Hi Everyone --
I attended a Federal Data Users Workshop at the Census Bureau last week. Nancy Torrieri
(CB) announced this new ArcGIS extension at the meeting. I haven't had time to look
at it, so I hope that some of you will take the time to do so, and report back to the
listserv with your results!
This is an extension that works with ArcGIS 9.3 or 10.0 Please visit the George Mason
University website at:
http://gesg.gmu.edu/census
I LOVE the listserv! I am so glad that Ed Christopher set it up so many years ago when he
chaired the TRB subcommittee on Census data. AND, I love how everyone helps each other
out!
The reason that I was at the Census Bureau is that they are conducting an ACS Program
Review that they expect to run for 12-18 months. The workshop for people from Federal
agencies was one of the 8 parts of the program review. They are also planning for ways
for non-federal data users to be part of this review, including a CNSTAT workshop to be
held in Fall 2011 (don't have a date), and other outreach from the ACS Communications
team.
James B. Treat, the Chief of the ACS Office, said they MUST look at reducing the size of
the ACS products and need data users to convey their preferences and understand that
trade-offs must be made. They need to know if the 3-year products are used, or people
mostly want the 5-year products, and which geographic summary levels are needed. For
example: how much tabulation for tracts split by place? vs. whole tracts.
And finally, in case you had not heard, the Census Bureau announced a few weeks ago that
they will be closing 6 of the 12 regional offices by the end of 2012.
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/miscellaneous/realignment.…
Elaine Murakami
FHWA Office of Planning
206-220-4460 (in Seattle)