Address Visibility on Bundles of Flat-Size and Irregular Parcel Mail, 61037-61039 [05-20924]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 202 / Thursday, October 20, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
(iii) When authorized to transit the
regulated area, all vessels shall proceed
at the minimum speed necessary to
maintain a safe course.
(d) Enforcement period. This section
will be enforced annually from 10:30
a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the first Saturday
in November. In 2005 the section will be
enforced from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on
October 29, instead of the first Saturday
in November.
Dated: October 11, 2005.
S. Ratti,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Fifth
Coast Guard District, Acting.
[FR Doc. 05–21018 Filed 10–19–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
34 CFR Parts 668, 674, 682, and 685
Federal Student Aid Programs
(Student Assistance General
Provisions, Federal Perkins Loan
Program, Federal Direct Loan Program,
Federal Family Education Loan
Program)
Office of Postsecondary
Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice extending the expiration
date for the waivers and modifications
of statutory and regulatory provisions
pursuant to the Higher Education Relief
Opportunities for Students (HEROES)
Act of 2003, Public Law 108–76.
AGENCY:
We extend the expiration date
for the waivers and modifications of
statutory and regulatory provisions
issued by the Secretary pursuant to the
HEROES Act of 2003 and announced in
a notice published in the Federal
Register on December 12, 2003 (68 FR
69312).
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 30, 2005.
The waivers and modifications
announced in the December 12, 2003
Federal Register notice expire on
September 30, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Wendy Macias, Office of Postsecondary
Education, U.S. Department of
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room
8017, Washington, DC 20006–8544.
Telephone: (202) 502–7526 or by e-mail:
wendy.macias@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), you may call
the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–
800–877–8339.
Individuals with disabilities may
obtain this document in an alternative
format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person
listed in this section.
SUMMARY:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:59 Oct 19, 2005
Jkt 208001
In
accordance with the requirements of the
HEROES Act of 2003, on December 12,
2003, the Secretary announced in a
notice published in the Federal
Register, the waivers or modifications of
statutory or regulatory provisions that
were appropriate to assist individuals
who are applicants and recipients of
student financial assistance under Title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965,
as amended (HEA), and who—
• Are serving on active duty during a
war or other military operation or
national emergency;
• Are performing qualifying National
Guard duty during a war or other
military operation or national
emergency;
• Reside or are employed in an area
that is declared a disaster area by any
Federal, State, or local official in
connection with a national emergency;
or
• Suffered direct economic hardship
as a direct result of a war or other
military operation or national
emergency, as determined by the
Secretary.
Under the terms of the HEROES Act
of 2003, these waivers and
modifications were scheduled to expire
on September 30, 2005. However, on
September 30, 2005, the President
signed into law Pub. L. 109–78, which
extended the expiration date of the
HEROES Act of 2003, from September
30, 2005 to September 30, 2007. As a
result, we are extending the waivers and
modifications announced in the
December 12, 2003, Federal Register
notice through September 30, 2007.
Electronic Access to This Document:
You may view this document, as well as
all other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF) on the Internet at the
following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/
fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe
Acrobat Reader, which is available free
at this site. If you have questions about
using PDF, call the U.S. Government
Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1–
888–293–6498; or in the Washington,
DC, area at (202) 512–1530.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Note: The official version of this document
is the document published in the Federal
Register. Free Internet access to the official
edition of the Federal Register and the code
of Federal Regulations is available on GPO
Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.htm1.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Numbers: 84.007 Federal Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grant Program;
84.032 Federal Family Education Loan
Program; 84.032 Federal PLUS Program;
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
61037
84.033 Federal Work Study Program; 84.038
Federal Perkins Loan Program; and 84.268
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan
Program.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1071, 1082,
1087a, 1087aa, Pub. L. 108–76, Pub. L. 109–
78.
Dated: October 14, 2005.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education.
[FR Doc. 05–21012 Filed 10–19–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 111
Address Visibility on Bundles of FlatSize and Irregular Parcel Mail
Postal Service.
Final rule.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Postal ServiceTM is
adopting new mailing standards to
ensure that address and presort
information on bundles of flat-size and
irregular parcel mail remains visible and
readable during processing. The new
standards apply only to bundles of
Periodicals, Standard Mail, and Package
Services mail intended for processing
on our Automated Package Processing
System equipment.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 27, 2005.
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bill
Chatfield, Mailing Standards, U.S.
Postal Service, at (202) 268–7278 or
Susan Hawes, Operational
Requirements and Integration, U.S.
