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Tuesday, April 10, 2012

New Information on the 2010 Census - Federal Transit Administration - may affect formula, and apportionments

On March 27, 2012, the Bureau of the Census released its 2010 Urbanized Area (UZA) designations and accompanying population and population density data. FTA will use this information for the formula apportionments beginning in Fiscal Year 2013. Formula apportionments for Fiscal Year 2012 will continue to be based on the 2000 Census UZA data and designations. The following documents provide information on how the 2010 Census may affect formula funding recipients:

Census 2010 and FTA Formula Grants

• On March 27, 2012, the Bureau of the Census released its list of Urbanized Areas (UZAs) based on data collected in the 2010 Census. This information is available at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/ua/2010urbanruralclass.html.

• FTA has also published a comparison of the 2000 and 2010 Census UZAs and their population at http://www.fta.dot.gov/grants/12853_12408.html.

• A matrix of how 2010 Census UZA changes will affect the eligible activities of and formula apportionments made to FTA grant recipients is also available at http://www.fta.dot.gov/grants/12853_12408.html.

• The 2010 Census UZA deliniations resulted in:
o five UZAs going over the 1 million population threshold (Austin, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Memphis, and Salt Lake City);
o one UZA going under the 1 million population threshold (New Orleans);
o 27 UZAs going over the 200,000 population threshold;
o 36 new UZAs, all under 200,000 in population; and
o four areas that were UZAs based on the 2000 Census going under the 50,000 threshold that qualifies an area as a UZA in 2010 (Galveston, TX; Sandusky, OH; Danville, VA; and Saipan, MP).

• The Bureau of the Census determined the list of Urbanized Areas (UZAs) based on technical criteria established by them. Their determinations are strictly technical and are made without regard to any of the many Federal programs that use them in many different ways.

• The criteria used in 2010 were not significantly different from 2000. The changes were mostly minor tweaks, for example reducing the distance separating populated areas to be included in the same UZA from 2.5 miles back to the 1.5 miles they used in 1990.

• One major change is that Census “grandfathered” the UZAs from the 2000 Census, significantly reducing the number of splits and mergers in the 2010 Census compared to 10 years ago.
o No Census 2000 UZAs were to be merged so long as both UZAs remained above 50,000 in population. Thus, there are no mergers.
o Boundaries between contiguous UZAs were based on the locations of Census 2000 urban area boundaries.
o One split occurred when two populated areas in the same Census 2000 UZA were no longer connected using the new criteria.
o These rules facilitated continuity and comparability between the Census 2000 and the 2010 Census urban area definitions, but maintained some inconsistencies from the 2000 Census (e.g. the very large Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach UZA in South Florida vs. the numerous small UZAs in the San Francisco Bay Area.)

• Virgin Islands, Guam, and Northern Marianas agreed to have Census measure urbanization within their territories, but asked that regardless of the results, that all urban areas be classified as “urban clusters” (which are considered to be “rural” for purposes of FTA programs.
o No UZAs were identified in Northern Marianas;
o An urban area with 139,000 population in Guam will be treated as “rural” for purposes of FTA’s programs;
o An urban area with over 50,000 population in Virgin Islands will be “ignored” by FTA as statute provides for the entire Virgin Islands to be treated as a UZA for purposes of FTA programs;
o No UZAs were identified in American Samoa

• The primary reasons underlying UZA changes are urban sprawl and population growth, rather than changes in methodology.

• FTA will use the new Census data for the FY 2013 apportionments.

• Some of the decennial census data FTA currently uses for the 5310, JARC, and New Freedom program formulas will now be available only from the American Community Survey (ACS), which is conducted on a rolling basis. The first national five year ACS dataset was published December 14, 2010, from surveys conducted in 2005-2009. http://www.census.gov/acs/www/


• FTA does not currently have the statutory authority to grant exceptions administratively to allow operating assistance where it is ineligible under current law.
o Congress took action to grandfather in areas that were impacted by census in 1990 and in 2000, to phase in the adverse impacts over several years. Congress could do that again.
o The rules regarding operating assistance eligibility could be changed independent of Census considerations by reauthorization, which Congress is currently debating.

• FTA and FHWA are preparing a Federal Register Notice on the implementation of planning requirements related to the new UZAs, based on current law.

Revised4/2/12– MMC/DS

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For more info,comparissions, potential impacts visit:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/grants/12853_12408.html

For the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) visit:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/

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