Notice2022-12063
Change to County-Equivalents in the State of Connecticut
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 6, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentCensus Bureau
Abstract
This notice provides information about the State of Connecticut's (hereafter Connecticut or the State) formal request to the Census Bureau to adopt the State's nine planning regions as county- equivalent geographic units for purposes of collecting, tabulating, and disseminating statistical data, replacing the eight counties which ceased to function as governmental and administrative entities in 1960. The Census Bureau will implement this change internally in 2022, with public data and geospatial products reflecting the change beginning in late 2022. By 2024, all Census Bureau operations and publications, both internal and external, will use the nine new county-equivalent boundaries, names, and codes, except for 2020 Decennial Census data publications and other datasets referencing the eight legacy counties as published before June 1, 2022.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 108 (Monday, June 6, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 108 (Monday, June 6, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34235-34240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12063]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
[Docket Number 220519-0117]
Change to County-Equivalents in the State of Connecticut
AGENCY: Census Bureau, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice provides information about the State of
Connecticut's (hereafter Connecticut or the State) formal request to
the Census Bureau to adopt the State's nine planning regions as county-
equivalent geographic units for purposes of collecting, tabulating, and
disseminating statistical data, replacing the eight counties which
ceased to function as governmental and administrative entities in 1960.
The Census Bureau will implement this change internally in 2022, with
public data and geospatial products reflecting the change beginning in
late 2022. By 2024, all Census Bureau operations and publications, both
internal and external, will use the nine new county-equivalent
boundaries, names, and codes, except for 2020 Decennial Census data
publications and other datasets referencing the eight legacy counties
as published before June 1, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information on
this notice should be directed to Rikki Wortham:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ff989a90d1989a90988d9e8f9786bf9c9a918c8a8cd1989089"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2e494b4100494b41495c4f5e46576e4d4b405d5b5d00494158">[email protected]</span></a>. Phone: 812-218-3973.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Officials with the Connecticut Office of
Policy and Management contacted the Census Bureau in October 2017
regarding the possibility of replacing the State's eight counties with
the State's nine planning regions for purposes of collecting,
tabulating, and disseminating statistical data. This notice provides
information about Connecticut's formal request to the Census Bureau to
adopt the State's nine planning regions, representing their councils of
governments (COGs), designated under Section 16a-4a (4) of the
Connecticut General Statutes, as the county-equivalent geographic unit
for purposes of collecting, tabulating, and disseminating statistical
and geospatial data. This notice also serves as a final response to all
comments received to the proposed notice published in the Federal
Register on December 14, 2020 (85 FR 80766).
The Census Bureau is publishing this notice in consultation with
Connecticut to inform county-level data users of the decision to
implement the change and to request that all stakeholders begin
preparation for the mitigation of any potential impacts. Other federal
agencies may have their own operational uses for the legacy boundaries,
names, codes, or related geospatial data; however, specific guidance on
these matters is out of scope for this notice.
All agencies, stakeholders, and data users are urged to review
their own operations and procedures to prepare for the change and
assess any impacts. The Census Bureau will continue to maintain the
boundaries, names, and codes of the eight nonfunctioning legacy
counties as recorded by the International Committee for Information
Technology Standards (INCITS) (formerly Federal Information Processing
Standard (FIPS)) Codes, but they will no longer be recognized as valid
and current for future Census Bureau programs, products, and
publications after June 2022. Previously published data and geospatial
products will continue to reflect the boundaries, names, and codes of
the legacy counties in effect at the time of publication and can be
used as a reference for research and operational needs.
This notice is Census Bureau's final announcement that
Connecticut's request will be implemented and urges all stakeholders to
immediately prepare for any impacts related to the adoption of planning
regions as county-equivalents on data collection; data analysis; data
dissemination; planning and decision making; and program
implementation. The Census Bureau suggests that stakeholders: (1)
establish plans for updating or replacing data collection and
tabulation programs or nonstatistical programs that will not be able to
implement this change; (2) establish plans to accommodate a substantial
break in data continuity if longitudinal analyses are no longer
possible; and (3) identify specific programs and other uses of county-
level information that will require county name, code, and boundary
updates.
