Notice2022-02886
Public Inquiry on Resolving Suspended Post Offices
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 10, 2022
Issuing agencies
Postal Regulatory Commission
Abstract
The Commission is initiating a public inquiry proceeding to identify and address issues impeding the Postal Service's progress in resolving suspended post offices. This document informs the public of this proceeding, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 28 (Thursday, February 10, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 28 (Thursday, February 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7881-7882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02886]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. PI2022-1; Order No. 6101]
Public Inquiry on Resolving Suspended Post Offices
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is initiating a public inquiry proceeding to
identify and address issues impeding the Postal Service's progress in
resolving suspended post offices. This document informs the public of
this proceeding, invites public comment, and takes other administrative
steps.
DATES: Comments are due: April 29, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically via the Commission's Filing
Online system at <a href="http://www.prc.gov">http://www.prc.gov</a>. 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. Background
III. Comments
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
The Commission establishes this public inquiry proceeding to
identify and address issues impeding the Postal Service's progress in
resolving suspended post offices in a timely manner. Specifically, the
Commission seeks input from the public regarding suggested procedures
or courses of action for how the Postal Service may expeditiously
resolve suspended post offices. The Commission welcomes comments with
any data analysis related to suspended post offices, including, but not
limited to, the spatial analysis of suspended post offices.\1\
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\1\ Spatial analysis is a diverse and comprehensive capability
that includes the simple visual analysis of maps and imagery,
computational analysis of geographic patterns, finding optimum
routes, site selection, and advanced predictive modeling. ESRI, The
Language of Spatial Analysis, available at <a href="https://www.esri.com/content/dam/esrisites/sitecore-archive/Files/Pdfs/library/books/the-language-of-spatial-analysis.pdf">https://www.esri.com/content/dam/esrisites/sitecore-archive/Files/Pdfs/library/books/the-language-of-spatial-analysis.pdf</a>, at 6.
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II. Background
The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) \2\ requires
the Postal Service to include in its Annual Compliance Report (ACR)
``measures of the quality of service afforded by the Postal Service in
connection with [each Market Dominant] product, including . . . the
degree of customer satisfaction with the service provided.'' 39 U.S.C.
3652(a)(2)(B)(ii). As part of its annual reporting concerning customer
satisfaction, the Postal Service must report information concerning
suspended post offices. See 39 CFR 3055.91(a)(4)-0 (6). A suspension
occurs when the Postal Service stops operations at a post office due to
an emergency or similar situation. See 39 CFR 241.3(a)(5)(i)(B). The
Postal Service resolves a suspension by either discontinuing or
reopening the post office.
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\2\ Public Law 109-435, 120 Stat. 3198 (2006).
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The Commission has monitored the Postal Service's progress in
resolving suspensions for multiple fiscal years, primarily via its ACR
review proceedings. At the end of FY 2016, there were 662 suspended
post offices.\3\ Of these post offices, 206 remained suspended at the
end of FY 2021. Id. at 80. In addition, the Postal Service reports in
the FY 2021 ACR that it suspended 247 other post offices between FY
2017 and FY 2021,\4\ for a total of 453 post offices suspended at the
end of 2021.\5\
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\3\ Docket No. ACR2021, United States Postal Service FY 2021
Annual Compliance Report, December 29, 2021, at 79.
\4\ See Docket No. ACR2021, Library Reference USPS-FY21-33,
December 29, 2021, folder ``USPS.FY21.33.Files,'' Excel file
``PostOfficesFY2021.xlsx,'' tab ``Suspension Summary,'' cell I17.
\5\ The numbers in this order reflect the most up-to-date
numbers provided by the Postal Service in the FY 2021 ACR, FY 2021
post office suspension quarterly reports, and Library Reference
USPS-FY21-33. CHIRs were issued in Docket No. ACR2021 to reconcile
these numbers, and the Commission will provide updated numbers in
the upcoming FY 2021 ACD.
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In its FY 2016 ACD, the Commission stated that it expected the
Postal Service to significantly reduce the number of suspended post
offices.\6\ In its FY 2020 ACD, the Commission expressed concern
regarding the apparent lack of commitment by the Postal Service in
addressing and resolving suspended post offices in recent years and
announced its intent to initiate a public inquiry docket on the
matter.\7\ Accordingly, the Commission establishes this proceeding to
identify and address issues impeding the Postal Service's progress in
resolving suspended post offices in a timely manner.
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\6\ Docket No. ACR2016, Postal Regulatory Commission, Annual
Compliance Determination Report Fiscal Year 2016, March 28, 2017, at
151.
\7\ Docket No. ACR2020, Postal Regulatory Commission, Annual
Compliance Determination Report Fiscal Year 2020, March 29, 2021, at
221.
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III. Comments
The Commission invites comments on suggested procedures or courses
of action that would allow for the Postal Service to expeditiously
resolve the 206 suspended post offices remaining from FY 2016, with a
special focus on the post offices that have been suspended for more
than 5 years.
The Commission also invites comments on how the Postal Service
should resolve the post offices suspended after FY 2016. The Commission
encourages the commenters to discuss specific issues related to the
recent suspension of post offices (after FY 2019). These comments
should focus on facilitating the process for resolving the backlog of
suspended post offices, as well as prevent such backlogs from
recurring.
The scope of this proceeding is limited to the Postal Service's
process for resolving suspended post offices as a whole. This
proceeding does not cover ancillary issues, including concerns about
individual post offices and the Commission's jurisdiction to consider
post office closing appeals. The Commission, however, welcomes comments
with any data analysis related to the suspended post offices,
including, but not limited to, the spatial analysis of the suspended
post offices. Comments are due on April 29, 2022. Material filed in
this docket--including tables, figures and library references--will be
available for review on the Commission's website, <a href="http://www.prc.gov">http://www.prc.gov</a>.
[[Page 7882]]
Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Kenneth R. Moeller will serve as an
officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent the
interests of the general public in this docket.
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Commission establishes Docket No. PI2022-1 to identify and
address issues impeding the Postal Service's progress in resolving
suspended post offices in a timely manner.
2. Interested persons may submit written comments no later than
April 29, 2022.
3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Kenneth R. Moeller will serve as an
officer of the Commission (Public Representative) to represent the
interests of the general public in this proceeding.
4. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of a general
statement as to the basis and purpose of this Notice in the Federal
Register.
By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-02886 Filed 2-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
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