Semipostal Stamp Program, 23162-23164 [2016-09081]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 20, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
(11) Proceed generally northwest
along the meandering 600-meter
elevation contour, crossing onto the
Potlatch map and then back onto the
Orofino map and continuing generally
southwest along the 600-meter elevation
contour to the common T32N/T31N
township boundary line along the
southern boundary line of section 35,
T32N/R5W, south of Chimney Creek (a
tributary of the Snake River) in Nez
Perce County, Idaho; then
(12) Proceed west along the common
T32N/T31N township boundary line,
crossing Chimney Creek, to the IdahoWashington State line (concurrent with
the Nez Perce-Asotin County line) at the
center of the Snake River; then
(13) Proceed generally southeast along
the Idaho-Washington State line in the
Snake River to the northern boundary
line of section 29, T31N/R5W; then
(14) Proceed west along the northern
boundary line of section 29, T31N/R5W,
to the 600-meter elevation contour,
northeast of Lime Hill in Asotin County,
Washington; then
(15) Proceed generally west and then
generally south-southwest along the
meandering 600-meter elevation contour
to the southern boundary line of section
25, T7N/R46E; then
(16) Proceed west along the southern
boundary lines of section 25 and 26,
crossing onto the Clarkston map, and
continuing along the southern boundary
lines of section 26 to the 600-meter
elevation contour west of Joseph Creek;
then
(17) Proceed southeast along the
meandering 600-meter elevation contour
to the western boundary line of section
34, T7N/R46E; then
(18) Proceed north along the western
boundary lines of sections 34 and 27,
T7N/R46E, crossing over the Grande
Ronde River, to the 600-meter elevation
contour; then
(19) Proceed generally northeast along
the meandering 600-meter elevation
contour and continue along the 600meter elevation contour in a clockwise
direction, crossing back and forth
between the Clarkston and Orofino
maps, until, on the Clarkston map, the
600-meter elevation line intersects the
Garfield-Asotin County line for the third
time along the western boundary of
section 19, T11N/R45E; and then
(20) Proceed north along the GarfieldAsotin County line, returning to the
beginning point.
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Signed: March 28, 2016.
John J. Manfreda,
Administrator.
Approved: April 15, 2016.
Timothy E. Skud,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Tax, Trade, and
Tariff Policy).
[FR Doc. 2016–09264 Filed 4–19–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810–31–P
POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 551
Semipostal Stamp Program
Postal ServiceTM.
Final rule.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
This final rule revises the
provisions governing the Postal
Service’s discretionary Semipostal
Stamp Program to simplify and expedite
the process for selecting causes for
semipostal stamps, and facilitate the
issuance of five such stamps over a 10year period. It also removes certain
restrictions on the commencement date
for the Postal Service’s discretionary
Semipostal Stamp Program, and clarifies
how many semipostal stamps issued
under that program may be on sale at
any one time.
DATES: This rule is effective on: May 20,
2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori
Mazzone, Manager, Stamp Products &
Exhibitions, 202–268–6711,
lori.l.mazzone@usps.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Publication of Proposed Rule
The Semipostal Authorization Act,
Public Law 106–253, grants the Postal
Service discretionary authority to issue
and sell semipostal stamps to advance
such causes as it considers to be ‘‘in the
national public interest and
appropriate.’’ See 39 U.S.C. 416(b). On
March 3, 2016, the Postal Service
published and requested comments
concerning a detailed revision of the
rules concerning the discretionary
Semipostal Stamp Program, as set forth
in 39 CFR part 551 (81 FR 11164). As
summarized below, these changes are
designed to facilitate the smooth and
efficient operation of the discretionary
Semipostal Stamp Program.
Revisions
The revision of § 551.3 streamlines
and simplifies the selection of causes to
receive funds raised through the sale of
semipostal stamps, and states the Postal
Service’s intention to issue five such
stamps over the statutory ten-year
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period. It also notifies the public that no
further consideration will be given to
previously submitted proposals but that
such proposals may be resubmitted
under the revised regulations. The
paragraph relating to proposals
regarding the same subject and
proposals for the sharing of funds
between two agencies is edited for
clarity and moved to § 551.4, concerning
submission requirements and criteria,
where it more appropriately belongs.