13 U.S.C. 181 requires that the Secretary of Commerce ``annually
produce and publish for each State, county, and local unit of general-
purpose government which has a population of fifty thousand or more,
current data on total population and population characteristics and, to
the extent feasible, . . . biennially produce and publish for other
local units of general-purpose government current data on total
population.'' 13 U.S.C. 183 further requires that with the exception of
laws which provide that only population or population characteristics
data obtained in the most recent decennial census may be used, that
[[Page 34236]]
``. . . for the purpose of administering any law of the United States
in which population or other population characteristics are used to
determine the amount of benefit received by State, county, or local
units of general-purpose government, the Secretary shall transmit to
the President for use by the appropriate departments and agencies of
the executive branch the data most recently produced and published
under this title.'' To meet these statutory requirements, the Census
Bureau must, to the best of its ability use the most current, accurate,
and up to date geographic boundaries for States, counties, and local
units of general-purpose government.
The Census Bureau strives to provide statistical data for
geographic areas that are meaningful and relevant for analysis and
decision-making. In Connecticut, the nine COGs exist to address matters
of mutual interest to their constituent cities and towns, with each
member city and town represented by its highest elected official. They
function as regional planning organizations, coordinating activities
for their constituent cities and towns, and in that capacity can
exercise a variety of responsibilities typically undertaken by counties
in other states. Being that Connecticut's counties ceased to function
as governmental and administrative entities in 1960, the planning
regions are more meaningful and relevant areas for tabulation and
dissemination of statistical data within the State, as well as for
regional and national county comparisons, than are the eight legacy
counties.
The Census Bureau believes, given the substantial length of time
that has elapsed since the dissolution of Connecticut's counties with
no functioning governmental alternatives having been put into place, it
is appropriate to accept the adoption of these nine county-equivalent
entities and their associated boundaries, codes, and names for spatial
representation and publication of statistical data at the county level
of the Census Bureau's geographic hierarchy. This decision was made
without regard to similar circumstances that may exist in other states
and is narrowly focused on this unique situation in Connecticut.
Therefore, it should not be taken as a precedent for other situations
that may currently exist or arise later.
The Census Bureau will implement this change in early 2022 and use
the new county-equivalents when reporting all statistical data and
geospatial data referenced to 2022 and all years thereafter.
Background
Although Connecticut's eight counties have long provided stable
geographic units for reporting statistical data, they have not served
as functional governmental and administrative entities since county
government in the state was abolished in 1960. The State's nine COGs
function as regional planning organizations, coordinating activities
for their constituent cities and towns (note, however, that in some
instances the name of the planning region differs from that of its
COG). As such, planning regions provide a more meaningful geographic
unit for reporting data since the data would be aligned with the
collection of municipalities (i.e., cities and towns) that constitute
the governance framework for each COG. Each municipality within a
designated planning region is entitled to membership in the region's
COG upon adoption of an ordinance by its legislative body. The highest
elected official of each member municipality is then provided a vote on
all COG matters. By reporting statistical data for COGs, member
municipalities will be in a better position to plan collaboratively and
act strategically on the efficient delivery of services, bulk
purchasing, and other matters of practical interest.
While COGs do not have the authority to levy taxes, they are
authorized under State law to assess dues on their member
municipalities, to accept other sources of public and private
assistance for the purpose of providing regional and shared services,
and to administer a regional property tax base revenue sharing system
if approved by a unanimous vote of its member municipalities. In this
regard, as well as the ability to provide the variety of services
listed below, Connecticut's COGs and associated planning regions have
the authority to carry out administrative functions that are typically
found in county governments in other states. Section 8-31b(b) of the
Connecticut General Statutes states that:
Regional services provided to member municipalities shall be
determined by each regional council of governments . . . and may
include, without limitation, the following services: (1)
Engineering; (2) inspectional and planning; (3) economic
development; (4) public safety; (5) emergency management; (6) animal
control; (7) land use management; (8) tourism promotion; (9) social;
(10) health; (11) education; (12) data management; (13) regional
sewerage; (14) housing; (15) computerized mapping; (16) household
hazardous waste collection; (17) recycling; (18) public facility
siting; (19) coordination of master planning; (20) vocational
training and development; (21) solid waste disposal; (22) fire
protection; (23) regional resource protection; (24) regional impact
studies; and (25) transportation.
