Market Dominant Price Adjustment, 3995-3996 [2015-01238]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 16 / Monday, January 26, 2015 / Notices submission@omb.eop.gov or faxed to (202) 395–6974. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by contacting the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of Personnel Management or sent by email to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov or faxed to (202) 395–6974. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. SF 3102 is used by an employee or an annuitant covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System to designate a beneficiary to receive any lump sum due in the event of his/her death. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES Analysis Agency: Retirement Operations, Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management. Title: Designation of Beneficiary (FERS). OMB Number: 3206–0173. Frequency: On occasion. Affected Public: Individuals or Households. Number of Respondents: 3,888. Estimated Time per Respondent: 15 minutes. Total Burden Hours: 972. U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Katherine Archuleta, Director. [FR Doc. 2015–01340 Filed 1–23–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:48 Jan 23, 2015 Jkt 235001 POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. R2015–4; Order No. 2327] Market Dominant Price Adjustment Postal Regulatory Commission. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service notice announcing inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market dominant domestic and international products and services, along with four temporary mailing promotions and numerous proposed classification changes. The adjustments and other changes are scheduled to take effect April 26, 2015. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps. DATES: Comments are due: February 4, 2015. ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission’s Filing Online system at https:// www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit comments electronically should contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section by telephone for advice on filing alternatives. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at 202–789–6820. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Overview III. Initial Administrative Actions IV. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction On January 15, 2015, the Postal Service filed a notice of inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market dominant domestic and international products and services, along with four temporary mailing promotions and numerous proposed classification changes.1 The intended effective date is April 26, 2015. Notice at 1. The Notice, which was filed pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3622 and 39 CFR part 3010, triggers an expedited notice-andcomment proceeding.2 The Notice is also more complex than the typical annual adjustment filing due to the impact of surcharges associated with the exigent rate case (Docket No. R2013–11) 1 United States Postal Service Notice of MarketDominant Price Adjustment, January 15, 2015 (Notice). The Notice includes a set of attachments filed as a separate public pdf. 2 This is a Type 1–A proceeding. See 39 CFR part 3010, subparts A–C for additional information, including the controlling consumer price index, and Notice at 3. PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3995 and the issue of rate design, especially new and merged rate cells.3 The Postal Service addresses the impact on rate design in its Notice. Notice at 16–17. The Postal Service also presents two sets of rates: With and without the exigent surcharges. See id., Attachment A, Part I and Part II. II. Overview A. Filing Details Contents in general. The Postal Service’s filing consists of a detailed Notice which addresses the data and information required under 39 CFR 3010.13; five attachments 4 to the Notice; and six sets of workpapers filed as library references. Attachments. Attachment A, Part I presents the proposed Mail Classification Schedule (MCS) changes (in legislative format) with prices that reflect base (Docket No. R2013–10) prices plus the new proposed increases without the exigent surcharges. Attachment A, Part II presents the MCS changes with prices (base plus the new proposed increases) that include the exigent (Docket No. R2013–11) surcharges.5 The other attachments address workshare discounts and related information; the price cap calculation; the 2015 mailing promotions and incentives calendar; and adjusted exigent surcharges for new rate cells. See id. Attachments B–E, respectively. Library references. The library references present supporting financial documentation for the five classes of mail and for First-Class Mail International. See Notice at 4–5. The First-Class Mail International Library Reference was filed under seal.6 B. Planned Price Adjustments The Postal Service’s planned percentage changes by class are, on average: Market dominant class First-Class Mail ..................... Standard Mail ....................... Periodicals ............................ Price adjustment authority (%) 1.949 1.886 1.965 3 See Docket No. R2013–11, Order No. 1926, Order Granting Exigent Price Increase, December 24, 2013. 4 Notice, Attachments A–E. Attachment A also assumes First-Class Mail Parcels, which are the subject of a pending transfer request in Docket No. MC2015–7, are a market dominant product. See Notice at 20, n.12. 5 The Postal Service adopts the November 24, 2014 MCS as the base version for showing proposed changes. See id. at 53, n.27. 6 See Notice of the United States Postal Service of Filing of USPS–LR–R2015–4/NP1, January 15, 2015. E:\FR\FM\26JAN1.SGM 26JAN1 3996 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 16 / Monday, January 26, 2015 / Notices Market dominant class Price adjustment authority (%) Package Services ................. Special Services ................... 1.964 0.234 Notice at 5. Nature of adjustments. Most of the planned adjustments entail increases to market dominant rates and fees; however, in a few instances, the Postal Service proposes either no adjustment or a decrease. In addition, price adjustments for products within classes vary from the average, sometimes substantially. See, e.g., id. at 17, 21 (Table 5 showing range for First-Class Mail products) and (Table 7 showing range for Standard Mail products). Proposed classification changes. The Postal Service proposes numerous classification changes in its Notice. Id. at 53–55. It identifies the impact on the MCS in Attachment A, Part I and Part II. Calendar year promotions. The Postal Service seeks approval for the following four promotions for the periods indicated: • Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion (May–July 2015); • Advanced and Emerging Technology Promotion (May–October 2015); • Color Transpromo Promotion (June–November 2015); and • Mail Drives Mobile Engagement Promotion (July–December 2015). Id. at 7–8. Note to all interested persons. The Notice and related filings, including library references, provide important additional details concerning the planned adjustments, mailing promotions, and classification changes. The Commission strongly encourages interested persons to carefully review the Notice and all related filings, including new MCS language relating to changes corresponding to the exigent surcharges, and to monitor the Commission’s Web site for additional information, including potential revisions to the Notice. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES III. Initial Administrative Actions Public notice. The Commission hereby provides public notice of the Postal Service’s filing and pursuant to rule 3010.14 establishes Docket No. R2015–4 to consider the planned price adjustments in rates and fees for market dominant postal products and services, as well as the related classification changes, identified in the Postal Service’s January 15, 2015 Notice. The Commission invites comments from interested persons on whether the VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:48 Jan 23, 2015 Jkt 235001 Notice is consistent with 39 U.S.C. 3622 and the requirements of 39 CFR part 3010. Comments are due no later than February 4, 2015. Availability of documents. The Commission has posted the public portions of the Postal Service’s filing on its Web site at https://www.prc.gov. The Commission will post revisions to the filing (if any) or other documents the Postal Service submits in this docket on its Web site, along with related Commission documents, comments, or other submissions, unless such filings are the subject of an application for nonpublic treatment. The Commission’s policy on access to documents filed under seal appears in 39 CFR part 3007. Public Representative. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints James Waclawski to represent the interests of the general public (Public Representative) in this proceeding. IV. Ordering Paragraphs It is ordered: 1. The Commission establishes Docket No. R2015–4 to consider planned price adjustments in rates and fees for market dominant postal products and services and related classification changes identified in the Postal Service’s January 15, 2015 Notice. 2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related classification changes are due no later than February 4, 2015. 3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, James Waclawski is appointed to serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent the interests of the general public in this proceeding. 5. The Commission directs the Secretary of the Commission to arrange for prompt publication of this notice in the Federal Register. By the Commission. Shoshana M. Grove, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2015–01238 Filed 1–23–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P POSTAL SERVICE New Mailing Standards for Lithium Batteries Postal ServiceTM. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: The Postal Service will revise Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Publication 52), in various sections to provide new standards for the mailing of lithium batteries. Publication 52 was developed to provide expanded requirements for SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 the mailing of hazardous, restricted, and perishable materials. DATES: Effective date: March 2, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joan Hall (212) 330–5332 or Kevin Gunther (202) 268–7208. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Overview U.S. Postal Service® Publication 52 provides mailing standards specific to hazardous, restricted and perishable items and materials. Pursuant to the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 601.8.2, Publication 52 applies to the mailability of hazardous materials, including lithium batteries. Revisions to Publication 52 The Postal Service is making these revisions in order to align with the Department of Transportation (DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recent changes to regulations for the transportation of lithium batteries. On August 6, 2014, PHMSA issued a final rule (79 FR 46012–46040) titled ‘‘Hazardous Materials: Transportation of Lithium Batteries’’ in which it describes new requirements governing the shipment of lithium cells and batteries for both air and surface transportation. In this final rule, PHMSA revises hazard communication and packaging provisions for lithium batteries and harmonizes the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) with applicable provisions of the United Nations (UN) Model Regulations, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO Technical Instructions) and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. With these revisions, the Postal Service aligns with PHMSA and the other regulatory entities noted above with regard to: 1. Use of terminology describing lithium content with watt-hours for lithium-ion cells and batteries; 2. Adoption of separate shipping descriptions for lithium metal batteries and lithium-ion batteries; 3. New requirements for the transport of small lithium cells and batteries contained in equipment; and 4. New marking requirements and options for lithium batteries installed in equipment packaged with equipment and shipped without equipment. In the development of mailing standards for lithium cells and batteries in air transportation, the Postal Service E:\FR\FM\26JAN1.SGM 26JAN1