The revision of § 551.4 sharpens the
submission requirements and, among
other things, makes Postal Service
employees ineligible to submit
proposals for semipostal stamps.
The revision of § 551.5(a) removes
certain restrictions on the
commencement date of the
discretionary Semipostal Stamp
Program. Under current regulations, the
10-year period for the discretionary
semipostal stamp program would
commence on a date determined by the
Office of Stamp Services, but that date
must be after the sales period of the
Breast Cancer Research stamp (BCRS) is
concluded. Most recently, Public Law
114–99 (December 11, 2015) extended
that sales period to December 31, 2019.
As revised, the 10-year period will
commence on a date determined by the
Office of Stamp Services, but the date
need not be after the BCRS sale period
concludes.
The revision of § 551.5(b) clarifies that
although only one semipostal stamp
under the discretionary Semipostal
Stamp Program under 39 U.S.C. 416 (a
‘‘discretionary program semipostal
stamp’’) will be offered for sale at any
one time, other semipostal stamps
required to be issued by Congress (such
as the BCRS) may be on sale when a
discretionary program semipostal stamp
is on sale. Current regulations state that
the Postal Service will offer only one
semipostal stamp for sale at any given
time during the 10-year period (not
specifying whether it is a discretionary
program semipostal stamp or a
semipostal stamp required by Congress).
As revised, the one-at-a-time limitation
on the sale of semipostal stamps applies
only to discretionary program
semipostal stamps.
To minimize confusion regarding
applicable postage rates, the revision of
§ 551.6 specifies that for purposes of
calculating the price of a semipostal, the
First-Class Mail® single-piece stamped
first-ounce rate of postage will be
considered ‘‘the rate of postage that
would otherwise regularly apply.’’
Comments and Response
The Postal Service received three
comments in response to the proposed
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rule. All three comments supported the
discretionary Semipostal Stamp
Program, but suggested that the Postal
Service should issue only one
semipostal stamp for the entire ten-year
duration of the program. The Postal
Service believes that the public interest
would be better served by issuing five
different semipostal stamps for two
years each during the ten-year period,
and has determined to adopt the
amendments to 39 CFR part 551 as
proposed.
List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 551
Administrative practice and
procedure.
For the reasons stated in the
preamble, the Postal Service hereby
amends 39 CFR part 551 as follows:
PART 551—[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 551
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 39 U.S.C. 101, 201, 203, 401,
403, 404, 410, 414, 416.
■
2. Revise § 551.3 to read as follows:
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§ 551.3 Procedure for selection of causes
and recipient executive agencies.
The Postal Service has discretionary
authority to select causes and recipient
executive agencies to receive funds
raised through the sale of semipostal
stamps. These regulations apply only to
such discretionary semipostal stamps
and do not apply to semipostal stamps
that are mandated by Act of Congress,
such as the Breast Cancer Research
stamp. The procedure for selection of
causes and recipient executive agencies
is as follows:
(a) The Office of Stamp Services will
accept proposals from interested
persons for future semipostal stamps
beginning on May 20, 2016. The Office
of Stamp Services will begin
considering proposals on July 5, 2016.
The Postal Service intends to issue five
semipostal stamps under these
regulations during the 10-year period
established by Congress in 39 U.S.C.
416(g). Each semipostal stamp will be
sold for no more than two years.
Proposals may be submitted and will be
considered on a rolling basis until seven
years after May 20, 2016. The Office of
Stamp Services may publicize this
request for proposals in the Federal
Register or through other means, as it
determines in its discretion. Proposals
for semipostal stamps made prior to
May 20, 2016 will not be given further
consideration. Nothing in these
regulations should be construed as
barring the resubmission of previously
submitted causes and recipient
executive agencies.
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(b) Proposals will be received by the
Office of Stamp Services, which will
review each proposal under § 551.4.
(c) The Office of Stamp Services will
forward those proposals that satisfy the
requirements of § 551.4 to the Citizens’
Stamp Advisory Committee for its
consideration.
(d) Based on the proposals received
from the Office of Stamp Services, the
Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
may make recommendations on causes
and eligible recipient executive agencies
to the postmaster general. The Citizens’
Stamp Advisory Committee may
recommend more than one cause and
eligible recipient executive agency at
the same time.