In the same section, the COGs are authorized to ``accept or
participate in any grant, donation, or program made available to
counties by any other governmental or private entity.''
Scope of Change
Adoption of the nine planning regions as county-equivalents applies
to the collection, tabulation, and dissemination of Census Bureau
statistical and geospatial data for Connecticut. The Census Bureau
proposes to implement this change internally in early 2022, and will
use the resulting county-equivalent planning regions in all of its
programs that collect, tabulate, and disseminate demographic or
economic data, such as: the American Community Survey (ACS); the
intercensal Population Estimates Program (PEP); Small Area Income and
Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) Program; the Economic Census; County Business
Patterns; the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics Program; the
2030 Decennial Census; and all other future Census Bureau operations.
While other federal agencies are encouraged to adopt Connecticut's
planning regions as county-equivalents for use in their statistical and
non-statistical programs, the Census Bureau does not have the authority
to require such a change. Nevertheless, adoption of planning regions as
county-equivalents will assure comparability of data produced by all
federal agencies as well as comparability between statistical and non-
statistical programs.
Transitioning From Counties to Planning Regions
Relationship Between Counties and Planning Regions
Although the planning regions and counties do not align, there is
substantial overlap, to the extent that one can discern the
relationships between individual planning regions and counties. Figure
1 depicts the relationship between Connecticut's eight counties and its
nine planning regions.
[[Page 34237]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN06JN22.001
The closest relationship is between Middlesex County and Lower
Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, with all 15 of the cities and
towns within the county also located within the planning region (which
also contains two towns located in New London County).
Cities and towns are the constituent governments within each COG/
planning region. As such, data for cities and towns can be aggregated
to planning regions, facilitating reconstruction of time series data
and longitudinal analysis. Table 1 provides the 2020 Census population
and housing for each planning region, based on aggregated data
previously published for constituent cities and towns.
Table 1--Planning Region: 2020 Population and Housing
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2020 Census
Planning region population 2020 Census
count housing count
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Capitol................................. 976,248 414,084
Greater Bridgeport...................... 325,778 125,332
Lower Connecticut River Valley.......... 174,225 82,497
Naugatuck Valley........................ 450,376 191,376
Northeastern Connecticut................ 95,348 41,439
Northwest Hills......................... 112,503 55,478
South Central Connecticut............... 570,487 246,044
Southeastern Connecticut................ 280,430 125,183
Western Connecticut..................... 620,549 248,764
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Using the distribution of cities and towns within counties and
planning regions as a guide, data users can use crosswalk relationship
files between counties and planning regions, to build longitudinal
datasets or make approximate comparisons as depicted in Table 2 below.
Table 2--Counties-to-Planning Regions Approximation
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2020 Census 2020 Census
County population count Planning region population count
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................. Greater Bridgeport........... 325,778
Fairfield.................................. 957,419 Western Connecticut.......... 620,549
Hartford................................... 899,498 ............................. .................
Tolland.................................... 149,788 Capitol...................... 976,248
Litchfield................................. 185,186 Northwest Hills.............. 112,503
[[Page 34238]]
Middlesex.................................. 164,245 Lower Connecticut River 174,225
Valley.
................. Naugatuck Valley............. 450,376
New Haven.................................. 864,835 South Central Connecticut.... 570,487
New London................................. 268,555 Southeastern Connecticut..... 280,430
Windham.................................... 116,418 Northeastern Connecticut..... 95,348
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To assist with the transition from counties to planning regions and
the development of longitudinal data for the new county-equivalents,
the Census Bureau will produce and make available reference files
identifying the cities and towns that constitute each planning region,
and reference files identifying the relationships between various sub-
state and sub-county geographic areas and the planning regions. This
will facilitate aggregation of data from Census Bureau programs that
collect, tabulate, and disseminate data for cities and towns in
Connecticut. These files will be posted at the Census Bureau website
titled ``Substantial Changes to Counties and County-Equivalent
Entities: 1970-Present'' and will include detailed information about
the updates referenced in this notice.