Postal Service, at (202) 268–8980.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Postal Service uses automated
equipment whenever possible to reduce
mail processing costs and help maintain
stable postage rates. Our new
Automated Package Processing System
(APPS) for bundles of flat-size and
irregular parcel mail has optical
character reader (OCR) technology,
enabling it to read delivery information
and process mail more efficiently. APPS
will replace many of our small parcel
and bundle sorters.
We published a proposed rule in the
Federal Register on September 2, 2004
(69 FR 53666), concerning address
visibility on bundles of flat-size and
irregular parcel mail. Our proposed rule
included the following changes in
mailing standards for bundles of
Periodicals, Standard Mail, and Package
Services mailpieces intended for
processing on APPS equipment:
E:\FR\FM\20OCR1.SGM
20OCR1
61038
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 202 / Thursday, October 20, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
• Address and presort designation
visibility,
• The use of optional bundle labels,
and
• New bundle height restrictions.
Comments Received
We received comments on the
proposed rule from two publishers, ten
printers, six mailer associations, six
letter shops, two mail owners, one
strapping manufacturer, and one
individual. Based on these comments,
we are not implementing new standards
for the use of optional bundle labels or
bundle height restrictions. Instead, our
revised standards require the complete
address on the top piece of each bundle
to be visible and readable by the naked
eye through the shrinkwrap or clear
strapping.
Comments on Bundle-Securing
Materials
Several comments indicated a need to
clarify our ‘‘recommendations’’ versus
‘‘requirements.’’ Our proposal
recommended the use of polywrap or
strapping with a level of haze showing
less than 70 percent. The haze
specification is meant as a helpful
guideline for mailers and is a
recommendation, not a requirement.
Two comments were concerned with
the cost and availability of clear
strapping materials. Clear, smooth
strapping is currently available in the
marketplace. Using these materials may
be the most effective way to comply
with the new standard. Because mailers
may need time to use up their stock of
current materials and modify their
processes, the mandatory compliance
date is April 30, 2006—approximately
six months after we publish the revised
standards in Mailing Standards of the
United States Postal Service, Domestic
Mail Manual (DMM).
optional endorsement line (OEL) or the
bundle label.
One comment expressed concern that
the ‘‘visible and readable by the naked
eye’’ standard is unsuitable for APPS
readability. Generally, APPS can read
addresses not obstructed by bundling
materials. However, if APPS cannot read
all the elements needed to sort a bundle,
an employee at a remote encoding
center should be able to read the
address and presort marking if they
meet the new standard, allowing us to
sort the bundle within the APPS
process.
Comments on Alternatives to the
Visibility Standard
Two comments asked us to explore
alternative solutions for address
visibility. One association
recommended the application of the ‘‘4state barcode’’ as a substitute for a
visible and readable address. Although
there are many potential benefits of the
4-state barcode, a visible and readable
address is necessary for efficient mail
processing and delivery. One letter shop
asked for alternatives to clear, smooth
strapping. As an alternative, mailers
may place the address in a quadrant of
the mailpiece not obscured by
strapping.
Comments About Verification and
Acceptance
We received several comments about
verification and acceptance of bundles
processed on APPS. We will incorporate
verification for address visibility into
our current acceptance procedures. For
the first six months after we publish the
new standards, we will provide
feedback at acceptance and by using
eMIR (Electronic Mail Improvement
Report). We will not assess additional
postage for readability failures until
April 30, 2006.
Comments on APPS and Address
Visibility
Comments About Increased Costs and
Incentives for Compliance
We received several comments
suggesting a lack of data on the causes
of APPS read failures. Our tests of APPS
equipment revealed the three most
significant causes of unreadable
addresses: strapping obscuring
addresses, shrinkwrap seams obscuring
addresses, and poor bundle integrity.
This data is the basis for our new
standards requiring that address and
presort information on bundles be
‘‘visible and readable by the naked eye.’’
Several comments sought clarification
about what address and presort
elements APPS must read. To sort a
bundle, APPS must read the delivery
address information, as well as the
We received many comments
concerning the potential increased costs
to mailers to meet the new standards.
Several comments recommended that
we establish an industry workgroup to
develop alternative solutions. We held
several meetings with industry
representatives to carefully consider
comments and develop alternative
solutions. We designed our final rule to
minimize cost burdens by excluding
new standards for plastic strapping or
shrinkwrap or for an optional bundle
label.