(e) Meetings of the Citizens’ Stamp
Advisory Committee are closed, and
deliberations of the Citizens’ Stamp
Advisory Committee are pre-decisional
in nature.
(f) In making decisions concerning
semipostal stamps, the postmaster
general may take into consideration
such factors, including the
recommendations of the Citizens’ Stamp
Advisory Committee, as the postmaster
general determines are appropriate. The
decision of the postmaster general shall
be the final agency decision.
(g) The Office of Stamp Services will
notify each executive agency in writing
of a decision designating that agency as
a recipient of funds from a semipostal
stamp.
(h) As either a separate matter, or in
combination with recommendations on
a cause and recipient executive
agencies, the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory
Committee may recommend to the
postmaster general a design (i.e.,
artwork) for the semipostal stamp. The
postmaster general will make a final
decision on the design to be featured.
(i) The decision of the postmaster
general to exercise the Postal Service’s
discretionary authority to issue a
semipostal stamp is final and not
subject to challenge or review.
■ 3. Revise § 551.4 to read as follows:
§ 551.4 Submission requirements and
selection criteria.
(a) Proposals on recipient executive
agencies and causes must satisfy the
following requirements:
(1) Interested persons must timely
submit the proposal by U.S. Mail to the
Office of Stamp Services, Attn:
Semipostal Discretionary Program, 475
L’Enfant Plaza SW., Room 3300,
Washington, DC 20260–3501, or in a
single Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file sent by
email to semipostal@usps.gov. Indicate
in the Subject Line: Semipostal
Discretionary Program. For purposes of
this section, interested persons include,
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23163
but are not limited to, individuals,
corporations, associations, and
executive agencies under 5 U.S.C. 105.
(2) The proposal must be signed by
the individual or a duly authorized
representative and must provide the
mailing address, phone number, fax
number (if available), and email address
of a designated point of contact.
(3) The proposal must describe the
cause and the purposes for which the
funds would be used.
(4) The proposal must demonstrate
that the cause to be funded has broad
national appeal, and that the cause is in
the national public interest and furthers
human welfare. Respondents are
encouraged to submit supporting
documentation demonstrating that
funding the cause would benefit the
national public interest.
(5) The proposal must include a letter
from an executive agency or agencies on
agency letterhead representing that:
(i) It is an executive agency as defined
in 5 U.S.C. 105,
(ii) It is willing and able to implement
the proposal, and
(iii) It is willing and able to meet the
requirements of the Semipostal
Authorization Act, if it is selected. The
letter must be signed by a duly
authorized representative of the agency.
(6)(i) A proposal may designate one or
two recipient executive agencies to
receive funds, but if more than one
executive agency is proposed, the
proposal must specify the percentage
shares of differential revenue, net of the
Postal Service’s reasonable costs, to be
given to each agency. If percentage
shares are not specified, it is presumed
that the proposal intends that the funds
be split evenly between the agencies. If
more than two recipient executive
agencies are proposed to receive funds
and the proposal is selected, the
postmaster general will provide the
recipient executive agencies with an
opportunity to jointly decide which two
agencies will receive funds. If the
agencies are unable to reach a joint
decision within 20 days, the postmaster
general shall either decide which two
agencies will receive funds or select
another proposal.
(ii) If more than one proposal is
submitted for the same cause, and the
proposals would have different
executive agencies receiving funds, the
funds may be evenly divided among the
executive agencies, with no more than
two agencies being designated to receive
funds, as determined by the postmaster
general.
(b) Proposals become the property of
the Postal Service and are not returned
to interested persons who submit them.
Interested persons who submit
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 76 / Wednesday, April 20, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
proposals are not entitled to any
remuneration, compensation, or any
other form of payment, whether their
proposals are selected or not, for any
reason.
(c) The following persons may not
submit proposals:
(1) Employees of the United States
Postal Service;
(2) Any contractor of the Postal
Service that may stand to benefit
financially from the Semipostal Stamp
Program; or
(3) Members of the Citizens’ Stamp
Advisory Committee and their
immediate families, and contractors of
the Postal Service, and their immediate
families, who are involved in any
decision-making related to causes,
recipient agencies, or artwork for the
Semipostal Stamp Program.
