95-6757. Procedural Streamlining Inquiry; Notice of Request for Comments on Information Contained in Postal Service Requests

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 53 (Monday, March 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14805-14806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6757]



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POSTAL RATE COMMISSION

[Docket No. RM95-2]


Procedural Streamlining Inquiry; Notice of Request for Comments 
on Information Contained in Postal Service Requests

March 15, 1995.
    Before Commissioners: Edward J. Gleiman, Chairman; W.H. ``Trey'' 
LeBlanc III, Vice-Chairman; George W. Haley; H. Edward Quick, Jr.; 
Wayne A. Schley

    On December 14, 1994, the Commission issued an Advance Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (Advance Notice) seeking suggestions concerning how 
the Commission's rules of practice and procedure could be amended or 
supplemented to improve the efficiency and expedition of consideration 
of requests for changes in postal rates and classifications conducted 
pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3624(a). Comments were due on or before February 
21, 1995, and the Commission has received several thought provoking 
statements from frequent participants in these cases. Several comments 
emphasized the importance of timely access to Postal 
[[Page 14806]] Service data, see for example, Comments of McGraw-Hill, 
Inc.
    The Postal Service filed comments in response to the Advance 
Notice. It suggests that rate and classification requests could be 
improved if consideration were given to reducing the amount of 
information which the Postal Service is required to provide in support 
of its requests. It suggests that the Commission ``canvass the postal 
community as to which of the Postal Service's filings are actually used 
in the course of Commission litigation.'' Response of the United States 
Postal Service to Request for Comments at 5.
    The rules applicable to requests for changes in rates and fees 
describe the scope of supporting information which the Postal Service 
must provide, see rules of practice 54(b)-(r). The rules applicable to 
requests for changes in the Domestic Mail Classification Schedule 
describe the scope of supporting information which the Postal Service 
must provide, see rules of practice 64(b)-(h). The vast preponderance 
of these rules relate to the rationale supporting the Postal Service 
request, or estimates of the effect on costs, volumes, and revenues 
should the proposed changes be accepted.
    This request for information is being sent to participants in the 
last two omnibus rate cases, Docket Nos. R94-1 and R90-1. Recipients 
are requested to comment on whether current rules of practice 54(b)-(r) 
or 64(b)-(h) require the Postal Service to provide information which is 
either not helpful to participants or likely to be largely irrelevant 
to issues in rate and classification cases. Respondents are asked to 
indicate either specific rules or subjects which might be eliminated 
without reducing the Commission's ability to issue recommended 
decisions which comport with applicable statutory criteria.
    Respondents are assured that this remains a preliminary stage in 
the effort to streamline Commission proceedings. No changes will be 
made in this proceeding without providing interested persons an 
opportunity to comment on specific proposals. Nonetheless, responses on 
the general topic of whether current filing requirements are 
unnecessarily burdensome to the Postal Service will assist the 
Commission to direct the focus of subsequent phases of this rulemaking, 
and submissions on this proposition by interested participants will be 
extremely helpful.

    By direction of the Commission.
Margaret P. Crenshaw,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-6757 Filed 3-17-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P