Upon adoption of this change, the Census Bureau will include
planning regions in all geospatial data products, including TIGER/Line
Shapefiles, TIGER/Line Geodatabases, cartographic boundary files, and
mapping services. The INCITS 31 Codes and National Standard (NS)
(specifically INCITS 446) Codes for the eight counties will be retired
from current and future Census Bureau products and used only within the
context of data referencing the counties in Connecticut as published
before 2022, see Table 3 below.
Table 3--Legacy County Names and INCITS (Formerly FIPS) Codes
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INCITS 38 state +
Name INCITS 31 county National standard
code \1\ county code \2\
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Fairfield County.................. 09001 00212794
Hartford County................... 09003 00212338
Litchfield County................. 09005 00212796
Middlesex County.................. 09007 00212797
New Haven County.................. 09009 00212798
New London County................. 09011 00212799
Tolland County.................... 09013 00212668
Windham County.................... 09015 00212801
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Each planning region has been assigned a new three-digit INCITS 31
Code, starting with 110, and continuing in alphanumeric order by name
(Table 4).\3\ Each planning region has also been assigned a new eight-
digit National Standard (NS) Code as included in the U.S. Board on
Geographic Names' (BGN's) Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
These new codes and other attribute codes will be included in Census
Bureau geographic reference products after this change is implemented.
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\1\ To make the 3-digit county codes (INCITS 31) nationally
unique, they need to be combined/concatenated with the 2-digit state
codes (INCITS 38) as the prefix.
\2\ National Standard Codes included in Census Bureau products
are 8-digit INCITS 446 Codes stored and maintained by the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) on behalf of the U.S. BGN in the GNIS.
\3\ The codes in this notice do not match the codes listed in
the proposed notice issued on December 14, 2020, in the Federal
Register (85 FR 80766). After issuing the proposal, it was
determined that a distinct break in the INCITS 31 (formerly FIPS 6)
Code series would more clearly demarcate the new county-equivalent
planning regions from the legacy counties and indicate the
significant change in county-level geographic representation.
Table 4--Planning Region Names and INCITS (Formerly FIPS) Codes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
INCITS 38 state +
Name INCITS 31 county National standard
code county code
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Capitol Planning Region........... 09110 02830244
Greater Bridgeport Planning Region 09120 02830245
Lower Connecticut River Valley 09130 02830246
Planning Region..................
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.. 09140 02830249
Northeastern Connecticut Planning 09150 02830250
Region...........................
Northwest Hills Planning Region... 09160 02830251
South Central Connecticut Planning 09170 02830252
Region...........................
Southeastern Connecticut Planning 09180 02830253
Region...........................
Western Connecticut Planning 09190 02830254
Region...........................
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[[Page 34239]]
Relationship to Other Statistical Geographic Entities
The Census Bureau accounted for the change from counties to
planning regions when implementing the Participant Statistical Areas
Program (PSAP) for the 2020 Census, the program in which the Census
Bureau works with local officials to review and update block groups and
census tracts. The planning regions were the official PSAP participants
in Connecticut for both the 2010 and 2020 censuses, thus ensuring that
census tracts and block groups generally aligned with city and town
boundaries, facilitating transition to the new county-equivalents. The
Census Bureau further reviewed block group and census tract boundaries
for the 2020 Census to ensure alignment with planning region
boundaries. As a result, the change to county-equivalents in
Connecticut will not affect block group and census tract boundaries.
Both types of entities will nest within planning region boundaries.
The adoption of planning regions as county-equivalents will affect
the current and future delineations of Metropolitan and Micropolitan
Statistical Areas as well as Combined Statistical Areas by the Office
of Management and Budget. Current New England City and Town Areas
(NECTAs) and combined NECTAs are not affected by this change.