(d) Consideration for evaluation will
not be given to proposals that request
support for any of the following:
Anniversaries; public works; people;
specific organizations or associations;
commercial enterprises or products;
cities, towns, municipalities, counties,
or secondary schools; hospitals,
libraries, or similar institutions;
religious institutions; causes that do not
further human welfare; or causes
determined by the Postal Service or the
Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee to
be inconsistent with the spirit, intent, or
history of the Semipostal Authorization
Act.
(e) Artwork and stamp designs may
not be submitted with proposals.
■ 5. Revise § 551.5 to read as follows:
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§ 551.5
Frequency and other limitations.
(a) The Postal Service is authorized to
issue semipostal stamps for a 10-year
period beginning on the date on which
semipostal stamps are first sold to the
public under 39 U.S.C. 416. The Office
of Stamp Services will determine the
date of commencement of the 10-year
period.
(b) The Postal Service will offer only
one discretionary semipostal stamp for
sale at any given time during the 10-year
period, although a discretionary
semipostal stamp may be offered for sale
at the same time as one or more
congressionally mandated semipostal
stamps.
(c) The sales period for any given
discretionary semipostal stamp is
limited to no more than two years, as
determined by the Office of Stamp
Services.
(d) Prior to or after the issuance of a
given discretionary semipostal stamp,
the Postal Service may withdraw the
semipostal stamp from sale, or to reduce
the sales period, if, inter alia:
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(1) Its sales or revenue statistics are
lower than expected,
(2) The sales or revenue projections
are lower than expected, or
(3) The cause or recipient executive
agency does not further, or does not
comply with, the statutory purposes or
requirements of the Semipostal
Authorization Act.
■ 6. Revise § 551.6 to read as follows:
§ 551.6
Pricing.
(a) The Semipostal Authorization Act,
as amended by Public Law 107–67,
section 652, 115 Stat. 514 (2001),
prescribes that the price of a semipostal
stamp is the rate of postage that would
otherwise regularly apply, plus a
differential of not less than 15 percent.
The price of a semipostal stamp shall be
an amount that is evenly divisible by
five. For purposes of this provision, the
First-Class Mail® single-piece stamped
first-ounce rate of postage will be
considered the rate of postage that
would otherwise regularly apply.
(b) The prices of semipostal stamps
are determined by the Governors of the
United States Postal Service in
accordance with the requirements of 39
U.S.C. 416.
Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016–09081 Filed 4–19–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710–12–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R01–OAR–2015–0243; A–1–FRL–
9945–12-Region 1]
Air Plan Approval; Vermont; Stage I
Vapor Recovery Requirements
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Direct final rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is approving a State
Implementation Plan (SIP) revision
submitted by the State of Vermont. This
revision includes regulatory
amendments that clarify and Stage I
vapor recovery requirements at gasoline
dispensing facilities (GDFs). The
intended effect of this action is to
approve Vermont’s revised Stage I vapor
recovery regulations. This action is
being taken in accordance with the
Clean Air Act.
DATES: This direct final rule will be
effective June 20, 2016, unless EPA
receives adverse comments by May 20,
2016. If adverse comments are received,
SUMMARY:
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EPA will publish a timely withdrawal of
the direct final rule in the Federal
Register informing the public that the
rule will not take effect.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R01–
OAR–2015–0243 at https://
www.regulations.gov, or via email to
Arnold.Anne@epa.gov. For comments
submitted at Regulations.gov, follow the
online instructions for submitting
comments. Once submitted, comments
cannot be edited or removed from
Regulations.gov. For either manner of
submission, the EPA may publish any
comment received to its public docket.
Do not submit electronically any
information you consider to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI)
or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
accompanied by a written comment.
The written comment is considered the
official comment and should include
discussion of all points you wish to
make. The EPA will generally not
consider comments or comment
contents located outside of the primary
submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or
other file sharing system). For
additional submission methods, please
contact the person identified in the ‘‘For
Further Information Contact’’ section.
For the full EPA public comment policy,
information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on
making effective comments, please visit
https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/
commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ariel Garcia, Air Quality Planning Unit,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA New England Regional Office, 5
Post Office Square, Suite 100 (mail
code: OEP05–2), Boston, MA 02109–
3912, telephone number (617) 918–
1660, fax number (617) 918–0660, email
garcia.ariel@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document whenever
‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean
EPA.
