2010 Participant Statistical Areas Program Participant Information U.S. Census Bureau June 25, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 3 Overview ............................................................................................................ 3 Why participate? .................................................................................................... 3 Final criteria for 2010 PSAP geographic entities..................................................................... 3 2010 PSAP draft schedule ............................................................................................ 3 Questions? .......................................................................................................... 4 II. PARTICIPATION IN THE PSAP ....................................................................................... 4 Primary participants................................................................................................. 4 Participation materials.............................................................................................. 4 Other interested governments, organizations and individuals ......................................................... 5 III. 2010 PROCESS AND DRAFT PSAP SCHEDULE............................................................................ 5 IV. CRITERIA FOR 2010 PSAP GEOGRAPHIC ENTITIES....................................................................... 6 V. INFORMATION ON PSAP GEOGRAPHIC ENTITIES THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED OR REVISED FOR 2010............................... 8 Census Tracts........................................................................................................ 8 Block groups ....................................................................................................... 10 CDP................................................................................................................. 11 CCD................................................................................................................. 11 VI. PSAP MTPS SUBMISSION............................................................................................ 12 Overview.............................................................................................................12 Specifics........................................................................................................... 13 All submissions..................................................................................................... 13 VII. PSAP AND THE TRIBAL STATISTICAL AREAS PROGRAM ................................................................. 14 APPENDIX A – REGIONAL CENSUS CENTER (RCC)CONTACT INFORMATION........................................................ 16 APPENDIX B – PSAP HISTORY........................................................................................... 17 APPENDIX C – ACCEPTABLE BOUNDARY INFORMATION........................................................................ 21 I. Introduction Overview The 2010 Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) will allow participants, following Census Bureau guidelines and criteria, to review, update, and delineate new census tracts, block groups, census designated places (CDPs) and census county divisions (CCDs)[1]. The goal of the PSAP is to define meaningful, relevant census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs to obtain meaningful, relevant small area and place-level statistical data. The updated boundaries for census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs will frame all the 2010 Census tabulations, and will be used for the American Community Survey (ACS) beyond 2010[2]. Data tabulated to these PSAP geographic entities are used by various local, state, and federal agencies and organizations for planning and funding purposes, as well as the private sector, academia, and the public. Why participate? Regional and local governments and organizations are best qualified to review and update the PSAP geographic entities. These governments and organizations know where area population changes are occurring and how area settlement patterns are changing, and therefore know how to best edit their census tract, block group, and CCD boundaries to accommodate these changes. These governments and organizations know where unincorporated communities are emerging and are changing, and therefore know where to delineate and edit CDPs. Furthermore, these governments and organizations know how to define these statistical entities so that resulting census statistical data meet the needs of their communities. The knowledge provided by our local partners allows the Census Bureau to meet many of the statistical and spatial data needs that are part of the agency’s mission; to be the statistical source for a better understanding of our Nation. Final criteria for 2010 PSAP geographic entities The census tract, block group, CDP and CCD final criteria Federal Register notices have been published and are available on the 2010 PSAP website at: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/psap2010/psap2010_main.html. 2010 PSAP draft schedule The 2010 PSAP draft schedule, containing information about when materials will be distributed to participants, when the review and update of PSAP geographic entities should be completed and other program information, is available on the 2010 PSAP website at: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/psap2010/psap2010_main.html. Questions? If you have additional questions after reviewing this information contact the Census Bureau Regional Census Center (RCC) staff for your area. RCC contact information can be found in Appendix A. ------------------------------------ [1] CCDs are only present in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. CCDs will only be reviewed and updated as part of the PSAP in these states. In Alaska, census subareas are equivalents of CCDs. For the 2010 Census and beyond, Tennessee will have MCDs (following county commissioner districts) instead of CCDs. [2] The 2009 ACS data will be tabulated to the 2000 geography and is currently scheduled to be published in 2010. The 2010 ACS data will be tabulated to the 2010 geography and will be published in 2011. II. Participation in the PSAP Primary participants Responsibilities of the primary participants include: 1. Primary participants must agree to work with all interested parties so that the resulting 2010 PSAP plan accommodates the needs and interests of all interested governments, organizations and individuals in their area. At a minimum, the primary participant should solicit input from all active governments within their area. Additionally, primary participants should solicit non-governmental organizations, academics, and interested individuals for their input in the 2010 PSAP program. 