Notice2025-14408
2030 Census Redistricting Data Program, Commencement of Phase 1: The Block Boundary Suggestion Project
Primary source
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Published
July 30, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentCensus Bureau
Abstract
This notice announces the commencement of Phase 1 of the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program: The Block Boundary Suggestion Project. Phase 1 specifically provides states the opportunity to supply the Census Bureau with their suggestions for the 2030 Census tabulation block inventory. Suggestions are made by designating the desirability of linear features for use as 2030 Census tabulation block boundaries. In addition, states have the opportunity to submit to the Census Bureau suggested legal boundary updates. These actions allow states to construct some of the small area geography they need for legislative redistricting. State participation in Phase 1 of the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program is voluntary.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 144 (Wednesday, July 30, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 30, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35843-35844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14408]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
[Docket No. 250725-0129; RTID 0607-XC083]
2030 Census Redistricting Data Program, Commencement of Phase 1:
The Block Boundary Suggestion Project
AGENCY: Census Bureau, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of program.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the commencement of Phase 1 of the 2030
Census Redistricting Data Program: The Block Boundary Suggestion
Project. Phase 1 specifically provides states the opportunity to supply
the Census Bureau with their suggestions for the 2030 Census tabulation
block inventory. Suggestions are made by designating the desirability
of linear features for use as 2030 Census tabulation block boundaries.
In addition, states have the opportunity to submit to the Census Bureau
suggested legal boundary updates. These actions allow states to
construct some of the small area geography they need for legislative
redistricting. State participation in Phase 1 of the 2030 Census
Redistricting Data Program is voluntary.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 29, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by either of the following
methods:
Electronic submission: Submit electronic public comments via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal.
1. Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> and enter Docket Number USBC-2025-0006
in the search field.
2. Click the ``Comment Now!'' icon and complete the required
fields.
3. Enter or attach your comments.
By email: Comments in electronic form may also be sent to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9deff9f2ddfef8f3eee8eeb3faf2eb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3547515a7556505b4640461b525a43">[email protected]</span></a>.
All comments responding to this document will be a matter of public
record. Relevant comments will generally be available on the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at: <a href="https://www.Regulations.gov">https://www.Regulations.gov</a>.
The Census Bureau will not accept comments accompanied by a request
that part or all the material be treated confidentially for any reason.
Therefore, do not submit confidential business information or otherwise
sensitive, protected, or personal information, such as account numbers,
Social Security numbers, or names of other individuals.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Whitehorne, Chief of the Census
Redistricting and Voting Rights Data Office, U.S. Census Bureau, ADDC/
RVDO, Washington, DC 20233, telephone (301) 763-4039.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the provisions of Public Law 94-171
(13 U.S.C. 141(c)), the Director of the Census Bureau is required to
provide the ``officers or public bodies with initial responsibility for
legislative apportionment or districting of each state . . .'' with the
opportunity to specify small geographic areas (e.g., tabulation blocks,
voting districts) for which they wish to receive decennial census
population totals for the purpose of reapportionment and redistricting.
By April 1 of the year following the census, the Secretary of
Commerce is required to furnish the state officials or their designees
with population counts for standard geographies such as counties,
cities, census blocks, and for state-specified congressional districts,
legislative districts, and voting districts.
In accordance with the provisions of 13 U.S.C. 141(c), and on
behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of the Census Bureau
announces the commencement of Phase 1 of the 2030 Census Redistricting
Data Program. The purpose of this notice is to provide further
information on the commencement of Phase 1 of the 2030 Census
Redistricting Data Program: The Block Boundary Suggestion Project.
Future Federal Register notices will address other phases of the 2030
Census Redistricting Data Program.
The 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program was initially announced
on July 9, 2024 (89 FR 56287). The Census Bureau received two sets of
comments regarding the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program. One set
of comments was determined to be out of scope, and the second set of
comments discussed program operations, timing, and past successful
activities. Within this set of comments, the first, to send the
solicitation for a state non-partisan liaison letter to the state's
legislative leadership, was implemented. The second comment, to move
the timing of the program's operations from Spring to Fall, was
determined to not be feasible for the overall success of the program.
This determination was made based on feedback received during the
planning phase of the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program. Finally,
the third comment, to solicit statewide geography layers from the
commentor's state GIS coordinator to update Census Bureau geography,
was out of scope for the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program. This
recommendation was forwarded to the relevant area of the Census Bureau
for consideration.
State participation in the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program
under 13 U.S.C. 141 is voluntary. The 2030 Census Redistricting Data
Program is partitioned into several phases, as it was in previous
decades. Beginning in late 2025, the program will engage each state
regarding their voluntary participation in Phase 1, through their newly
designated 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program non-partisan
liaison(s). The Census Bureau will make available data from its
national geospatial database (MAF/TIGER System), the Geographic Update
Partnership Software (GUPS), and the procedures necessary for each
state to begin work on Phase 1. States are not required to use the
GUPS; however, they are required to provide their Phase 1 submission to
the Census Bureau electronically in Census Bureau specified formats.
During the submission period, the Census Bureau will provide training
in the use of the GUPS and assist the states in understanding the
procedures necessary for processing files for their submission. The
states will have the opportunity to verify the inclusion of their
suggested tabulation block boundary features in the Census Bureau's
MAF/TIGER System as part of Phase 1.
The Census Bureau will continue to communicate with each state to
ensure that they are well informed about the benefits of working with
the Census Bureau towards a successful 2030 Census. In addition, the
Redistricting and Voting Rights Data Office will continue to work with
each state to ensure they are prepared to participate in all phases of
the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program. Every state, regardless of
their participation in Phase 1, will receive the official redistricting
data in Phase 3 of the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program as
required by Public Law 94-171.
[[Page 35844]]
Ron Jarmin, Acting Director, Census Bureau, approved the
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
Dated: July 25, 2025.
Shannon Wink,
Program Analyst, Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Census Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2025-14408 Filed 7-29-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
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