We received five comments
suggesting that we provide incentives to
comply with the new standards. These
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:59 Oct 19, 2005
Jkt 208001
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
comments are outside of the scope of
this rule.
Other Comments
Two comments discussed a
certification process. One printer
opposed a shrinkwrap certification
process, and one letter shop suggested
using the APPS optical system to test for
certification. We will not adopt a
certification requirement. However,
mailers may request testing of their
clear, embossed strapping by contacting
USPS Engineering (see DMM 608.8.0 for
contact information). Tests have
demonstrated that clear, smooth
strapping does not obstruct readability.
One mailer association advocated the
use of a modified label carrier, and
another comment concerned the use of
facing slips. One publisher said the new
standards could affect preparation and
addressing for cover wraps, attached
mail, and similar items. It is not our
intent to restrict creativity or marketing
options for mail owners; we simply
need to read the address and presort
information on bundles to efficiently
sort and deliver the mail.
One association recommended that
we let mailers use their own methods to
satisfy the APPS requirements. The
same association recommended a
thorough review of the technical
standards for polywrap and banding.
We are not imposing specific technical
standards for polywrap and banding.
Comments About the Implementation
Date
Five comments stated that mailers
were not ready or could not comply
with the proposed standards, and six
other comments did not agree with the
proposed effective date. We understand
that mailers need time to comply with
the new standards. For the first six
months after publication of the new
standards, we will notify mailers about
related problems and work with them to
improve readability of their address and
presort information. During this time,
we will not assess any additional
postage on mailings that do not comply.
Recommendations Related to the Basic
Requirement
We recommend that strapping used
for bundling be clear, smooth, and have
less than 70 percent haze in accordance
with the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) standard D1003.
Clear, smooth strapping that is tightly
secured around the bundle does not
obstruct visibility. Strapping should not
contain any seams or texture marks that
obscure address characters. We
recommend that any shrinkwrap used to
secure bundles show less than 70
E:\FR\FM\20OCR1.SGM
20OCR1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 202 / Thursday, October 20, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
percent haze after shrinkage. Seams,
blisters, wrinkles or other protrusions
on shrinkwrap material should not
obscure addresses on the top pieces of
bundles. We also recommend that any
bundle with multiple layers of bundling
materials show less than 70 percent
haze through all combined layers. We
encourage mailers to use USPS
Publication 177, Guidelines for
Optimizing Readability of Flat-Size
Mail.
Summary of the New Standard
Mailers preparing presort bundles
must make the delivery address
information and any presort label or
optional endorsement line visible and
readable by the naked eye. The new
standard applies to mail processed on
APPS equipment. The requirements do
not apply to:
• Letter-size mailpieces,
• First-Class Mail flat-size pieces or
parcels,
• Mail placed in or on 5-digit or 5digit scheme sacks or pallets,
• Mail placed in carrier route or 5digit carrier routes sacks,
• Carrier route mail entered at a
destination delivery unit,
• Standard Mail flat-size pieces
prepared in letter trays under DMM
345.3.4, and
• Customized MarketMail.
Effective Date
We are revising these standards on
October 27, 2005. Recognizing that the
mailing industry may have to change
some procedures to ensure address
visibility, we will allow a six-month
grace period for compliance. We will
not assess penalties on bundles not
meeting the standards until April 30,
2006. Until April 30, 2006, acceptance
employees will randomly examine
bundles for address visibility. We will
provide feedback to mailers at
acceptance and via eMIR from
destination sites. We also will work
closely with mailers to improve address
readability on their bundles.
List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111
Postal Service.
PART 111—[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR
part 111 continues to read as follows:
I
2. Amend Mailing Standards of the
United States Postal Service, Domestic
Mail Manual (DMM) as listed below:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:59 Oct 19, 2005
Jkt 208001
*
*
shrinkwrap must not obscure any
bundle label. * * *
*
*
*
*
*
Discount Mail Flats
*
*
340
*
*
Standard Mail
*
345
Mail Preparation
Neva R. Watson,
Attorney, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 05–20924 Filed 10–19–05; 8:45 am]
*
*
BILLING CODE 7710–12–P
2.0
Bundles
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
[Renumber current 2.2 through 2.13 as
new 2.3 through 2.14. Add new 2.2,
‘‘Address Visibility,’’ and revise new
2.11, as explained below. Make these
same changes to 445.2.0 (for Standard
Mail parcels), 365.2.0 and 465.2.0 (for
Bound Printed Matter flats and parcels),
375.2.0 and 475.2.0 (for Media Mail flats
and parcels), 385.2.0 and 485.2.0 (for
Library Mail flats and parcels), 705.8.5
(for bundles on pallets), and 707.19 (for
Periodicals). Exception: Do not repeat
items a through e for Media Mail or
Library Mail; do not repeat items a and
e for Bound Printed Matter and
Periodicals.]