2. Primary participants must review the entire county(ies)[3] that they agree to cover, and review and update all PSAP geographic entities (census tracts, block groups, CDPs, and CCDs) that they agree to in the county, particularly those that do not meet the 2010 PSAP criteria. The PSAP MAF/TIGER Partnership Software (PSAP MTPS) provided for use in generating the 2010 PSAP plan indicates which specific entities should be edited to meet the 2010 PSAP criteria (see sections V and VI for additional information). 3. Primary participants must submit a final 2010 PSAP plan for each county(ies) the participants agreed to cover. Only one submission per county will be accepted. 4. Primary participants must submit their 2010 PSAP plan digitally, using the PSAP MTPS(see section VI for more detail). 5. Primary participants must complete their work and submit their 2010 PSAP plan to the Census Bureau by submission deadlines. 6. Primary participants should verify their 2010 PSAP plan after the Census Bureau inserts the plan into the Master Address File (MAF)/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) Database, or MTDB. This opportunity may only be given to those organizations that submitted their 2010 PSAP plan by the submission deadline. ------------------------------------ [3] For Census Bureau purposes, the term “county” includes parishes in Louisiana; boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and census areas in Alaska; independent cities in Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia; districts and islands in American Samoa, and districts in the U.S. Virgin Islands; municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; municipios in Puerto Rico; and the areas constituting the District of Columbia and Guam. Henceforth in this document the term “counties” will refer to all of these entities. Participation materials The 2010 PSAP materials that will be distributed are as follows: 1. PSAP MTPS software (CD) will flag all PSAP geographic entities that should be edited (i.e., do not meet the 2010 PSAP criteria) and provide all of the tools necessary to edit those entities and submit the 2010 PSAP plan. The PSAP MTPS also contains computer-based training and a help section. 2. PSAP data disc (DVD or CD) containing the county(ies) the primary participant agreed to cover for the 2010 PSAP and reference information, including 2000 population and housing unit counts and adjacent counties. The data disc will also contain the PSAP MTPS guidelines. Multiple copies of the PSAP MTPS and data discs will be available as indicated on the official invitation letter response and as needed. PSAP MTPS guidelines will be posted online and will be available in print format, upon request, from the RCCs. 3. PSAP MTPS training will be offered by the RCCs to those participants who desire training. Other interested governments, organizations and individuals All interested governments, organizations and individuals are strongly encouraged to participate in the upcoming 2010 PSAP review and update so that the resulting 2010 PSAP plans for census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs meet your communities’ needs. The primary participant is required to work with all interested parties in creating the 2010 PSAP plan. RCC staff can provide information about the PSAP primary participant for the county(ies) of interest. III. 2010 Process and Draft PSAP Schedule The primary participant process is as follows: 1. Verbal agreement with the RCC staff to participate as the PSAP primary participant. 2. Receive, complete, and return the official PSAP primary participant invitation letter. 3. If desired, sign up for PSAP MTPS training (on the response to the official invitation letter) and attend training. 4. Receive materials, including the PSAP MTPS (software, guidelines, computer-based training) and data disc(s) containing the county(ies) the primary participant agreed to cover for the 2010 PSAP and reference information. 5. Work with interested governments, organizations and individuals to review and update census tracts, block groups, CDPs, and CCDs with the PSAP MTPS. Note: The updated 2010 PSAP plan should be completed and sent to the RCC no later than 120 days (4 months) from the receipt of materials. 6. Submit completed 2010 PSAP plan digital files to the RCC. 7. If necessary, work with RCC staff to resolve any issues with the submission. 8. Review and approve verification files. A web viewer tool will be provided to review and/or download the verification shapefiles, containing the 2010 PSAP geographic entities as inserted into the MTDB. The draft schedule associated with 2010 PSAP process can be found on the PSAP website at: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/psap2010/psap2010_main.html IV. Criteria for 2010 PSAP geographic entities The following table contains an overview of the 2010 Census tract, block group, CDP and CCD criteria. For information about the history of the PSAP and PSAP geographic entities see Appendix B – PSAP History. Primary National Geography Census 2000 Other criteria/ Summary of changes for the 2010 Census. purpose wall-to-wall nests population guidelines The final criteria can be found at: coverage within criteria http://www.census.gov/geo/www /psap2010/psap2010_main.html Participant Statistical Areas ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Census Lower the minimum threshold for most tracts. Tracts Optimum:4,000 Merge Minimum:1,200 Maximum:8,000 Optimum:4,000 -------------------- and -------------------------------------------- Boundary split Housing unit counts may be used Minimum:1,500 tracts to meet tract thresholds. continuity (1,000 within AIRs) to Minimum:480 Maximum:3,200 Optimum:1,600 meet ------------------------------------------- thresholds, All types of populated tracts must meet not the same thresholds. ------------ Yes County -------------------- change ------------------------------------------- or Wherever possible conform to American Indian "retract" reservations (AIRs). Data ------------------------------------------- Maximum:8,000 Special tracts may be created for large comparability special land use areas without housing units or population (e.g. large public parks, forests). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Block Smallest area Groups Small area for American Population threshold (BGs) characteristics Optimum:1,500 Community Survey Minimum:600 Maximum:3,000 Optimum:none data (ACS) sample data ------------- Yes Census ----------------- ------------------ ------------------------------------------ Tract Housing unit counts may be used to meet Minimum:600 Between 1 and 9 BG thresholds. (300 within AIRs) BGs nest within Minimum:240 Maximum:1,200 Optimum:none a census tract ------------------------------------------ All types of populated BGs must meet the same thresholds. ----------------- ------------------ ------------------------------------------ Wherever possible conform to American Census tract Indian reservations (AIRs). boundaries ------------------------------------------ Meet minimum Maximum:3,000 are always Special BGs may be created for large thresholds BG boundaries special land use areas without housing units or population (e.g. large public parks, forests). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Census Set of CCDs Usually County subcounty and represents Divisions units that MCDs one or more (CCDs) have stable together communities, boundaries -------- County None trading centers No significant changes and recognizable CCDs or major names exist land uses in 21 states --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Census Named Designated community Places --------- (CDPs) Place-level Not part A CDP must represent a single, distinct statistics of an community. A CDP that represents multiple, for well-known incorporated distinct communities, and the hyphenated name closely settled place or typically assigned to represent such CDPs, localities No,CDPs other CDP will not be permitted. Exceptions will be ------------- capture State None ------------ made for communities whose identities have Mix of distinct Nucleus of merged and in which both names commonly are residential, communities relatively use together commercial, high residential and retail population areas density Note: These statistical areas are for statistical uses only. All comprise relatively compact, contiguous land areas The complete final criteria for census tract, block group, CDP and CCD final criteria Federal Register notices are available on the 2010 PSAP website at: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/psap2010/psap2010_main.html V. Information on PSAP geographic entities that need to be updated or revised for 2010. In creating the 2010 PSAP plan, PSAP participants review and update census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs to accommodate changes in their communities and to meet the 2010 PSAP criteria. The following are the types of edits that should be executed by the PSAP participants to meet the 2010 PSAP criteria. Note: For any entity that does not meet the criteria in the 2010 PSAP plan a justification must be provided as to why the entity should be retained as delineated (E.g., If a tract does not meet the minimum thresholds, a justification stating “in 2005 a housing subdivision was completed in this area and the subdivision has an estimated 3,000 residents” would be sufficient.) Note: To meet population and housing unit thresholds the Census Bureau provides 2000 population and housing unit counts. Other population and housing estimates may be used to meet thresholds, however the use of estimates must be noted in the 2010 PSAP submission. Future growth may be considered, but to assure that these estimates are valid they should extend no more than 5 years from the date of 2010 PSAP review and update (i.e., should not extend beyond 2014) or be used to meet minimum thresholds. Census Tracts 1. Above maximum . Split census tracts into two or more census tracts when the population and housing unit count is above the maximum thresholds. The maximum thresholds for census tracts are 8,000 for population and 3,200 for housing units. . Since data comparability over time is paramount with census tracts, the outer boundary of a census tract should be maintained to facilitate data comparability over time. Therefore, above maximum census tracts should be split into two or more census tracts to meet thresholds while maintaining the outer boundary of the parent census tract[4]. . The PSAP MTPS flags all census tracts that are above the maximum thresholds and prompts the user to split those census tracts to meet the threshold. 2. Below minimum . Merge census tracts with an adjacent census tract(s) when the population and housing unit count is below the minimum thresholds. Minimum thresholds for census tracts are 1,200 for population and 480 for housing units. ------------------------------------- [4] Where census tract and block group boundaries follow not acceptable boundary features they should be edited to follow acceptable boundary features, where available. In this Census Tract section, see “6. Acceptable boundary features” for additional information. . Since data comparability over time is paramount with census tracts, the outer boundary of a census tract should be maintained to facilitate data comparability over time. Therefore, below minimum census tracts should be merged to meet population and housing unit thresholds while maintaining the outer boundaries of the parent census tracts. . The PSAP MTPS flags all census tracts that are below the minimum thresholds and prompts the user to merge those census tracts to meet the threshold. 3. Split AIR/ORTL/HHL . Edit census tracts so that American Indian reservations (AIRs), off-reservation trust lands (ORTLs), and Hawaiian Home Lands (HHLs) are within as few census tracts as possible. . All AIRs/ORTLs/HHLs should be within as few census tracts as possible, and each AIR, ORTL, or HHL with a population of 2,400 or less and a housing unit count of 960 or less should not be split by census tract boundaries. If possible, census tracts delineated to encompass AIRs/ORTLs/HHLs should have the majority of their area covered by AIRs/ORTLs/HHLs. The only circumstance where retracting, or completely changing the boundaries of the census tract (not by splitting or merging), is encouraged by the Census Bureau is where an AIR/ORTL/HHL is split unnecessarily by census tract boundaries. In order to edit these census tracts one can split, merge, or change the boundaries. . The PSAP MTPS will flag all census tracts that split an AIR/ORTL/HHL and prompt the user to edit (split, merge, or boundary change) the census tracts so that they no longer split the AIR/ORTL/HHL if possible. 4. Special land use tract . Special land use tracts may be designated to capture an area that has a specific and non-residential land use. . An area designated as a special land use tract must: . have an official name (e.g., Jay Cooke State Park) . have little or no residential population or housing units . have an area of one square mile or more if delineated in a densely populated, urban area . have an area of 10 square miles or more if delineated outside an urban area . not create a noncontiguous tract . The area must be first split from the existing census tract(s) and the attribute information (e.g., land use type, official name) must be provided. When a special land use tract is delineated a special land use block group will be created coextensive with the special land use tract. . The PSAP MTPS provides tools to split tracts and assign special land use tract type and name attribute information to that tract. 