing 

operational risks, improving accuracy, 

and providing more relevant data. After 

years of development and testing, the 

American Community Survey is ready 

for full implementation in FY 2005. 

The American Community Survey 

will provide more timely information 

for critical economic planning by 

governments and the private sector. In 

the current information-based economy, 

federal, state, tribal, and local decision 

makers, as well as private business and 

nongovernmental organizations, need 

current, reliable, and comparable 

socioeconomic data to chart the future. 

The American Community Survey will 

provide up-to-date profiles of American 

communities every year beginning in 

2006, providing policymakers, planners, 

and service providers in the public and 

private sectors with information every 

year—not just every ten years. 

The American Community Survey 

must begin full implementation in 2005 

to provide comparable data at the 

census tract level by summer of 2010. 

The American Community Survey 

demonstration period began in 1996 in 

four sites. In 1999, the number of sites 

was increased to 31 comparison sites. 

The comparison with Census 2000 was 

designed to collect several kinds of 

information necessary to understand the 

differences between data from the 1999–

2001 American Community Survey and 

data from the 2000 long form. The 

purpose of the comparison sites was to 

give a good tract-by-tract comparison 

between the 1999–2001 American 

Community Survey cumulated estimates 

and the Census 2000 long-form 

estimates and to use these comparisons 

to identify both the causes of differences 

and diagnostic variables that tend to 

predict a certain kind of difference. 

In 2000–2004, the Census Bureau 

conducted supplementary surveys using 

the American Community Survey 

methodology. Each of these surveys had 

a sample of approximately 800,000 

residential addresses per year. These 

surveys were conducted to study the 

operational feasibility of collecting longform type data using a different 

methodology from the decennial census 

and demonstrate the reliability and 

stability of state and large area estimates 

over time. 

For 2005–2008, the Census Bureau 

plans to conduct the American 

Community Survey in every part of the 

United States and also in Puerto Rico. 

In 2005, the Census Bureau will begin 

full implementation of the American 

Community Survey by increasing the 

sample to a total of approximately 

250,000 residential addresses per month 

in the 50 states and the District of 

Columbia and approximately 3,000 

residential addresses per month in 

Puerto Rico. Data will be collected by 

mail and Census Bureau staff will 

follow up with households that do not 

respond using computer-assisted 

telephone interviewing (CATI) and 

computer-assisted personal interviewing 

(CAPI). 

In addition to selecting a sample of 

residential addresses, the Census 

Bureau plans to select a sample of group 

quarters (GQs) and conduct the 

American Community Survey with a 

sample of persons within the GQs 

starting in January 2006. The Census 

Bureau will also conduct a reinterview 

operation with a small sample of 

households and persons in GQs to 

monitor the quality of data collected 

during the CAPI. 

II. Method of Collection

The Census Bureau will mail 

questionnaires to households selected 

for the American Community Survey. 

For households that do not return a 

questionnaire, Census Bureau staff will 

attempt to conduct interviews via CATI. 

We will also conduct CAPI interviews 

for a subsample of nonrespondents. 

For most types of GQs, Census Bureau 

field representatives (FRs) will conduct 

the interviews in person or, if necessary, 

leave questionnaires and ask 

respondents to complete. 

Information from GQ contacts will be 

collected via FR interview. 

The Census Bureau staff will provide 

Telephone Questionnaire Assistance 

(TQA) and if the respondent indicates a 

desire to answer by telephone, the TQA 

interviewer conducts the interview. 

III. Data 

OMB Number: 0607–0810. 

Form Number(s): ACS–1, ACS–1 (SP), 

ACS–1PR, ACS–1PR (SP), ACS–1(GQ), 

ACS–1(GQ) PR, ACS–3(GQ), ACS–

4(GQ), ACS–4(GQ) (SP), ACS–4(GQ) PR, 

ACS–4(GQ) PR (SP), ACS–290, ACS–

290(SP), ACS–290PR, and ACS–290PR 

(SP). 

Type of Review: Regular. 

Affected Public: Individuals and 

households. 

Estimated Number of Respondents:

During the period of July 2005 through 

June 2008, we plan to contact the 

following number of respondents: 

9,108,000 residential addresses; 537,500 

persons in GQs; and 51,000 contacts in 

GQs. In addition, 106,000 residential 

addresses and 14,800 persons in GQs for 

reinterview will be contacted. 