2.2
Address Visibility
Mailers preparing presort bundles
must ensure that the delivery address
information on the top mailpiece in
each bundle is visible and readable by
the naked eye. Mailers using strapping
that might cover the address can avoid
obstructing visibility by using clear,
smooth strapping tightly secured around
the bundle. Mailers using barcoded
pressure-sensitive bundle labels,
optional endorsement lines, carrier
route information lines, or carrier route
facing slips also must ensure that the
information in these presort
designations is visible and readable by
the naked eye. This standard does not
apply to the following:
a. Customized MarketMail.
b. Bundles placed in or on 5-digit or
5-digit scheme (L001) sacks or pallets.
c. Bundles placed in carrier route and
5-digit carrier routes sacks.
d. Bundles of mailpieces at carrier
route rates entered at a destination
delivery unit (DDU).
e. Bundles of Standard Mail flat-size
pieces prepared in letter trays under
345.3.4.
*
*
*
*
*
2.11
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101,
401, 403, 404, 414, 416, 3001–3011, 3201–
3219, 3403–3406, 3621, 3626, 5001.
I
300
61039
Labeling Bundles
[Replace the third sentence in 2.11 with
the following two sentences to clarify
that the bundle label must not obscure
the delivery address.]
* * * Barcoded pressure-sensitive
bundle labels must not obscure the
delivery address block. Banding or
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 35
[FRL–7983–7]
Guidance on Fees Charged by States
to Recipients of Clean Water State
Revolving Fund Program Assistance
Environmental Protection
Agency.
ACTION: Final guidance.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Title VI of the Clean Water
Act (CWA) Amendments of 1987
provides flexibility for States to use four
percent of all capitalization grant
awards for the reasonable costs of
administering their Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF) programs.
Because many States have CWSRF
administrative costs which exceed the
four percent limit, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
has allowed States to charge fees on
CWSRF loans. This guidance addresses
the use of fees that are charged on loans
and included as principal in loans and
the use of fees that are charged on loans
but not included as principal in loans.
These requirements will be included as
terms and conditions in all future grant
agreements (or operating agreements).
DATES: This guidance is effective
October 20, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
technical inquiries, contact Kit Farber,
State Revolving Fund Branch,
Municipal Support Division, Office of
Wastewater Management (MC–4204M),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20460. The telephone
number is (202) 564–0601 and the email address is farber.kit@epa.gov.
Copies of this document can be
obtained from EPA’s Office of
Wastewater Management Web site at
https://www.epa.gov/owm/cwfinance/
cwsrf.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The CWA authorizes States to charge
interest on loans under the CWSRF
program. At their discretion, States may
provide loans at or below market
E:\FR\FM\20OCR1.SGM
20OCR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 202 (Thursday, October 20, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61037-61039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20924]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 111
Address Visibility on Bundles of Flat-Size and Irregular Parcel
Mail
AGENCY: Postal Service.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Postal Service\TM\ is adopting new mailing standards to
ensure that address and presort information on bundles of flat-size and
irregular parcel mail remains visible and readable during processing.
The new standards apply only to bundles of Periodicals, Standard Mail,
and Package Services mail intended for processing on our Automated
Package Processing System equipment.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 27, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Chatfield, Mailing Standards,
U.S. Postal Service, at (202) 268-7278 or Susan Hawes, Operational
Requirements and Integration, U.S. Postal Service, at (202) 268-8980.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Postal Service uses automated equipment whenever possible to
reduce mail processing costs and help maintain stable postage rates.
Our new Automated Package Processing System (APPS) for bundles of flat-
size and irregular parcel mail has optical character reader (OCR)
technology, enabling it to read delivery information and process mail
more efficiently. APPS will replace many of our small parcel and bundle
sorters.
We published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on September
2, 2004 (69 FR 53666), concerning address visibility on bundles of
flat-size and irregular parcel mail. Our proposed rule included the
following changes in mailing standards for bundles of Periodicals,
Standard Mail, and Package Services mailpieces intended for processing
on APPS equipment:
[[Page 61038]]
Address and presort designation visibility,
The use of optional bundle labels, and
New bundle height restrictions.