5. Water tract . Water tracts may be designated to capture large water bodies with areas of approximately 100 square miles or more. . An area designated as a water tract should follow a boundary feature parallel to the shoreline if in a coastal or Great Lakes area. Census 2000 water tracts should be updated to follow a boundary feature parallel to the shoreline. . The PSAP MTPS will flag all census tracts that completely consist of water and prompt the user to update the code of the water tract. The PSAP MTPS also provides tools to insert boundary features and split tracts. 6. Acceptable boundary features . Edit the census tract boundaries that follow not acceptable boundary features so that they follow acceptable features. . To make the location of all PSAP geography entity boundaries less ambiguous, wherever possible, their boundaries should follow visible and identifiable features (especially roads). The use of visible features also makes it easier to locate and identify census tract boundaries over time, as the locations of many visible features in the landscape tend to change infrequently. . The Census Bureau also requires the use of state and county boundaries in all states, and permits incorporated place and minor civil division (MCD) boundaries in states where those boundaries tend to remain unchanged over time. . When acceptable visible and governmental boundary features are not available for use as boundaries, the Census Bureau may, at its discretion, approve other nonstandard visible features. See Appendix C – Acceptable boundary features. . The PSAP MTPS has an acceptable boundary features tool that can turn the acceptable boundary feature line symbolization on and off and has a boundary change tool to edit the boundary of the tract. Block groups 1. Above maximum . Split block groups into two or more block groups when the population and housing unit count is above the maximum thresholds. The maximum thresholds for block groups are 3,000 for population and 1,200 for housing units. . The PSAP MTPS flags all block groups that are above the maximum thresholds and prompts the user to split those block groups to meet the threshold. The boundary change tool can also be used to edit block group boundaries to meet the thresholds. 2. Below Minimum . Merge block groups into two or more block groups when the population and housing unit count is below the minimum thresholds. The minimum thresholds for block groups are 1,200 for population and 240 for housing units. . The PSAP MTPS flags all block groups that are below the minimum thresholds and prompts the user to merge those block groups to meet the threshold. The boundary change tool can also be used to edit block group boundaries to meet the thresholds. 3. Acceptable boundary feature . See the Census Tract “Acceptable boundary features” section for information (Census Tracts #5). CDP 1. Below minimum . Edit the CDP boundaries or remove the CDP if the CDP is below the minimum housing unit threshold. The minimum housing unit threshold is 10 housing units. . The PSAP MTPS flags below minimum CDPs and prompts the user to edit the boundaries of the CDP, through the boundary change – add tool, so that the CDP meets the threshold. The boundary change-remove tool can be used to remove CDPs that do not meet the threshold. 2. Create a new CDP . Create a new CDP to encompass an unincorporated community that is not already delineated as a CDP. Divide a CDP that represents more than one community into two or more distinct CDPs. . The PSAP MTPS provides a new tool to define a new CDP. The boundary change-remove tool can be used in conjunction with the new tool to divide a CDP that represents more than one community into two or more communities. 3. Remove a CDP . Remove a CDP when the community no longer exists or a portion of the CDP has been incorporated and the CDP is no longer relevant. . The PSAP MTPS provides a tool to remove existing CDPs. 4. Edit boundaries . Edit the boundaries of a CDP when the area of the community designated by the CDP changed (i.e., the community grew or lost area), or features that more accurately bound the CDP exist. . Edit the boundaries of a CDP when a 2000 CDP follows incorrect features. . The PSAP MTPS provides boundary change tools to add area to or remove area from CDPs. 5. Change name . Divide the CDP into two or more CDPs and change the name of the CDPs if the CDP name is hyphenated and it represents more than one community. Edit the name of a CDP if the name of the community has changed or requires correction. . The MTPS provides tools to remove area from a CDP (boundary change-remove), to create a new CDP, and to change CDP attribute information (i.e., name). CCD Note: The Census Bureau does not encourage major revisions to the CCDs, since the goal of the program is to maintain a set of stable sub-county entities that allows for data comparability from census to census. However, updates and revisions may be necessary in some instances, such as where there have been revisions to census tract boundaries or intended to be conjoint but are not. Additionally, revisions to CCD names may be necessary due to population changes within CCDs. 1. New . Create a new CCD to reflect the changes in area communities or to create or maintain a relationship between CCDs and census tracts. . The PSAP MTPS provides a tool to split CCDs into two or more CCDs. The boundary change tool can be used to edit CCD boundaries. 2. Remove . Remove a CCD if the area delineated as the CCD is no longer useful or relevant by merging the CCD with one or more adjacent CCDs or editing the boundaries of adjacent CCDs to cover the entire area of the CCD desired to be removed. . The PSAP MTPS provides a tool to merge CCDs with adjacent CCDs and a tool to execute boundary changes to CCDs which can be used to remove the area from CCDs. 3. Change name . Edit the name of the CCD if it no longer reflects area within the CCD and the community/communities within the CCD. . The PSAP MTPS provides a change attribute tool to change the name of the CCD. This change attribute tool prompts the user to change the name of the CCD to the largest (most populous) incorporated place or CDP in the CCD. 4. Boundary change . Edit the boundaries of the CCD so that the CCD has a relationship to census tracts and more accurately reflects the communities it contains. . The PSAP MTPS provides a boundary change tool to edit the boundaries of a CCD. VI. PSAP MTPS Submission Note: We recognize that many PSAP participants would like the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the functions and tools of the PSAP MTPS before the 2010 PSAP review and update period begins. If you are a PSAP participant and would like an advance copy of the PSAP MTPS and test data, please contact your RCC staff. Additionally, the PSAP MTPS computer-based training demonstrates the basic functionalities of the software and