[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 13, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76170-76171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26968]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Post Office Box Refund

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of 
the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to 
clarify the refund policy for customers who qualified for a Group ``E'' 
(free) Post Office BoxTM.

DATES: Submit comments on or before January 12, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the Director, Product 
Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446, 
Washington, DC 20260-5015. If sending comments by email, include the 
name and address of the commenter and send to 
[email protected], with a subject line of ``P.O. Box 
Refunds''. Faxed comments are not accepted.

[[Page 76171]]

Confidentiality

    All submitted comments and attachments are part of the public 
record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any material in your 
comments that you consider to be confidential or inappropriate for 
public disclosure.
    You may inspect and photocopy all written comments, by appointment 
only, at USPS[supreg] Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, 11th 
Floor North, Washington, DC, 20260. These records are available for 
review on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., by calling 202-268-
2906.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phong T. Quang at (202) 268-2857 or 
Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Currently, the Postal Service has no 
provision for providing a refund to customers who were eligible for 
Group E (free) P.O. BoxTM service under DMM 508.4.5.2 and 
paid for P.O. Box service. Informal policies were established to refund 
customers who paid for P.O. Box service despite their eligibility for 
Group E P.O. Box service on an ad hoc basis but were inconsistent.
    To ensure uniform treatment of customers who were not provided 
Group E P.O. Box service, the Postal Service is proposing to provide a 
refund policy if it has been determined that a customer paying for P.O. 
Box service is entitled to Group E P.O. Box service. A refund of 
prorated fees may be issued for each full consecutive month preceding 
the determination, up to a maximum of 24 months. Interest will not be 
paid on the amount refunded.
    The Postal Service is also proposing to make a minor revision to 
the text in 508.4.5.2c for clarity in the standard.
    We believe the proposed revisions will provide customers with a 
more efficient mailing experience.
    Although exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(b), (c)) regarding proposed 
rulemaking by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), the Postal Service invites public 
comment on the following proposed revisions to Mailing Standards of the 
United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), incorporated 
by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 111.1.
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 111--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 13 U.S.C. 301-307; 18 U.S.C. 1692-
1737; 39 U.S.C. 101, 401-404, 414, 416, 3001-3018, 3201-3220, 3401-
3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3629, 3631-3633, 3641, 3681-3685, and 5001.

0
2. Revise the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, 
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as follows:

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

500 Additional Services

* * * * *

508 Recipient Services

* * * * *

4.0 Post Office Box Service

* * * * *

4.5 Fee Group Assignments

* * * * *

4.5.2 Fee Group E--Free P.O. Box Service

    Customers may qualify for Group E (free) P.O. Box service at a Post 
Office if their physical address location meets all of the following 
criteria:
* * * * *
    [Revise the first sentence of item c to read as follows:]
    c. USPS does not provide carrier delivery to a mail receptacle at 
or near a physical address for reasons other than those in 4.5.3b. * * 
*
* * * * *

4.6 Fee Refund

* * * * *
    [Add new 4.6.3 to read as follows:]

4.6.3 Group E P.O. Box Service Refund

    If a postmaster determines that a customer paying for P.O. Box 
service was entitled to Group E (free) P.O. Box service under 4.5.2, a 
refund of prorated fees may be issued for each full consecutive month 
preceding the determination, up to a maximum of 24 months. Interest is 
not paid on the amount refunded.
* * * * *

Ruth B. Stevenson,
Chief Counsel, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2022-26968 Filed 12-12-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P