Timeline
Officials with Connecticut's Office of Policy and Management
contacted the Census Bureau in October 2017 regarding the process they
should follow to adopt the State's nine planning regions as county-
equivalents. At that time, Census Bureau staff advised that officials
first obtain broad data user support throughout the State, including
other State agencies, the State Data Center, as well as the planning
regions. Table 5 below highlights important milestones of the process
leading to the publication of this notice. Once broad support for the
change was achieved, a formal request addressed to the Census Bureau's
Director was needed for the Census Bureau to take formal steps toward
adoption of the nine planning regions as county-equivalents. The
State's initial formal request was received by the Census Bureau in
August 2019. The State also submitted a letter of support from the
Connecticut Data Collaborative/State Data Center attesting to the
importance and value of data for planning regions to analysts, decision
makers, and other data users throughout Connecticut as well as broad
support for the change among data users throughout the State. In
addition, members of Connecticut's Congressional delegation, chairs of
each of the State's nine COGs, and officials from the Connecticut
Conference of Municipalities, Council of Small Towns, and the Advisory
Commission on Intergovernmental Relations were copied on the State's
letter to the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau held a meeting with
Connecticut State and local government officials, State agency staff,
and COG chairs in April 2020 to provide an update on outreach regarding
the proposed change where meeting participants reiterated the
importance of, and support for, adoption of the State's nine planning
regions as county-equivalents.
The Census Bureau began outreach to other federal agencies and data
users regarding this change in October 2019, following Connecticut's
formal request to begin the process of replacing its eight counties
with the nine planning regions. The Census Bureau published a notice in
the Federal Register on December 14, 2020 (85 FR 80766) requesting
comments on the proposed program change. The Census Bureau has held
seven briefings for staff of federal agencies: one for the Interagency
Council on Statistical Policy; two organized by the Federal Committee
on Statistical Methodology--Geospatial Interest Group; two specifically
for Department of Housing and Urban Development staff, including staff
managing the Community Development Block Grant and other funding
allocation programs; one specifically for Bureau of Labor Statistics
staff; and one organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation
attended by federal, State, and local transportation planners.
Summary of Comments Received in Response to Proposed Changes
The Census Bureau received eight comments in total in response to
the notice on the proposal published in the Federal Register on
December 14, 2020 (85 FR 80766). Six of the comments expressed support
for the change. One comment suggested a change from the county code
assignments published in Table 4 of the proposed notice to the county
code assignment which was adopted for this final notice. The final
comment focused on questions regarding state-level decisions and was
referred to Connecticut executive stakeholders to provide a response.
Following completion of the formal period of comment associated
with the proposal in the December 14, 2020 Federal Register Notice (85
FR 80766), the Census Bureau, in consultation with Connecticut
government officials, reviewed the comments received to determine if
there were valid reasons to revisit the proposed plan. With none being
noted, Connecticut reached the final decision in December 2021 to move
forward with the implementation of the nine planning regions as county-
equivalents in Census Bureau publications. This Notice serves as the
Census Bureau's final formal announcement of intent to immediately
implement the changes detailed herein.
The Census Bureau continued to conduct additional outreach after
the official comment period for the proposal in the Federal Register
Notice closed on February 12, 2021. From March 2021 to February 2022
the Census Bureau held meetings with DHS (Department of Homeland
Security) and two of its components, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management
Agency) and the Office of Infrastructure within NPPD (the National
Protection and Program Directorate); the Department of Interior and its
component agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, including USGS's National
Geospatial Program Office; the Department of Agriculture; the
Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs; and, two other
Commerce Department bureaus, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration--including the National Weather Service) and BEA (Bureau
of Economic Affairs).
Table 5--Timeline of Activities
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Activity Dates
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Officials from the State of Connecticut's Office of October 2017.
Policy and Management contact Census Bureau regarding
proposed adoption of planning regions as county-
equivalents.
Connecticut Office of Policy and Management staff November 2017-March 2019.
conduct outreach at the State-level to obtain
consensus for change.
[[Page 34240]]
Formal request from the State of Connecticut to the August 2019.
Census Bureau's Director regarding adoption of
planning regions as county-equivalents.
Census Bureau outreach to federal agencies and other September 2019-present
data users.
Federal Register Notice announcing the Census Bureau's December 14, 2020.
proposed implementation of the change in county-
equivalents.
Census Bureau receives final decision from Connecticut December 1, 2021.
to move forward with the changes.
Census Bureau, in consultation with the State of Spring 2022.
Connecticut, issues final decision regarding adoption
of planning regions as county-equivalents.
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Robert L. Santos, Director, Census Bureau, approved the publication
of this Notice in the Federal Register.
Dated: May 31, 2022.
Mary Reuling Lenaiyasa,
Program Manager, Paperwork Reduction Act, Policy Coordination Office,
Census Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2022-12063 Filed 6-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
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