is available online at: http://www.census.gov/rdo/program_phases/MTPS_CBT/Training/Index.htm Overview For the 2010 PSAP, the Census Bureau is requiring all PSAP participants to use the PSAP MTPS, a new software developed solely for the purpose of delineating and submitting PSAP-related entities. The PSAP MTPS uses spatial and tabular data from the MTDB enabling participants to easily review and update the boundaries for census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs, and it formats and updates all PSAP-related entities with the appropriate codes. Additionally, the Census Bureau developed an update system that automatically inserts all PSAP changes into the MTDB, using the specialized output files produced by the PSAP MTPS. The development and use of these two applications assure that any updates submitted for census tracts, block groups, CDPs and/or CCDs will be made quickly and accurately. Because of the strict formatting and topology rules governing PSAP updates into the MTDB, the Census Bureau will not accept any 2010 PSAP digital submissions originating from a participant’s GIS and geodatabase. In addition, the Census Bureau also requires that all PSAP participants use Census Bureau provided shapefiles to update and submit their 2010 PSAP plans. Any submissions containing PSAP updates made to local spatial files and/or made from a GIS other than the MTPS will be returned to the participant. Specifics . PSAP MTPS will only operate on Microsoft Windows-based operating systems, Windows 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP and Vista, and is built on Caliper Corporation’s Maptitude GIS software. . Specific guidelines on how to use the PSAP MTPS will be provided on the data disc, and also will be available online and in hard copy by request to the RCCs. . The software will guide the user through the review and potential update of the geographic entities by evaluating the entities by the criteria and prompting the user to edit those entities that do not meet the criteria. . All tools necessary to perform edits to the PSAP plan for census tracts, block groups, CDPs, and CCDs are provided in the software. In addition to area and attribute editing tools, the user can add line features to use as boundaries. Note: Line additions and updates are limited to lines to be used as PSAP geographic entity boundaries. All other line adds and updates will not be processed. Should a submission contain many non-boundary line additions, the submission will be returned to the participant to revise and resubmit without the non-boundary line additions. . Current boundaries, 2000 population and housing unit counts, and other reference information will be provided with the software. . The software contains a verify tool that validates that all the criteria are met for each entity and a report changes tool that packages all of the files associated with the updated 2010 PSAP plan into a zip file for submission to the Census Bureau. . Imagery, GIS, and other types of information can be brought into the PSAP MTPS for reference. All submissions The Census Bureau may modify and, if necessary, reject any census tracts, block groups, CDPs or CCDs that do not meet the final criteria. In addition, the Census Bureau reserves the right to modify the boundaries and attributes of the PSAP geographic entities as needed to meet the published criteria and/or maintain geographic relationships before the final tabulation geography is set for the 2010 Census. VII. PSAP and the Tribal Statistical Areas Program The 2010 Tribal Statistical Areas Program (TSAP) offers tribes the opportunity to identify and delineate boundaries for American Indian and Alaska Native statistical areas for the reporting of Census Bureau data. This program provides for the delineation of a variety of statistical geographic entities, including Tribal Designated Statistical Areas (TDSAs), and Alaska Native Village statistical areas (ANVSAs), as well as CDPs, tribal tracts and tribal block groups on federally recognized American Indian reservations (AIRs) and/ or off-reservation trust lands (ORTL). The PSAP and the TSAP are parallel geographic programs. Tribes are encouraged to work with the PSAP primary participant(s) for their area to help ensure that tribal data needs are met through the statistical geographic entities defined through the PSAP as well as in the TSAP. For example, an unincorporated community located off of an AIR, ORTL, or OTSA for which data would be useful for a tribe would be defined as a CDP though the PSAP not the TSAP. Tribal tracts and tribal block groups are statistical geographic entities defined by the Census Bureau in cooperation with tribal officials to provide meaningful, relevant, and reliable data for small geographic areas within the boundaries of federally recognized AIR/ORTLs. As such, they recognize the unique statistical data needs of federally recognized American Indian tribes. The delineation of tribal tracts and tribal block groups allows for an unambiguous presentation of tract-level and block group-level data specific to the AIR/ORTLs without the imposition of state or county boundaries, which might artificially separate American Indian populations located within a single reservation and/or off-reservation trust land. Tribal tracts and tribal block groups must be delineated to meet all other census tract criteria and block group criteria, respectively, and must be numbered uniquely so as to clearly distinguish them from county-based census tracts and block groups. Tribal tracts and tribal block groups are conceptually similar and equivalent to census tracts defined within the standard State-county-tract-block group geographic hierarchy used for tabulating and publishing statistical data. Tribal tract and tribal block group geography will constitute a geographic framework separate from standard county-based census tracts. This differs from the procedure for Census 2000 in which tribal tracts and tribal block groups were defined for federally recognized AIR/ORTLs and standard census tracts and block groups were identified by superimposing county and state boundaries onto the tribal tracts and tribal block groups. For Census 2000 products in which data were presented by state and county, the standard state-county-census tract-block group hierarchy was maintained, even for territory contained within an AIR/ORTL. In such instances, the state/county portions of a tribal tract and tribal block group were identified as individual census tracts and block groups, respectively. These standard census tracts and block groups may not have met the minimum population thresholds, potentially limiting sample data reliability or availability for both the tribal tract/tribal block group and the derived standard tracts/block groups. These programmatic changes for the 2010 Census are all intended to address and