Nonsubstantive Change Request - Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) Program

The Census Bureau requests that the 2010 Census Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) Program be added to the generic clearance called the Geographic Partnership Programs (GPPs), OMB Control No. 0607-0795. A brief description of this project follows.

PUMAs are statistical geographic areas defined for the tabulation and dissemination of decennial census and American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data.   PUMAs are used also to report ACS period estimates.  PUMAs are required to nest within each state or statistically equivalent entity and to meet a minimum population threshold of 100,000. 

Agencies affiliated with the Census Bureau for the purpose of disseminating our data are referred to as State Data Centers (SDCs). The Census Bureau will be asking the SDCs to update the geographic boundary for each PUMA or delineate new PUMAs in qualifying areas using existing Census 2010 census tracts. The SDCs will be required to seek the cooperation of other regional, state, local, and tribal organizations when reviewing and updating PUMAs. PUMAs will be updated in each state and the following state equivalents: the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Based on the population threshold set for PUMAs, there will continue to be only one PUMA delineated for each of the state equivalents of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The boundary for the PUMAs defined in Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands are the same as the island boundaries therefore these SDCs do not have any delineation work to complete. American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands do not meet the minimum population threshold for PUMS publication; therefore, PUMAs are not delineated in these state equivalents.

The Census Bureau will provide delineation materials to the SDCs in each state, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico totaling 52 participating agencies. The materials will be delivered via a Census Bureau maintained website in September 2011 and Census Bureau staff will train these participants in October 2011.  Once trained, each SDC will be given four months to complete and return their updates to the Census Bureau.  The SDCs will use the PUMA MAF/TIGER Partnership Software to redraw their PUMAs and they will download this software from a password-protected website.
 
Once the Census Bureau receives an SDC's PUMA updates, the Census Bureau will review the submission to ensure all PUMA criteria were met and insert the updates into the MAF/TIGER database, finishing in June 2012.

We estimate that this work will take each SDC an average of 115 hours to complete which totals 5,980 hours. The Geographic Partnership Programs generic OMB clearance (Control No. 0607-0795) has enough approved burden hours remaining to cover this work.