[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 17, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44681-44682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21324]
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POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 111
Standards Governing the Design of Curbside Mailboxes
AGENCY: Postal Service.
ACTION: Notice of intent to establish a Consensus Committee and notice
of first meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Postal Service intends to establish a Consensus Committee
to develop recommendations for revision of USPS STD 7A, which governs
the design of curbside mailboxes. The committee will develop and adopt
its recommendations through a consensus process. The committee will
consist of persons who represent the interests affected by the proposed
rule, including mailbox manufacturers, mailbox accessory manufacturers,
and postal customers. The purpose of this Notice is to apprise the
public of the intent to establish the committee; provide the public
with information regarding the committee and the issues to be
addressed; solicit public comment on the proposal to establish the
committee, the issues to be addressed, and the proposed membership and
procedures of the committee; explain how persons may apply or nominate
others for membership on the committee; and announce the tentative date
of the first committee meeting.
DATES: The Postal Service must receive written comments, requests for
representation or membership on the committee, and nominations for
membership on the committee no later than September 14, 1999. The first
committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for September 15 and 16,
1999.
ADDRESSES: The first committee meeting is tentatively scheduled to be
held at U.S. Postal Service Headquarters, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW,
Washington, DC 20260. Mail comments and all other communications
regarding the committee to Annamarie Gildea, Room 7142, at the same
address. Committee documents will be available for public inspection
and copying between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. weekdays at the address
above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Annamarie Gildea, (202) 268-3558.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
U.S. Postal Service Standard, Mailboxes, City and Rural Curbside,
USPS STD 7A, governs the design of curbside mailboxes. The current
standard, adopted in 1992, prescribes design limitations in terms that
are no longer consistent with the operational requirements of the
Postal Service. Primary issues to be addressed by the committee will
include increasing design flexibility within the Postal Service's
operational requirements; simplification and clarification of the
standard; revising provisions on secure mailboxes; and adding
provisions on accessories and electronic technologies. The committee
may also consider other issues at its discretion and within the scope
set forth in paragraph II.
II. Scope of the Rule
The contents of the new standard will be limited to regulations on
curbside mailbox and accessory design characteristics that affect the
operations of the Postal Service. Other issues, including but not
limited to design characteristics relating to roadside safety, are not
within the scope of the new standard.
III. Consensus Process
In a consensus process, representatives of interests that would be
substantially affected by the new rule meet as an advisory committee to
negotiate among themselves and with the agency to reach a consensus on
a proposed rule. As part of the consensus process, the agency agrees to
use the committee's recommendation as the basis of the proposed rule,
and each private interest agrees to support the committee's
recommendation and the proposed rule to the extent that it reflects the
recommendation.
A feasibility study, performed by a neutral convenor, and using the
Negotiated Rulemaking Act, 5 U.S.C. 561 et seq. as a guide, recommended
that the Postal Service initiate a consensus process. In reaching this
recommendation, the convenor determined that: (1) There is a need for
the rule; (2) there are a limited number of identifiable interests
significantly impacted by the rule; (3) a committee can be created with
balanced representation which can represent the identified interests
and can negotiate in good faith; (4) consensus on the issues appears
likely; (5) the consensus process will not unduly delay the issuance of
the rule; (6) the agency has resources and is willing to assist the
consensus process; and (7) the agency, within the constraints of the
law, will use the advisory committee's consensus as the basis of the
rule for notice and comment.
IV. Participants
The committee will include a representative from the Postal Service
and representatives, to be selected by the Postal Service, from persons
and/or organizations that will be significantly affected by this rule.
Each representative may also name an alternate who may attend all
committee meetings and will serve in place of the primary
representative if necessary. The designated Postal Service
representative will be authorized to represent the agency in the
committee, and will participate in its activities, discussions, and
deliberations.
The convenor has recommended that the Postal Service invite the
following organizations to participate in the consensus process. The
convenor has contacted these organizations, which have indicated their
willingness to serve on the committee. The Postal Service proposes to
invite the following organizations to participate in the consensus
process:
1. At Ease Technologies, Inc.
2. Cutler Manufacturing Corporation
3. Imperial Mail Box Systems, Inc.
4. Janzer Corporation
5. Magazine Publishers of America
6. National Association of Homebuilders
7. Parcel Shippers Association
8. Steel City Corporation
9. Step 2 Corporation
10. Rubbermaid, Inc.
11. The Solar Group
It is expected that these organizations would represent the
following interests:
-Mailbox manufacturers
--Larger general manufacturers
Steel City Corporation
The Solar Group
--Specialty manufacturers--metal
Cutler Manufacturing Corporation
Imperial Mail Box Systems, Inc.
Janzer Corporation
--Specialty manufacturers--non-metal
Step 2 Corporation
Rubbermaid, Inc.
[[Page 44682]]
-Accessory manufacturers
At Ease Technologies, Inc.
-Mailers
Magazine Publishers of America
Parcel Shippers Association
-Consumers/Mailbox purchasers
National Association of Homebuilders
I. Tentative Schedule
The first committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for September
15 and 16, 1999 at U.S. Postal Service Headquarters, 475 L'Enfant
Plaza, SW, Washington, DC. Subsequent meetings will be scheduled by the
committee, at the same location, and are expected to occur
approximately four weeks apart through approximately January 2000.
II. Nominations and Applications
Persons and organizations that will be significantly affected by
this rule may apply for membership on the committee or nominate another
person or organization for membership. Each nomination or application
should include: (1) The name of the applicant or nominee and a
description of the interests that person or organization represents;
(2) evidence that the applicant or nominee is authorized to represent
the interests the person proposes to represent; (3) the reasons the
applicant or nominator believes its interests or those of its nominee
are sufficiently different from those of organizations listed above
that those interests would not be adequately represented by the members
of the committee as proposed. All nominations and applications must be
received by the Postal Service at the address above no later than
September 14, 1999. The Postal Service reserves the right to refuse
nominations and applications that do not fulfill these requirements.
The Postal Service, with the advice of the convenor, will select
committee members that provide adequate representation of each
significantly affected interest rather than representatives of every
individual and organization affected by the rule.
III. Procedures and Guidelines
(A) Facilitator
The Postal Service has selected a neutral, impartial facilitator to
serve as chairman of the committee meetings. The facilitator will
assist committee members conduct discussions, help committee members
define issues and reach consensus, and manage the minutes, agendas, and
other records of the committee.
(B) Good Faith
Committee members must be committed to negotiate in good faith and
be authorized by the individuals and/or organization(s) they represent
to do so. Therefore, senior individuals within each interest group
should be designated to serve on the committee. Also, committee members
must commit to support the final consensus recommendation of the
committee.
(C) Administrative Support
Administrative support will be provided by the Postal Service at
its headquarters offices.
(D) Consensus
``Consensus'' is defined for the purposes of this rulemaking as the
unanimous concurrence among the committee members unless the committee
explicitly adopts a different definition.
(E) Committee Procedures
Under the general guidance of the facilitator, and subject to legal
requirements, the committee will establish procedures and ground rules.
(F) Records
The facilitator will prepare minutes of all committee meetings.
These minutes will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 99-21324 Filed 8-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P
