Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Questionnaire for Building Permit Official

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 199 (Friday, October 14, 2016)

Federal Register Volume 81, Number 199 (Friday, October 14, 2016)

Notices

Pages 71043-71044

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2016-24819

=======================================================================

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau

Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Questionnaire for Building Permit Official

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on or before December 13, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at jjessup@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions should be directed to Erica Filipek, U.S. Census Bureau, MCD, CENHQ Room 7K057, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, telephone (301) 763-5161 (or via the Internet at Erica.Mary.Filipek@census.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Page 71044

1. Abstract

   The U.S. Census Bureau plans to request a three-year extension of the current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of the Questionnaire for Building Permit Official (SOC-QBPO). The Census Bureau uses the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic questionnaire SOC-QBPO to collect information from state and local building permit officials on: (1) The types of permits they issue, (2) the length of time a permit is valid, (3) how they store permits, and (4) the geographic coverage of the permit system. We need this information to carry out the sampling for the Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions (OMB number 0607-0110), also known as Survey of Construction (SOC). The SOC provides widely used measures of construction activity, including the economic indicators Housing Starts, Housing Completions, and New Housing Sales.

   The current OMB clearance is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2017. We will continue to use the current CAPI questionnaire with minor revisions to question verbiage and questionnaire flow. The overall length of the interview will not change. The sample size will slightly change due to an increase in the number of local governments that issue building permits.

2. Method of Collection

   The Census Bureau uses its field representatives to obtain information on the operating procedures of a permit office using the SOC-QBPO. The field representative visits the permit office, conducts the interview, and completes this electronic form.

3. Data

   OMB Control Number: 0607-0125.

   Form Number: SOC-QBPO.

   Type of Review: Regular submission.

   Affected Public: State and local Government.

   Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,017.

   Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.

   Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 254 hours.

   Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

   Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

   Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 131 and 182.

4. 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.

   Sheleen Dumas,

   Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

   FR Doc. 2016-24819 Filed 10-13-16; 8:45 am

   BILLING CODE 3510-07-P