greatly reduce the issues that existed with Census 2000 tribal and standard tracts and block groups and their derived data. As with 2010 plans submitted through the PSAP, the plans submitted through the TSAP will be subject to review to ensure compliance with the final published criteria. The American Indian statistical areas proposed criteria Federal Register notice has been published and is available, along with additional information about the TSAP, at: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tsap2010/tsap2010.html. Appendix A – Regional Census Center (RCC) contact information Atlanta RCC: Geography Detroit RCC: Geography 285 Peachtree Center Avenue NE 300 River Place Drive, Suite 2950 Marquis II Tower, Suite 1000 Detroit, MI 48207 Atlanta, GA 30303-1230 Phone: (313) 396-5002 Phone: (404) 332-2711 Fax: (313) 879-2933 Fax: (404) 331-1570 E-mail: detroit.geography@census.gov E-mail: atlanta.geography@census.gov Boston RCC: Geography Kansas City RCC: Geography One Beacon Street, 7th Floor 2001 NE 46th Street, Suite LL100 Boston, MA 02108-3107 Kansas City, MO 64116-2051 Phone: (617) 223-3600 Phone: (816) 994-2020 Fax: (857) 362-9380 Fax: (816) 298-9614 E-mail: boston.geography@census.gov E-mail: kansas.city.geography@census.gov Charlotte RCC: Geography Los Angeles RCC: Geography 3701 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 250 9301 Corbin Avenue, Suite 1000 Charlotte, NC 28273 Northridge, CA 91324-2406 Phone: (704) 936-4200 Phone: (818) 717-6701 Fax: (704) 909-6714 Fax: (818) 435-6314 E-mail: charlotte.geography@census.gov E-mail: los.angeles.geography@census.gov Chicago RCC: Geography New York RCC: Geography 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1600 330 West 34th Street, 13th Floor Chicago, IL 60661-4555 New York, NY 10001-2406 Phone: (312) 454-2705 Phone: (212) 971-8800 Fax: (312) 448-1510 Fax: (212) 233-2410 E-mail: chicago.geography@census.gov E-mail: new.york.rcc.geography@census.gov Dallas RCC: Geography Philadelphia RCC: Geography 2777 N Stemmons Freeway, Suite 200 1234 Market Street, Suite 340 Dallas, TX 75207-2514 Philadelphia, PA 19107-3780 Phone: (214) 267-6920 Phone: (215) 717-1000 Fax: (972) 755-3705 Fax: (215) 717-8001 E-mail: dallas.geography@census.gov E-mail: philadelphia.geography@census.gov Denver RCC: Geography Seattle RCC: Geography 6950 W Jefferson Avenue, Suite 250 Campus 1, Building E Lakewood, CO 80235-2032 19820 North Creek Parkway N, Suite 100 Phone: (720) 475-3600 Bothell, WA 98011 Fax: (720) 897-6415 Phone: (425) 908-3010 E-mail: denver.rcc.geography@census.gov Fax: (425) 318-1424 E-mail: seattle.geography@census.gov Appendix B – PSAP History Evolution of the PSAP Local governments, organizations, and interested individuals have been essential in the conceptualization, delineation, review and update of Census Bureau small area statistical geographic entities since the early 20th century. The current PSAP geographic entities (census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs) and the implementation of the PSAP is a product of decades of interactions with local governments, organizations, and individuals about these small area statistical geographic entities. Census tracts were first established by an individual interested in demographic information, Dr. Walter Laidlaw, then Director of the Population Research Bureau of the New York Federation of Churches. For the 1910 census, eight cities defined and received data for their census tracts. Beginning in the 1920s, Howard Whipple Green, a statistician in Cleveland, became a leading advocate of census tracts and other small areas. By the 1930 census 18 cities defined census tracts through local Census Tract Committees that represented interested local government offices and organizations. Mr. Green actively promoted the Census Tract Committees as a mechanism for preparing census tract plans and worked tirelessly to make data users aware of the value of small- area statistics. For the 1960 census, the Census Bureau consulted with the Census Tract Committees on the identification and delineation of CDPs in their area, officially established as unincorporated places for the 1950 census. Also for the 1960 census, local officials were offered the opportunity to submit Enumeration District (ED) plans for consideration when the Census Bureau prepared field assignment maps. For the 1970 census, CDP delineation became a standard part of the responsibility of each Census Tract Committee or the geographic preparations in advance of the 1970 census. In addition to reviewing and submitting ED plans, some committees became involved in the definition of block groups and the numbering of census blocks. After the 1970 census, the Census Bureau recognized the broadening responsibilities of the Census Tract Committees by renaming them Census Statistical Areas Committees (CSACs). For the 1980 census, the Census Bureau additionally asked the CSACs to review their recommended revisions to CCD plans in metropolitan n areas. The Census Bureau encouraged the organization of and active participation in a local CSAC wherever local data users were willing to organize a committee to work on the delineation of small area geographic entities for use in various Census Bureau programs. CSACs generally were formed in highly populated areas. In other areas the Census Bureau relied on State agencies to help create, maintain, and update the frameworks of subcounty geography. Participants in the CSACs had knowledge about the development of an area, its communities and neighborhoods, population shifts, land use, and other information pertinent to establishing or updating small-area geographic units. Moreover, they are in the best position to identify and resolve any conflicting local needs regarding the specific structure of the small areas for which both Census Bureau and local agencies present data. CSACs were required to maintain an open membership policy and include a broad spectrum of local data users. CSAC organizers were asked to provide opportunities for all interested local agencies, organizations, and private citizens to participate. Each CSAC was required to designate a census statistical areas key person to serve as the liaison with the Census Bureau. Today’s PSAP is a reconceptualization and extension of this small area statistical geography delineation through the CSACs. For Census 2000 the Census Bureau did not require the formation of a formal CSAC, but rather requested that one organization take the lead in coordinating the delineation of the 2000 participant statistical areas by interested local data users. As it is today, the lead organization, or “primary participant”, was required to ensure that the process is open to all interested individuals and agencies. Furthermore, in 2000 the Census Bureau attempted to identify an organization to review and provide updates to the geographies in each