[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 93 (Monday, May 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22018-22019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11827]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

1997 Economic Census Covering Transportation of Commodities

ACTION: Proposed agency information collection activity; comment 
request.

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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: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 12, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Acting 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to John Fowler, Bureau of the Census, Room 2724, 
Building 3, Washington, DC 20230 on (301) 457-2108.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau is the preeminent collector and provider of 
timely, relevant, and quality data about the people and economy of the 
United States. Economic data are the Census Bureau's primary program 
commitment during nondecennial census years. The economic census, 
conducted under authority of Title 13, U.S.C., is the primary source of 
facts about the structure and functioning of the Nation's economy and 
features unique industry and geographic detail. Economic census 
statistics serve as part of the framework for the national accounts and 
provide essential information for government, business and the general 
public. The 1997 Economic Census will cover virtually every sector of 
the U.S. Economy.
    The 1997 Commodity Flow Survey, a component of the Economic Census, 
will produce key statistics on the movement of freight in the United 
States. In the past, these types of data were used primarily by 
governmental agencies in planning for transportation infrastructure. 
Now these types of data are becoming increasingly important to the 
business sector for making decisions related to marketing and 
transportation strategies. The Commodity Flow Survey will be conducted 
with the guidance and co-sponsorship of the Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics, Department of Transportation. This survey will provide a 
range of transportation statistics including value of shipments, weight 
of shipments, commodities shipped, mode(s) of transportation used, 
origin and destination of shipments, ton-miles and average miles per 
shipment. The Census Bureau will publish shipment characteristics at 
the national, state, and National Transportation Analysis Region 
levels.
    Primary strategies for reducing respondent burden in the Commodity 
Flow Survey include:
    <bullet> Employing a stratified random sample to use the least 
number of establishments required to produce reliable statistics;
    <bullet> Accepting estimates;
    <bullet> Requesting data on a limited sample of shipments.
    We will introduce additional strategies for reducing overall 
respondent burden for the 1997 Commodity Flow Survey, based on 
experience gained from the 1993 survey. These include:
    <bullet> Decreasing the total sample size by nearly one half;
    <bullet> Reducing the reporting period from two weeks to one week 
each quarter;
    <bullet> Offering electronic reporting options.

II. Method of Collection

    The Commodity Flow Survey will survey a sample of business 
establishments in mining, manufacturing, wholesale, and selected retail 
industries. Each selected establishment will receive, by mail, four 
questionnaires--one during each quarter of 1997. On each form, an 
establishment will be asked to report data for an average of 25 
shipments, selected during a designated one-week reporting period.

III. Data

    OMB Number: Not Available.
    Form Number: CFS-1000.
    Type of Review: Regular review.
    Affected Public: Businesses and Other For-profit, Small Businesses 
or Organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 800,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the government for this 
work, to be shared between the Department of Transportation and the 
Census Bureau is estimated to be $22.5 million.

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 utility of the information to businesses/private 
industry for marketing/cost evaluation/planning; (c) the accuracy of 
the agency's estimate of burden (including hours and cost) of the 
proposed collection of information; (d) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (e) 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: May 7, 1996.
Linda Engelmeier,
Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 96-11827 Filed 5-10-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P