[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15424-15425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07340]


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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. IM2018-1; Order No. 4567]


Section 407 Proceeding

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a proceeding to consider whether 
proposals of the 26th Congress of the Universal Postal Union are 
consistent with the modern rate regulation standards. This notice 
informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes 
other administrative steps.

DATES: Comments are due: July 3, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing 
Online system at http://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. Initial Commission Action
III. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    In 2016, at the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Congress in Istanbul, 
Turkey, UPU members decided to hold an Extraordinary UPU Congress 
midway between the 2016 Congress and the 2020 UPU Congress.\1\ The 
Extraordinary UPU Congress will be held September 3-7, 2018, in 
Ethiopia. On March 27, 2018, the Secretary of State requested the 
Commission's views on whether certain proposals for the Extraordinary 
UPU Congress are consistent with the standards and criteria for modern 
rate regulation established by the Commission under 39 U.S.C. 3622.\2\ 
Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 407(c)(1) and 39 CFR part 3017, the Commission 
establishes Docket No. IM2018-1 for the purpose of developing its views 
on whether certain proposals for the Extraordinary UPU Congress are 
consistent with the standards and criteria for modern rate regulation 
established by the Commission under 39 U.S.C. 3622.
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    \1\ Decisions of the 26th Congress other than those amending the 
Acts (resolutions, decisions, recommendations, formal opinions, 
etc.) (2017), Resolution C 28/2016 available at https://documents.upu.int/Bodies/2016/CNG/CNG%20ACTES/MEETING/CNG%20ACTES%202016/Doc%201/EN/cng_actes_d001.pdf.
    \2\ See Letter from Nerissa J. Cook, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Organization 
Affairs, on behalf of the Secretary of State, March 27, 2018 
(State's Request).
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II. Initial Commission Action

    Establishment of docket. Part 3017 of title 39 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations codifies procedures related to the development of 
the Commission's section 407 views.\3\ Pursuant to rule 3017.3(a), the 
Commission establishes this docket to ``solicit comments on the general 
principles that should guide the Commission's development of views on 
relevant proposals, in a general way, and on specific relevant 
proposals, if the Commission is able to make these available.'' 39 CFR 
3017.3(a).
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    \3\ See Docket No. RM2015-14, Order Adopting Final Rules on 
Procedures Related to Commission Views, December 30, 2015 (Order No. 
2960). See also 81 FR 869 (January 8, 2016). The rules in part 3017 
took effect on February 8, 2016.
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    Comments. Rule 3017.4(a) provides that the Commission ``shall 
establish a deadline for comments upon establishment of the docket that 
is consistent with timely submission of the Commission's views to the 
Secretary of State.'' 39 CFR 3017.4 (a). The Secretary of State has 
requested that the Commission submit its views by August 3, 2018. 
State's Request at 1. To ensure timely submission of the Commission's

[[Page 15425]]

views to the Department of State, the Commission establishes July 3, 
2018, as the deadline for submission of comments on the principles that 
should guide development of its views, as well as those on the 
consistency of proposals subject to subchapter I of chapter 36 with the 
standards and criteria of 39 U.S.C. 3622. Comments are to be submitted 
in the above captioned docket via the Commission's website at http://www.prc.gov unless a request for waiver is approved. For assistance 
with filing, contact the Commission's docket section at 202-789-6846 or 
[email protected].
    Public Representative. Section 505 of title 39 requires the 
designation of an officer of the Commission (public representative) to 
represent the interests of the general public in all public 
proceedings. The Commission designates Kenneth E. Richardson as Public 
Representative in this proceeding.
    Availability of documents. Pursuant to rule 3017.3(b), the 
Commission directs the Secretary of the Commission to arrange for the 
prompt posting on the Commission's website of the correspondence 
identified in this Order. The Commission will post other documents in 
this docket when the Commission determines such other documents are 
applicable and are able to be made publicly available.
    Federal Register publication. Rule 3017.3(c) requires publication 
in the Federal Register of the notice establishing a docket authorized 
under part 3017. 39 CFR 3017.3(c). Pursuant to this rule, the 
Commission directs the Secretary of the Commission to arrange for 
prompt publication of this Order in the Federal Register.

III. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission establishes Docket No. IM2018-1 for purposes 
related to the development of section 407(c)(1) views and invites 
public comments related to this effort, as described in the body of 
this Order.
    2. Comments are due no later than July 3, 2018.
    3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Kenneth E. Richardson is appointed to 
serve as an officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to 
represent the interests of the general public in this docket.
    4. The Secretary is directed to post the correspondence referred to 
in this Order on the Commission's website, along with other documents 
that the Commission determines are applicable and are able to be made 
publicly available.
    5. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Stacy L. Ruble,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-07340 Filed 4-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P