county in the U.S., thereby expanding the program to those organizations that could not form an official CSAC. Census Tracts See the “Evolution of the PSAP” section for census tract history prior to the 1940 census. For the 1940 Census, the Census Bureau began publishing census block data for all cities with 50,000 or more people. Census block numbers were assigned, where possible, by census tract, but for those cities that had not yet delineated census tracts, ``block areas'' (called ``block numbering areas'' [BNAs] in later censuses) were created to assign census block numbers. Starting with the 1960 Census, the Census Bureau assumed a greater role in promoting and coordinating the delineation, review, and update of census tracts. For the 1980 Census, criteria for BNAs were changed to make them more comparable in size and shape to census tracts. For the 1990 Census, all counties contained either census tracts or BNAs. Census 2000 was the first decade in which census tracts were defined in all counties. In addition, the Census Bureau increased the number of geographic areas whose boundaries could be used as census tract boundaries. It also allowed tribal governments of federally recognized American Indian tribes with a reservation and/or off-reservation trust lands to delineate tracts without regard to State and/or county boundaries, provided the tribe had a 1990 Census population of at least 1,000. Block Groups The Census Bureau first delineated block groups as statistical geographic divisions of census tracts for the 1970 Census, comprising contiguous combinations of census blocks for data presentation purposes. At that time, census block groups only existed in urbanized areas in which census blocks were defined. Block groups were defined without regard to political and administrative boundaries, with an average population of 1,000, and to be approximately equal in area. As use of census block, block group, and census tract data increased among data users, the Census Bureau expanded these programs to cover additional geographic areas while redefining the population threshold criteria to more adequately suit data users' needs. The 1990 Census was the first in which census blocks and block groups were defined throughout the entirety of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas. For Census 2000, as with census tracts, the Census Bureau increased the number of geographic areas whose boundaries could be used as block group boundaries, and allowed tribal governments of federally recognized American Indian tribes with a reservation and/or off-reservation trust lands to delineate block groups without regard to state and/or county boundaries, provided the tribe had a 1990 Census population of at least 1,000. Census Designated Places The census designated place (CDP) concept and delineation criteria have evolved over the past five decades in response to data user needs for place-level data. This evolution has taken into account differences in the way in which places were perceived and the propensity for places to incorporate in various states. The result, over time, has been an increase in the number and types of unincorporated communities identified as CDPs, as well as increasing consistency in the relationship between the CDP concept and the kinds of places encompassed by the incorporated place category, or a compromise between localized perceptions of place and a concept that would be familiar to data users throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas. Although not as numerous as incorporated places or municipalities[5], CDPs have been important geographic entities since their introduction for the 1950 Census. (CDPs were referred to as “unincorporated places” from 1950 through the 1970 decennial censuses.) For the 1950 Census, CDPs were defined only outside urbanized areas and were required to have at least 1,000 residents. For the 1960 Census, CDPs could also be identified inside urbanized areas outside of New England, but these were required to have at least 10,000 residents. The Census Bureau modified the population threshold within urbanized areas to 5,000 in 1970, allowed for CDPs in urbanized areas in New England in 1980, and lowered the urbanized area threshold again to 2,500 in 1990. In time, other population thresholds were adopted for identification of CDPs in Alaska, as well as in Puerto Rico, the Island Areas, and on American Indian reservations. The Census Bureau eliminated all population threshold requirements for Census 2000, achieving consistency between CDPs and incorporated places, for which the Census Bureau historically has published data without regard to population size. Census County Divisions When census county divisions (CCDs) were introduced prior to the 1950 Census, few alternatives were available for the provision of statistical data related to relatively stable, subcounty geographic units. Census tracts were defined in only a subset of metropolitan area counties. MCDs existed in all counties, but in some states, MCD boundaries changed. ----------------------------------- [5] Known by various terms throughout the United States: cities, towns (except in the six New England States, New York, and Wisconsin), villages and boroughs (except in New York and Alaska). frequently enough that they were not useful for comparing statistical data from one decade to another. For much of the period from the 1950 Census through the 1980 Census, county subdivisions (MCDs and CCDs) provided the only subcounty unit of geography at which data users could obtain statistical data for complete coverage of counties nationwide. The introduction of block numbering areas (BNAs) in counties without census tracts for the 1990 Census offered an alternate subcounty entity for which data could be tabulated. Appendix C – Acceptable boundary information The Census Bureau defines three classifications of boundary features for census tract, block group, CDP and CCD boundaries: acceptable, questionable, and not acceptable. Acceptable features are generally features that do not change greatly over time, including some political and administrative boundaries and visible physical features. Questionable features are physical features that are not always visible. Not acceptable features are all other features. Wherever possible, census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs should follow acceptable boundary features. CDP boundaries may follow questionable and not acceptable features in instances where reliance upon acceptable features will result in overbounding the CDP. Acceptable boundary features State boundaries must be used as the boundaries for all PSAP geographic entities. County boundaries must be used as the boundaries for census tracts, block groups, and CCDs. The following boundaries may be used as the boundaries for all PSAP geographic entities: . American Indian reservation (AIR) and off-reservation trust land (ORTL) boundaries. . Alaska Native regional corporation (ANRC) boundaries in Alaska. . Minor civil divisions (MCDs) and sub-MCDs in Puerto Rico. . MCDs in the American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands. . MCDs and/or incorporated place boundaries indicated in the following table: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MCDs not coincident with the States MCDs boundaries of Incorporated Only Conjoint\c\ Incorporated Places Incorporated Places that Places themselves are MCDs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama......................... .................. .................. .................. X Alaska.......................... .................. .................. .................. X Arizona......................... .................. .................. .................. X Arkansas........................ .................. .................. .................. X California...................... .................. .................. .................. X Colorado........................ .................. .................. .................. X Connecticut..................... X .................. X .................. Delaware........................ .................. .................. .................. X Florida......................... .................. .................. .................. X Georgia......................... .................. .................. .................. X Hawaii.......................... .................. .................. .................. X Idaho........................... .................. .................. .................. X Illinois........................ .................. X \a\ .................. X Indiana......................... X .................. .................. X Iowa............................ .................. X .................. X Kansas.......................... .................. X .................. X Kentucky........................ .................. .................. .................. X Louisiana....................... .................. .................. .................. X Maine........................... X .................. X .................. Maryland........................ .................. .................. .................. X Massachusetts................... X .................. X .................. Michigan........................ .................. X .................. X Minnesota....................... .................. X .................. X Mississippi..................... .................. .................. .................. X Missouri........................ .................. X \b\ .................. X Montana......................... .................. .................. .................. X Nebraska........................ .................. X \a\ .................. X Nevada.......................... .................. .................. .................. X New Hampshire................... X .................. X .................. New Jersey...................... X .................. X .................. New Mexico...................... .................. .................. .................. X New York........................ X .................. X .................. North Carolina.................. .................. .................. .................. X North Dakota.................... .................. X .................. X Ohio............................ .................. X .................. X Oklahoma........................ .................. .................. .................. X Oregon.......................... .................. .................. .................. X Pennsylvania.................... X .................. X .................. Rhode Island.................... X .................. X .................. South Carolina.................. .................. .................. .................. X South Dakota.................... .................. X .................. X Tennessee....................... .................. .................. .................. X Texas........................... .................. .................. .................. X Utah............................ .................. .................. .................. X Vermont......................... X .................. X .................. Virginia........................ .................. .................. .................. X Washington...................... .................. .................. .................. X West Virginia................... .................. .................. .................. X Wisconsin....................... .................. X .................. X Wyoming......................... .................. .................. .................. X ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \a\ townships only \b\ governmental townships only \c\ Conjoint = boundaries shared by two different incorporated places Additional features acceptable or questionable as PSAP geography boundaries are listed in the following table: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feature Name Acceptable Questionable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Levee X ------- Dam X ------- Stream/River (perennial) X ------- Stream/River (intermittent) ------- X Braided Stream X ------- Canal, Ditch, or Aqueduct (perennial) X ------- Canal, Ditch, or Aqueduct (intermittent) ------- X Pier/Dock X ------- Runway/Taxiway X ------- Pipeline (above ground) X ------- Powerline (above ground, high-tension) X ------- Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift X ------- Conveyor ------- X Fence Line ------- X Ridge Line X ------- Cliff/Escarpment X ------- Point-to-Point Line ------- X Property/Parcel Line (Including PLSS) ------- X Property/Parcel Line (Airport, Airfield, Military Installation or other) ------- X Ferry Crossing X ------- Perennial Shoreline X ------- Intermittent Shoreline ------- X Railroad Feature (Main, Spur, or Yard) X ------- Carline, Streetcar Track, Monorail, Other Mass Transit Rail X ------- Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail Line, Tram X ------- Interstate Highway or Primary Road with limited access X ------- Primary Road without limited access, US Highway, State Highway, or County Highway, Secondary and connecting roads X ------- Local Neighborhood Road, Rural Road, City Street X ------- Vehicular Trail (4WD) ------- X Service Drive usually along a limited access highway X ------- Walkway/Pedestrian Trail ------- X Stairway ------- X Alley X ------- Private Road for service vehicles (logging, oil fields, ranches, etc.) ------- X Private Driveway ------- X Parking Lot Road ------- X Bike Path or Trail ------- X Bridle Path/Horse Trail ------- X All other features (not stated above) are not acceptable boundaries.