[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79198-79199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30758]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. PI2009-1, Order No. 152]
Universal Postal Service
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the Commission has issued a
report on universal postal service and the postal monopoly. It
describes how copies of the report and related material can be
accessed. It also establishes a new docket for submission of comments
addressing the report.
DATES: Initial comments due February 17, 2009; reply comments due March
19, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at http://www.prc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen L. Sharfman, 202-789-6820 and
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulatory History, 73 FR 23507, (April 30,
2008).
I. Introduction
On December 19, 2008, the Commission transmitted to Congress and to
the President a Report on Universal Postal Service and the Postal
Monopoly (Report) as required by section 702 of the Postal
Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA), Public Law 109-435, 120
Stat. 3218 (2006). The Report is the product of over 8 months of review
and analysis of information, comments, and testimony submitted in
Docket No. PI2008-3 \1\ by the United States Postal Service (Postal
Service),\2\ other Federal agencies, a member of Congress,
representatives of Postal Service employee unions, postmaster
associations, users of the mails, enterprises in the private sector
engaged in the delivery of the mail, and the general public.\3\ In
addition to its solicitation of written comments, the Commission
scheduled three field hearings,\4\ a hearing in Washington, DC,\5\ and
a public workshop.\6\
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\1\ The proceedings in Docket No. PI2008-3 were instituted by
PRC Order No. 71, Notice and Order Providing an Opportunity to
Comment, April 18, 2008.
\2\ In addition to the data, testimony, and other related
materials submitted in Docket No. PI2008-3, the Postal Service also
commissioned analyses which it has made available at http://www.usps.com/postallaw/universalpostalservice.htm.
\3\ The Commission was assisted in this undertaking by a team of
experts assembled by the School of Public Policy at George Mason
University (GMU) and by GMU's Center for Social Science Research.
\4\ Hearings were held in Flagstaff, Arizona on May 21, 2008;
St. Paul, Minnesota on June 5, 2008; and Portsmouth, New Hampshire
on June 19, 2008.
\5\ The Washington, DC hearing was held on July 10, 2008.
\6\ The workshop was held in Washington, DC on June 12, 2008.
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II. The Commission's Report
The extensive Commission Report is available at http://www.prc.gov.
It addresses all of the matters identified in section 702 of the PAEA,
including:
--A comprehensive review of the history and development of universal
service and the postal monopolies;
--The current legal scope of the universal service obligation and the
postal letter and mailbox monopolies;
--The scope and standards of universal service and the postal
monopolies likely to be required in the future to meet the needs and
expectations of the United States public.
The report recommends no immediate changes in universal service,
the universal service obligation, the letter monopoly, or the mailbox
monopoly. However, it recognizes that the Postal Service is faced with
many difficult challenges stemming both from technological and social
trends, and volume declines caused by the current economic downturn,
and offers recommendations identifying areas where additional
information should assist decision makers if future action becomes
necessary.
Primary Commission findings are:
--The universal service obligation has seven attributes: (1) Geographic
scope; (2) range of products; (3) access to postal facilities; (4)
delivery frequency; (5) prices/affordability; (6) quality of service;
and (7) users' rights.
--The current obligation to provide service to all persons in all parts
of the Nation, its territories, and possessions, is paramount, and
should not be altered.
--Current law makes the universal service obligation applicable to both
market dominant and competitive products.
--A first estimate of the annual cost of the universal service
obligation, based on FY 2007, is $4.4 billion.
--A first estimate of the annual value of the combined letter mail and
mailbox monopolies, based on FY 2007, is $3.5 billion, although this
estimate is subject to substantial variation.
Accompanying the Report is a CD that contains the extensive body of
material underlying the Report that was developed for the Commission
under a contract with the George Mason University School of Public
Policy. All of this material can be accessed on the Commission Web
site. For the USO Report: http://www.prc.gov/docs/61/6128/USO
Report.pdf. For the USO Appendices and Workpapers: http://www.prc.gov/prc-pages/library/USOAppendices.aspx.
III. Public Comments
The Commission's Report is a further step in the ongoing evolution
of postal services. The information and analyses contained in the
Report will form an important part of the basis for future discussions
and action on issues facing the Postal Service. While the PAEA does not
specifically require the Commission to solicit comments on its Report,
the Commission believes that further discussion would be facilitated
and the record further enhanced by establishing a new docket that gives
the public an opportunity to comment. Following the receipt of
additional comments, the Commission may decide to issue a supplemental
report. The Commission urges those persons and entities that
participated in the proceedings in Docket No. PI2008-3, as well as any
other interested persons, to review the Report carefully and provide
their comments in this new docket.
IV. Public Representative
Section 505 of title 39 requires the designation of an officer of
the Commission in all public proceedings to
[[Page 79199]]
represent the interests of the general public. The Commission hereby
designates E. Rand Costich as that Public Representative in this
proceeding. Pursuant to this designation, he will direct the activities
of Commission personnel assigned to assist him and will, upon request,
provide their names for the record. Neither he nor any of the assigned
personnel will participate in or provide advice on any Commission
decision in this proceeding.
V. Ordering Paragraphs
It is Ordered:
1. As set forth in the body of this Notice, Docket No. PI2009-1 is
established for the purpose of receiving comments regarding the
Commission's December 19, 2008 Report to Congress and the President on
Universal Postal Service and the Postal Monopoly.
2. Interested persons may submit comments no later than February
17, 2009.
3. Reply comments may be filed no later than March 19, 2009.
4. E. Rand Costich is designated as the Public Representative
representing the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
5. The Secretary shall cause this Notice to be published in the
Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Steven W. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-30758 Filed 12-23-08; 8:45 am]
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