Estimated Time Per Response:

Estimates are 38 minutes per residential 

address, 15 minutes per person in GQs, 

25 minutes per contact in GQs, and 10 

minutes per residential address and per 

person in GQs in the reinterview 

sample. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: The estimate is an annual 

average of 1,981,386 burden hours. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost: Except 

for their time, there is no cost to 

respondents. 

Respondent Obligation: Mandatory. 

Authority: Title 13, United States 

Code, Sections 141 and 193. 

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 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 7, 2004 / Notices 70631

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including through the 

use of automated collections techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for the OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record.

Dated: December 1, 2004. 

Madeleine Clayton, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 04–26781 Filed 12–6–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–07–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau 

Government Finance Forms

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment 

request. 

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: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before February 7, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

to Diana Hynek, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, 

Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 

14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 

Internet at DHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the information collection 

instrument(s) and instructions should 

be directed to Stephen Poyta, Chief, 

Public Finance Analysis Branch–A, 

Governments Division, U.S. Bureau of 

the Census, Washington, DC 20233–

6800, (301) 763–1580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

The Census Bureau plans to request 

clearance for the forms necessary to 

conduct the public finance program 

which consists of an annual collection 

of information and a quinquennial 

collection in the census years ending in 

‘‘2’’ and ‘‘7’’. During the upcoming three 

years, we intend to conduct the 2005 

and 2006 Annual Survey of Government 

Finance, and the 2007 Census of 

Government Finance. 

The Annual Survey of State and Local 

Government Finance collects data on 

state government finances and estimates 

of local government revenue, 

expenditure, debt, and assets, nationally 

and within state areas. Data are 

collected for all agencies, departments, 

and institutions of the fifty state 

governments and for a sample of all 

local governments (counties, 

municipalities, townships, and special 

districts). Data for school districts are 

collected under a separate survey. In the 

census year, equivalent data are 

collected from all local governments. 

This survey is a mail canvass survey 

with an initial mailing and one followup mailing. Telephone follow-up is 

used to contact non-respondents and, as 

necessary, to correct apparent errors and 

incorrect responses. These forms and 

procedures are similar to those used in 

previous finance surveys. We are 

currently in the process of redesigning 

the finance forms, such that items 

included in the previous F–21, F–22, 

and F–28 will now all be included 

within a new overall F–28 form. 

Results of this survey are used by the 

Bureau of Economic Analysis to develop 

the public sector components of the 

National Income and Product Accounts. 

Other Federal agencies that make 

frequent use of these data include the 

U.S. Federal Reserve Board, the 

Congressional Research Service, the 

General Accounting Office, and the 

Department of Justice. Other users 

include state and local government 

executives and legislators, policy 

makers, economists, researchers, and 

the general public. 

II. Method of Collection 

Canvass methodology primarily 

consists of a mail out/mail back 

questionnaire. Responses will be 

screened manually, then put into an 

electronic format. Other methods used 

to collect data and maximize response 

include collecting local government 

data from central state sources, 

compiling from submitted financial 

audits, comprehensive financial reports, 

and public Internet outputs. Also, the 

finance forms can be completed on the 

Internet. 

III. Data 

OMB Number: 0607–0585. 

Form Number: F–5, F–5A, F–11, F–

12, F–13, F–25, F–28, F–29, F–32, F–42. 

Type of Review: Regular.

Affected Public: State and local 

governments. 

Estimated Number of Respondents:

9,753 (annual survey), 45,961 (Census). 

Estimated Time Per Response: 2.903 

(Annual); 2.37 (Census). 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 28,310.5 (Annual); 108,840.5 

(Census). 

Estimated Total Annual Cost: Cost to 

respondents is estimated to be $535,918 

(Annual); 2,060,351 (Census).

(Note—Based upon the average hourly pay 

for full-time employment for the financial 

administration function within the 2002 

census of local government employment.)

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. 

Legal Authority: Title 13, sections 161 

and 182. 

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. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record.

Dated: December 1, 2004. 

Madeleine Clayton, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 04–26783 Filed 12–6–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–07–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration 

Outside Assessment of DOC 

Compliance Program

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment 

request. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, as part of its continuing 

effort to reduce paperwork and 

respondent burdens, invites the general 

public and other Federal agencies to 

take this opportunity to comment on the 

continuing information collections, as 

required by the Paperwork Reduction