2020 Census day is less than 7 months away (April 1, 2020).  More than $1,623 per person in federal aid and $205 in state aid are distributed annually in North Carolina based directly or indirectly on the census count.  In our region, about $675 million in federal and state aid are distributed annually based directly or indirectly on the census count.  As preparations for the 2020 Census continue, below is a list of frequently asked questions, provided by NC Census 2020 website, concerning how citizens should respond to the 2020 Census.    

 

Question: Who is counted in the Census?

Answer: Everyone. The Census counts everyone living in the United States, regardless of citizenship status or age.

 

Question: When will I complete the Census? 

Answer: Census notices will be mailed in mid-March 2020, and you can respond online as soon as you get your Census notice. Census Bureau enumerators will begin visiting households that have not responded yet in mid-April 2020.

 

Question: How can I respond?

Answer: The 2020 Census is the first U.S. Census to allow response by smartphone or online. You can choose to respond by phone or by traditional paper questionnaire. Census forms will be available in 12 languages, and Census support and assistance will be available in 59 languages, American Sign Language, braille, and large print.

 

Question: What information will be requested? 

 

Question: What information will not be requested?

The Census Bureau will never ask for Social Security numbers, bank or credit card account numbers, money or donations or anything on behalf of a political party

 

If you are visited by someone from the United States Census Bureau, here are some recognition tips to assure the validity of the field representative;

 

Census Bureau enumerators must present an ID Badge that includes their photograph, the Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. In addition to carrying a laptop and/ or bag with a Census Bureau logo, the field representative will provide the following:

If in doubt, call the U.S. Census Bureau Atlanta Regional Office at 1-800-424-6974.

 

Question: What if I already filled out a Census questionnaire this year?

Answer: You probably received the American Community Survey (ACS) or the American Housing Survey (AHS) from the U.S. Census that is sent out each year to approximately 25% of the population. Those surveys are more comprehensive than the Census questionnaire. The actual 2020 Census questionnaire does not arrive until around March 2020.

 

Question: If I filled out the American Community Survey or the American Housing Survey, do I still have to fill out the 2020 Census questionnaire? 

Answer: Yes. You are required to complete any questionnaire received from the U.S. Census Bureau.

 

Question: Where are college students, prisoners, military personnel, and other people living in ground quarters supposed to be counted?

Answer: The Census counts everyone, once, only once, and in the right place. College dorms, prisons, military barracks, and long-term nursing homes are examples of Census group quarters. The Census will work with administrative staff at these places to count everyone. Students or military personnel living in apartments will receive their own Census mailings.  Everyone should answer their Census form based on where they usually reside as of April 1, 2020.

 

Question: If I disagree with some aspect of this year's Census, is boycotting the form the best way to show that?

Answer: No. Refusing to fill out the entire form will cause an enumerator to be sent to your home for follow-up. While refusing to answer only one question on the Census may not trigger this response, under Title 13 of the U.S. Code, you can be fined up to $100 for refusing to fill out a Census form and $500 for knowingly answering questions falsely. Further, incomplete forms will cause your community to have less accurate data and potentially fewer resources long-term.

 

If you have additional questions concerning the 2020 Census, please contact U.S. Census Bureau Atlanta Regional Office at 1-800-424-6974, or Taylor Dellinger (phone 828-485-4233 email: [email protected] .

The Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) Stormwater Partnership began in 2010, and conducted education programs on behalf of a few local governments in the region to fulfill the Outreach/Education required in their MS4 Stormwater Permits. WPCOG has now expanded that program, as of July 1st, 2019, to meet all of the requirements of those permits; including management of stormwater control structures and permitting to minimize runoff issues, illicit discharge monitoring using our Code Enforcement Division, and Good Housekeeping as it pertains to the properties owned by those local governments. Currently the partnership has full program coverage of 7 municipalities in the region: Hudson, Valdese, Cajah's Mountain, Sawmills, Granite Falls, Gamewell, and Lenoir. The WPCOG continues to implement the Stormwater Education and Outreach Programs for the following municipalities: Hickory, Conover, Maiden, Morganton, and Rutherford College. The following is a list of typically asked questions concerning the WPCOG's Stormwater Program:

What is the Western Piedmont Council of Governments Stormwater Program?                

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality enforces any municipality of a certain size to manage any stormwater runoff within their boundaries. This requirement is based off of a 1972 permit (NPDES MS4) developed under the Clean Water Act and enforced by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. The management of stormwater is needed to protect our drinking water supply, ensure environmental health, and protect the waters that work as a major draw for North Carolina's tourism. The correct management of stormwater helps prevent flooding, prevents pollutants from entering our states water bodies, and prevents erosion from damaging one of the best features of our state.

Why was the Stormwater Program Developed?

Historically, the United States would dump pollutants and sewage directly into the waters of the US. The idea behind this was "Dilution is the solution", essentially that by putting any pollutants in the water it would dilute their concentration down to make them less hazardous. Eventually this spurred on the creation of the EPA and the Clean Water Act (CWA). The CWA allowed for regulation of water pollutants and management of stormwater that runs off of impervious surfaces.

An impervious surface is any surface that does not allow water to pass through it - think asphalt, concrete, buildings, or even gravel in most cases. This inability for water to penetrate through these surfaces means that the stormwater runoff just "runs across it", picking up pollutants and speed along the way. Pretty much any impervious surface has some type of pollutant on it: chemicals from your roof, brake dust and oil from roads, chemical pesticides from parking lots, etc. When the stormwater runoff picks up these pollutants, it will typically go right into the storm drain.

What is a Storm Drain?

Stormwater runoff that goes into storm drains actually gets released back into our streams and rivers rather than being treated due to a logistical problem with trying to treat every ounce of stormwater that hits our developments. It would be prohibitively expensive, and impossible to treat stormwater runoff in addition to our waste water. 1 acre of asphalt that receives 1 inch of rainwater can generate over 27,000 gallons of runoff - take that and multiply it by every acre of impervious surface in your town to get a scale of why it's not possible to treat stormwater. So the solution is to have a separate sewer system that focuses on just draining out stormwater. A storm sewer drain is a type of grated drain that collects runoff, whereas a sanitary sewer typically has a solid manhole.

What is Storm Sewer Dumping?

At some point you have probably seen a storm sewer drain with the telltale signs of someone dumping pollutants into it. It's not uncommon for people to use storm drains as garbage receptacles or a "convenient" place to dump oil or paint - usually thinking that the water gets treated. However this pollution (called an "illicit discharge") ends up in a river or lake - typically where nearby municipalities pull their drinking water from. This pollution builds up over time harming the health of the water, killing plants and animals that inhabit it, and increasing the cost to treat the water to make it safe for human consumption or use. There are many types of pollutants that can impair streams: chemicals, oils, grass clippings, pesticides, runoff from washing your car, etc.

The WPCOG stormwater management program works towards preventing these issues for everyone who utilizes the water, and to improve the overall environmental quality of the area. This is achieved through education, policies that help regulate stormwater, and structures that control stormwater for new developments. If you have any questions about the WPCOG's stormwater program, or wish to report an illicit discharge/stormwater issue you can contact Jack Cline at: 828.485.4222, or by email at [email protected], and Johnny Wear at 828.485.4283, or by email at [email protected].