[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