Comments Received
We received comments on the proposed rule from two publishers, ten
printers, six mailer associations, six letter shops, two mail owners,
one strapping manufacturer, and one individual. Based on these
comments, we are not implementing new standards for the use of optional
bundle labels or bundle height restrictions. Instead, our revised
standards require the complete address on the top piece of each bundle
to be visible and readable by the naked eye through the shrinkwrap or
clear strapping.
Comments on Bundle-Securing Materials
Several comments indicated a need to clarify our
``recommendations'' versus ``requirements.'' Our proposal recommended
the use of polywrap or strapping with a level of haze showing less than
70 percent. The haze specification is meant as a helpful guideline for
mailers and is a recommendation, not a requirement.
Two comments were concerned with the cost and availability of clear
strapping materials. Clear, smooth strapping is currently available in
the marketplace. Using these materials may be the most effective way to
comply with the new standard. Because mailers may need time to use up
their stock of current materials and modify their processes, the
mandatory compliance date is April 30, 2006--approximately six months
after we publish the revised standards in Mailing Standards of the
United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM).
Comments on APPS and Address Visibility
We received several comments suggesting a lack of data on the
causes of APPS read failures. Our tests of APPS equipment revealed the
three most significant causes of unreadable addresses: strapping
obscuring addresses, shrinkwrap seams obscuring addresses, and poor
bundle integrity. This data is the basis for our new standards
requiring that address and presort information on bundles be ``visible
and readable by the naked eye.''
Several comments sought clarification about what address and
presort elements APPS must read. To sort a bundle, APPS must read the
delivery address information, as well as the optional endorsement line
(OEL) or the bundle label.
One comment expressed concern that the ``visible and readable by
the naked eye'' standard is unsuitable for APPS readability. Generally,
APPS can read addresses not obstructed by bundling materials. However,
if APPS cannot read all the elements needed to sort a bundle, an
employee at a remote encoding center should be able to read the address
and presort marking if they meet the new standard, allowing us to sort
the bundle within the APPS process.
Comments on Alternatives to the Visibility Standard
Two comments asked us to explore alternative solutions for address
visibility. One association recommended the application of the ``4-
state barcode'' as a substitute for a visible and readable address.
Although there are many potential benefits of the 4-state barcode, a
visible and readable address is necessary for efficient mail processing
and delivery. One letter shop asked for alternatives to clear, smooth
strapping. As an alternative, mailers may place the address in a
quadrant of the mailpiece not obscured by strapping.
Comments About Verification and Acceptance
We received several comments about verification and acceptance of
bundles processed on APPS. We will incorporate verification for address
visibility into our current acceptance procedures. For the first six
months after we publish the new standards, we will provide feedback at
acceptance and by using eMIR (Electronic Mail Improvement Report). We
will not assess additional postage for readability failures until April
30, 2006.
Comments About Increased Costs and Incentives for Compliance
We received many comments concerning the potential increased costs
to mailers to meet the new standards. Several comments recommended that
we establish an industry workgroup to develop alternative solutions. We
held several meetings with industry representatives to carefully
consider comments and develop alternative solutions. We designed our
final rule to minimize cost burdens by excluding new standards for
plastic strapping or shrinkwrap or for an optional bundle label.
We received five comments suggesting that we provide incentives to
comply with the new standards. These comments are outside of the scope
of this rule.
Other Comments
Two comments discussed a certification process. One printer opposed
a shrinkwrap certification process, and one letter shop suggested using
the APPS optical system to test for certification. We will not adopt a
certification requirement. However, mailers may request testing of
their clear, embossed strapping by contacting USPS Engineering (see DMM
608.8.0 for contact information). Tests have demonstrated that clear,
smooth strapping does not obstruct readability.
One mailer association advocated the use of a modified label
carrier, and another comment concerned the use of facing slips. One
publisher said the new standards could affect preparation and
addressing for cover wraps, attached mail, and similar items. It is not
our intent to restrict creativity or marketing options for mail owners;
we simply need to read the address and presort information on bundles
to efficiently sort and deliver the mail.
One association recommended that we let mailers use their own
methods to satisfy the APPS requirements. The same association
recommended a thorough review of the technical standards for polywrap
and banding. We are not imposing specific technical standards for
polywrap and banding.