Agencies

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 16 (Monday, January 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3995-3996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01238]

=======================================================================
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. R2015-4; Order No. 2327]

Market Dominant Price Adjustment

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service
notice announcing inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market
dominant domestic and international products and services, along with
four temporary mailing promotions and numerous proposed classification
changes. The adjustments and other changes are scheduled to take effect
April 26, 2015. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites
public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

DATES: Comments are due: February 4, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at https://www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit comments
electronically should contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section by telephone for advice on filing
alternatives.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at
202-789-6820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. Overview
III. Initial Administrative Actions
IV. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

On January 15, 2015, the Postal Service filed a notice of
inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market dominant domestic and
international products and services, along with four temporary mailing
promotions and numerous proposed classification changes.\1\ The
intended effective date is April 26, 2015. Notice at 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ United States Postal Service Notice of Market-Dominant Price
Adjustment, January 15, 2015 (Notice). The Notice includes a set of
attachments filed as a separate public pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Notice, which was filed pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3622 and 39 CFR
part 3010, triggers an expedited notice-and-comment proceeding.\2\ The
Notice is also more complex than the typical annual adjustment filing
due to the impact of surcharges associated with the exigent rate case
(Docket No. R2013-11) and the issue of rate design, especially new and
merged rate cells.\3\ The Postal Service addresses the impact on rate
design in its Notice. Notice at 16-17. The Postal Service also presents
two sets of rates: With and without the exigent surcharges. See id.,
Attachment A, Part I and Part II.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\2\ This is a Type 1-A proceeding. See 39 CFR part 3010,
subparts A-C for additional information, including the controlling
consumer price index, and Notice at 3.
\3\ See Docket No. R2013-11, Order No. 1926, Order Granting
Exigent Price Increase, December 24, 2013.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Overview