Organization of this document. The
following outline is provided to aid in
locating information in this preamble.
I. Background and Purpose
II. Summary of Vermont’s SIP Revision
III. EPA’s Evaluation of Vermont’s SIP
Revision
IV. Final Action
V. Incorporation by Reference
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. Background and Purpose
On January 26, 2015, the State of
Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation submitted a formal
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 20, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 23162-23164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09081]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 551
Semipostal Stamp Program
AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This final rule revises the provisions governing the Postal
Service's discretionary Semipostal Stamp Program to simplify and
expedite the process for selecting causes for semipostal stamps, and
facilitate the issuance of five such stamps over a 10-year period. It
also removes certain restrictions on the commencement date for the
Postal Service's discretionary Semipostal Stamp Program, and clarifies
how many semipostal stamps issued under that program may be on sale at
any one time.
DATES: This rule is effective on: May 20, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Mazzone, Manager, Stamp Products
& Exhibitions, 202-268-6711, lori.l.mazzone@usps.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Publication of Proposed Rule
The Semipostal Authorization Act, Public Law 106-253, grants the
Postal Service discretionary authority to issue and sell semipostal
stamps to advance such causes as it considers to be ``in the national
public interest and appropriate.'' See 39 U.S.C. 416(b). On March 3,
2016, the Postal Service published and requested comments concerning a
detailed revision of the rules concerning the discretionary Semipostal
Stamp Program, as set forth in 39 CFR part 551 (81 FR 11164). As
summarized below, these changes are designed to facilitate the smooth
and efficient operation of the discretionary Semipostal Stamp Program.
Revisions
The revision of Sec. 551.3 streamlines and simplifies the
selection of causes to receive funds raised through the sale of
semipostal stamps, and states the Postal Service's intention to issue
five such stamps over the statutory ten-year period. It also notifies
the public that no further consideration will be given to previously
submitted proposals but that such proposals may be resubmitted under
the revised regulations. The paragraph relating to proposals regarding
the same subject and proposals for the sharing of funds between two
agencies is edited for clarity and moved to Sec. 551.4, concerning
submission requirements and criteria, where it more appropriately
belongs.
The revision of Sec. 551.4 sharpens the submission requirements
and, among other things, makes Postal Service employees ineligible to
submit proposals for semipostal stamps.
The revision of Sec. 551.5(a) removes certain restrictions on the
commencement date of the discretionary Semipostal Stamp Program. Under
current regulations, the 10-year period for the discretionary
semipostal stamp program would commence on a date determined by the
Office of Stamp Services, but that date must be after the sales period
of the Breast Cancer Research stamp (BCRS) is concluded. Most recently,
Public Law 114-99 (December 11, 2015) extended that sales period to
December 31, 2019. As revised, the 10-year period will commence on a
date determined by the Office of Stamp Services, but the date need not
be after the BCRS sale period concludes.
The revision of Sec. 551.5(b) clarifies that although only one
semipostal stamp under the discretionary Semipostal Stamp Program under
39 U.S.C. 416 (a ``discretionary program semipostal stamp'') will be
offered for sale at any one time, other semipostal stamps required to
be issued by Congress (such as the BCRS) may be on sale when a
discretionary program semipostal stamp is on sale. Current regulations
state that the Postal Service will offer only one semipostal stamp for
sale at any given time during the 10-year period (not specifying
whether it is a discretionary program semipostal stamp or a semipostal
stamp required by Congress). As revised, the one-at-a-time limitation
on the sale of semipostal stamps applies only to discretionary program
semipostal stamps.
To minimize confusion regarding applicable postage rates, the
revision of Sec. 551.6 specifies that for purposes of calculating the
price of a semipostal, the First-Class Mail[supreg] single-piece
stamped first-ounce rate of postage will be considered ``the rate of
postage that would otherwise regularly apply.''