Comments About the Implementation Date
Five comments stated that mailers were not ready or could not
comply with the proposed standards, and six other comments did not
agree with the proposed effective date. We understand that mailers need
time to comply with the new standards. For the first six months after
publication of the new standards, we will notify mailers about related
problems and work with them to improve readability of their address and
presort information. During this time, we will not assess any
additional postage on mailings that do not comply.
Recommendations Related to the Basic Requirement
We recommend that strapping used for bundling be clear, smooth, and
have less than 70 percent haze in accordance with the American Society
for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard D1003. Clear, smooth
strapping that is tightly secured around the bundle does not obstruct
visibility. Strapping should not contain any seams or texture marks
that obscure address characters. We recommend that any shrinkwrap used
to secure bundles show less than 70
[[Page 61039]]
percent haze after shrinkage. Seams, blisters, wrinkles or other
protrusions on shrinkwrap material should not obscure addresses on the
top pieces of bundles. We also recommend that any bundle with multiple
layers of bundling materials show less than 70 percent haze through all
combined layers. We encourage mailers to use USPS Publication 177,
Guidelines for Optimizing Readability of Flat-Size Mail.
Summary of the New Standard
Mailers preparing presort bundles must make the delivery address
information and any presort label or optional endorsement line visible
and readable by the naked eye. The new standard applies to mail
processed on APPS equipment. The requirements do not apply to:
Letter-size mailpieces,
First-Class Mail flat-size pieces or parcels,
Mail placed in or on 5-digit or 5-digit scheme sacks or
pallets,
Mail placed in carrier route or 5-digit carrier routes
sacks,
Carrier route mail entered at a destination delivery unit,
Standard Mail flat-size pieces prepared in letter trays
under DMM 345.3.4, and
Customized MarketMail.
Effective Date
We are revising these standards on October 27, 2005. Recognizing
that the mailing industry may have to change some procedures to ensure
address visibility, we will allow a six-month grace period for
compliance. We will not assess penalties on bundles not meeting the
standards until April 30, 2006. Until April 30, 2006, acceptance
employees will randomly examine bundles for address visibility. We will
provide feedback to mailers at acceptance and via eMIR from destination
sites. We also will work closely with mailers to improve address
readability on their bundles.
List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111
Postal Service.
PART 111--[AMENDED]
0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 414,
416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 3626, 5001.
0
2. Amend Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service,
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as listed below:
300 Discount Mail Flats
* * * * *
340 Standard Mail
* * * * *
345 Mail Preparation
* * * * *
2.0 Bundles
* * * * *
[Renumber current 2.2 through 2.13 as new 2.3 through 2.14. Add new
2.2, ``Address Visibility,'' and revise new 2.11, as explained below.
Make these same changes to 445.2.0 (for Standard Mail parcels), 365.2.0
and 465.2.0 (for Bound Printed Matter flats and parcels), 375.2.0 and
475.2.0 (for Media Mail flats and parcels), 385.2.0 and 485.2.0 (for
Library Mail flats and parcels), 705.8.5 (for bundles on pallets), and
707.19 (for Periodicals). Exception: Do not repeat items a through e
for Media Mail or Library Mail; do not repeat items a and e for Bound
Printed Matter and Periodicals.]
2.2 Address Visibility
Mailers preparing presort bundles must ensure that the delivery
address information on the top mailpiece in each bundle is visible and
readable by the naked eye. Mailers using strapping that might cover the
address can avoid obstructing visibility by using clear, smooth
strapping tightly secured around the bundle. Mailers using barcoded
pressure-sensitive bundle labels, optional endorsement lines, carrier
route information lines, or carrier route facing slips also must ensure
that the information in these presort designations is visible and
readable by the naked eye. This standard does not apply to the
following:
a. Customized MarketMail.
b. Bundles placed in or on 5-digit or 5-digit scheme (L001) sacks
or pallets.
c. Bundles placed in carrier route and 5-digit carrier routes
sacks.
d. Bundles of mailpieces at carrier route rates entered at a
destination delivery unit (DDU).
e. Bundles of Standard Mail flat-size pieces prepared in letter
trays under 345.3.4.
* * * * *
2.11 Labeling Bundles
[Replace the third sentence in 2.11 with the following two sentences to
clarify that the bundle label must not obscure the delivery address.]
* * * Barcoded pressure-sensitive bundle labels must not obscure
the delivery address block. Banding or shrinkwrap must not obscure any
bundle label. * * *
* * * * *
Neva R. Watson,
Attorney, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 05-20924 Filed 10-19-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P