A. Filing Details

Contents in general. The Postal Service's filing consists of a
detailed Notice which addresses the data and information required under
39 CFR 3010.13; five attachments \4\ to the Notice; and six sets of
workpapers filed as library references.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\4\ Notice, Attachments A-E. Attachment A also assumes First-
Class Mail Parcels, which are the subject of a pending transfer
request in Docket No. MC2015-7, are a market dominant product. See
Notice at 20, n.12.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attachments. Attachment A, Part I presents the proposed Mail
Classification Schedule (MCS) changes (in legislative format) with
prices that reflect base (Docket No. R2013-10) prices plus the new
proposed increases without the exigent surcharges. Attachment A, Part
II presents the MCS changes with prices (base plus the new proposed
increases) that include the exigent (Docket No. R2013-11)
surcharges.\5\ The other attachments address workshare discounts and
related information; the price cap calculation; the 2015 mailing
promotions and incentives calendar; and adjusted exigent surcharges for
new rate cells. See id. Attachments B-E, respectively.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\5\ The Postal Service adopts the November 24, 2014 MCS as the
base version for showing proposed changes. See id. at 53, n.27.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Library references. The library references present supporting
financial documentation for the five classes of mail and for First-
Class Mail International. See Notice at 4-5. The First-Class Mail
International Library Reference was filed under seal.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\6\ See Notice of the United States Postal Service of Filing of
USPS-LR-R2015-4/NP1, January 15, 2015.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Planned Price Adjustments

The Postal Service's planned percentage changes by class are, on
average:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Price
Market dominant class adjustment
authority (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
First-Class Mail........................................ 1.949
Standard Mail........................................... 1.886
Periodicals............................................. 1.965

[[Page 3996]]

Package Services........................................ 1.964
Special Services........................................ 0.234
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice at 5.

Nature of adjustments. Most of the planned adjustments entail
increases to market dominant rates and fees; however, in a few
instances, the Postal Service proposes either no adjustment or a
decrease. In addition, price adjustments for products within classes
vary from the average, sometimes substantially. See, e.g., id. at 17,
21 (Table 5 showing range for First-Class Mail products) and (Table 7
showing range for Standard Mail products).
Proposed classification changes. The Postal Service proposes
numerous classification changes in its Notice. Id. at 53-55. It
identifies the impact on the MCS in Attachment A, Part I and Part II.
Calendar year promotions. The Postal Service seeks approval for the
following four promotions for the periods indicated:
Earned Value Reply Mail Promotion (May-July 2015);
Advanced and Emerging Technology Promotion (May-October
2015);
Color Transpromo Promotion (June-November 2015); and
Mail Drives Mobile Engagement Promotion (July-December
2015).
Id. at 7-8.
Note to all interested persons. The Notice and related filings,
including library references, provide important additional details
concerning the planned adjustments, mailing promotions, and
classification changes. The Commission strongly encourages interested
persons to carefully review the Notice and all related filings,
including new MCS language relating to changes corresponding to the
exigent surcharges, and to monitor the Commission's Web site for
additional information, including potential revisions to the Notice.

III. Initial Administrative Actions

Public notice. The Commission hereby provides public notice of the
Postal Service's filing and pursuant to rule 3010.14 establishes Docket
No. R2015-4 to consider the planned price adjustments in rates and fees
for market dominant postal products and services, as well as the
related classification changes, identified in the Postal Service's
January 15, 2015 Notice. The Commission invites comments from
interested persons on whether the Notice is consistent with 39 U.S.C.
3622 and the requirements of 39 CFR part 3010. Comments are due no
later than February 4, 2015.
Availability of documents. The Commission has posted the public
portions of the Postal Service's filing on its Web site at https://www.prc.gov. The Commission will post revisions to the filing (if any)
or other documents the Postal Service submits in this docket on its Web
site, along with related Commission documents, comments, or other
submissions, unless such filings are the subject of an application for
non-public treatment. The Commission's policy on access to documents
filed under seal appears in 39 CFR part 3007.
Public Representative. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission
appoints James Waclawski to represent the interests of the general
public (Public Representative) in this proceeding.

IV. Ordering Paragraphs

It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket No. R2015-4 to consider
planned price adjustments in rates and fees for market dominant postal
products and services and related classification changes identified in
the Postal Service's January 15, 2015 Notice.
2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related
classification changes are due no later than February 4, 2015.
3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, James Waclawski is appointed to serve
as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent
the interests of the general public in this proceeding.
5. The Commission directs the Secretary of the Commission to
arrange for prompt publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

By the Commission.
Shoshana M. Grove,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-01238 Filed 1-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P

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