Comments and Response
The Postal Service received three comments in response to the
proposed
[[Page 23163]]
rule. All three comments supported the discretionary Semipostal Stamp
Program, but suggested that the Postal Service should issue only one
semipostal stamp for the entire ten-year duration of the program. The
Postal Service believes that the public interest would be better served
by issuing five different semipostal stamps for two years each during
the ten-year period, and has determined to adopt the amendments to 39
CFR part 551 as proposed.
List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 551
Administrative practice and procedure.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Postal Service hereby
amends 39 CFR part 551 as follows:
PART 551--[AMENDED]
0
1. The authority citation for part 551 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 39 U.S.C. 101, 201, 203, 401, 403, 404, 410, 414,
416.
0
2. Revise Sec. 551.3 to read as follows:
Sec. 551.3 Procedure for selection of causes and recipient executive
agencies.
The Postal Service has discretionary authority to select causes and
recipient executive agencies to receive funds raised through the sale
of semipostal stamps. These regulations apply only to such
discretionary semipostal stamps and do not apply to semipostal stamps
that are mandated by Act of Congress, such as the Breast Cancer
Research stamp. The procedure for selection of causes and recipient
executive agencies is as follows:
(a) The Office of Stamp Services will accept proposals from
interested persons for future semipostal stamps beginning on May 20,
2016. The Office of Stamp Services will begin considering proposals on
July 5, 2016. The Postal Service intends to issue five semipostal
stamps under these regulations during the 10-year period established by
Congress in 39 U.S.C. 416(g). Each semipostal stamp will be sold for no
more than two years. Proposals may be submitted and will be considered
on a rolling basis until seven years after May 20, 2016. The Office of
Stamp Services may publicize this request for proposals in the Federal
Register or through other means, as it determines in its discretion.
Proposals for semipostal stamps made prior to May 20, 2016 will not be
given further consideration. Nothing in these regulations should be
construed as barring the resubmission of previously submitted causes
and recipient executive agencies.
(b) Proposals will be received by the Office of Stamp Services,
which will review each proposal under Sec. 551.4.
(c) The Office of Stamp Services will forward those proposals that
satisfy the requirements of Sec. 551.4 to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory
Committee for its consideration.
(d) Based on the proposals received from the Office of Stamp
Services, the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee may make
recommendations on causes and eligible recipient executive agencies to
the postmaster general. The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee may
recommend more than one cause and eligible recipient executive agency
at the same time.
(e) Meetings of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee are closed,
and deliberations of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee are pre-
decisional in nature.
(f) In making decisions concerning semipostal stamps, the
postmaster general may take into consideration such factors, including
the recommendations of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee, as the
postmaster general determines are appropriate. The decision of the
postmaster general shall be the final agency decision.
(g) The Office of Stamp Services will notify each executive agency
in writing of a decision designating that agency as a recipient of
funds from a semipostal stamp.
(h) As either a separate matter, or in combination with
recommendations on a cause and recipient executive agencies, the
Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee may recommend to the postmaster
general a design (i.e., artwork) for the semipostal stamp. The
postmaster general will make a final decision on the design to be
featured.
(i) The decision of the postmaster general to exercise the Postal
Service's discretionary authority to issue a semipostal stamp is final
and not subject to challenge or review.
0
3. Revise Sec. 551.4 to read as follows:
Sec. 551.4 Submission requirements and selection criteria.
(a) Proposals on recipient executive agencies and causes must
satisfy the following requirements:
(1) Interested persons must timely submit the proposal by U.S. Mail
to the Office of Stamp Services, Attn: Semipostal Discretionary
Program, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Room 3300, Washington, DC 20260-3501,
or in a single Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file sent by email to
semipostal@usps.gov. Indicate in the Subject Line: Semipostal
Discretionary Program. For purposes of this section, interested persons
include, but are not limited to, individuals, corporations,
associations, and executive agencies under 5 U.S.C. 105.
(2) The proposal must be signed by the individual or a duly
authorized representative and must provide the mailing address, phone
number, fax number (if available), and email address of a designated
point of contact.
(3) The proposal must describe the cause and the purposes for which
the funds would be used.
(4) The proposal must demonstrate that the cause to be funded has
broad national appeal, and that the cause is in the national public
interest and furthers human welfare. Respondents are encouraged to
submit supporting documentation demonstrating that funding the cause
would benefit the national public interest.
(5) The proposal must include a letter from an executive agency or
agencies on agency letterhead representing that:
(i) It is an executive agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105,
(ii) It is willing and able to implement the proposal, and
(iii) It is willing and able to meet the requirements of the
Semipostal Authorization Act, if it is selected. The letter must be
signed by a duly authorized representative of the agency.
(6)(i) A proposal may designate one or two recipient executive
agencies to receive funds, but if more than one executive agency is
proposed, the proposal must specify the percentage shares of
differential revenue, net of the Postal Service's reasonable costs, to
be given to each agency. If percentage shares are not specified, it is
presumed that the proposal intends that the funds be split evenly
between the agencies. If more than two recipient executive agencies are
proposed to receive funds and the proposal is selected, the postmaster
general will provide the recipient executive agencies with an
opportunity to jointly decide which two agencies will receive funds. If
the agencies are unable to reach a joint decision within 20 days, the
postmaster general shall either decide which two agencies will receive
funds or select another proposal.
(ii) If more than one proposal is submitted for the same cause, and
the proposals would have different executive agencies receiving funds,
the funds may be evenly divided among the executive agencies, with no
more than two agencies being designated to receive funds, as determined
by the postmaster general.
(b) Proposals become the property of the Postal Service and are not
returned to interested persons who submit them. Interested persons who
submit
[[Page 23164]]
proposals are not entitled to any remuneration, compensation, or any
other form of payment, whether their proposals are selected or not, for
any reason.
(c) The following persons may not submit proposals:
(1) Employees of the United States Postal Service;
(2) Any contractor of the Postal Service that may stand to benefit
financially from the Semipostal Stamp Program; or
(3) Members of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee and their
immediate families, and contractors of the Postal Service, and their
immediate families, who are involved in any decision-making related to
causes, recipient agencies, or artwork for the Semipostal Stamp
Program.
(d) Consideration for evaluation will not be given to proposals
that request support for any of the following: Anniversaries; public
works; people; specific organizations or associations; commercial
enterprises or products; cities, towns, municipalities, counties, or
secondary schools; hospitals, libraries, or similar institutions;
religious institutions; causes that do not further human welfare; or
causes determined by the Postal Service or the Citizens' Stamp Advisory
Committee to be inconsistent with the spirit, intent, or history of the
Semipostal Authorization Act.
(e) Artwork and stamp designs may not be submitted with proposals.
0
5. Revise Sec. 551.5 to read as follows:
Sec. 551.5 Frequency and other limitations.
(a) The Postal Service is authorized to issue semipostal stamps for
a 10-year period beginning on the date on which semipostal stamps are
first sold to the public under 39 U.S.C. 416. The Office of Stamp
Services will determine the date of commencement of the 10-year period.
(b) The Postal Service will offer only one discretionary semipostal
stamp for sale at any given time during the 10-year period, although a
discretionary semipostal stamp may be offered for sale at the same time
as one or more congressionally mandated semipostal stamps.
(c) The sales period for any given discretionary semipostal stamp
is limited to no more than two years, as determined by the Office of
Stamp Services.
(d) Prior to or after the issuance of a given discretionary
semipostal stamp, the Postal Service may withdraw the semipostal stamp
from sale, or to reduce the sales period, if, inter alia:
(1) Its sales or revenue statistics are lower than expected,
(2) The sales or revenue projections are lower than expected, or
(3) The cause or recipient executive agency does not further, or
does not comply with, the statutory purposes or requirements of the
Semipostal Authorization Act.
0
6. Revise Sec. 551.6 to read as follows:
Sec. 551.6 Pricing.
(a) The Semipostal Authorization Act, as amended by Public Law 107-
67, section 652, 115 Stat. 514 (2001), prescribes that the price of a
semipostal stamp is the rate of postage that would otherwise regularly
apply, plus a differential of not less than 15 percent. The price of a
semipostal stamp shall be an amount that is evenly divisible by five.
For purposes of this provision, the First-Class Mail[supreg] single-
piece stamped first-ounce rate of postage will be considered the rate
of postage that would otherwise regularly apply.
(b) The prices of semipostal stamps are determined by the Governors
of the United States Postal Service in accordance with the requirements
of 39 U.S.C. 416.
Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-09081 Filed 4-19-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P