Notice2026-04157
System for Regulating Rates and Classes for Market Dominant Products
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
March 3, 2026
Issuing agencies
Postal Regulatory Commission
Abstract
The Commission is extending the deadline to respond to petitions in Docket Nos. RM2021-2, RM2022-5, RM2022-6, and RM2024-4.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10422-10423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04157]
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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. RM2021-2, RM2022-5, RM2022-6, and RM2024-4; Order No.
9464]
RIN 3211-AA37
System for Regulating Rates and Classes for Market Dominant
Products
AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is extending the deadline to respond to
petitions in Docket Nos. RM2021-2, RM2022-5, RM2022-6, and RM2024-4.
DATES: The responses to any petition (including the Postal Service
Petitions) are due: March 6, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at
202-789-6820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Background
III. Commission Analysis
IV. Ordering Paragraphs
I. Introduction
On February 23, 2026, the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers (ANM) filed
a motion for a 1-week extension of time until March 9, 2026, for
parties to file responses to petitions filed in the instant
proceedings.\1\ For the reasons discussed below, the Commission
partially grants the Motion and extends the deadline for responses to
petitions to March 6, 2026.
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\1\ Motion of Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers for Extension of
Time for Parties to Respond to Petitions, February 23, 2026, at 1
(Motion).
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II. Background
On January 13, 2026, the Commission issued Order No. 9427 to set a
deadline of 30 days after the date of the publication of that order in
the Federal Register for interested persons to request, by petition in
the instant proceedings, that the Commission consider specific
proposals for modifications to the Market Dominant ratemaking system or
for an alternative system.\2\ On December 22, 2025, the Postal Service
filed two petitions.\3\ Order No. 9427 also set a deadline of 44 days
after the date of publication of that order in the Federal Register for
[[Page 10423]]
responses to any petition (including the Postal Service Petitions).
Order No. 9427 at 5. Order No. 9427 was published in the Federal
Register on January 16, 2026.\4\ Therefore, the deadline for interested
persons to file petitions was February 17, 2026, and the deadline for
responses to any petition (including the Postal Service Petitions) is
March 2, 2026. Id. at 2093.
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\2\ Procedural Order on 39 CFR 3010.201(b) Proposals, January
13, 2026, at 5 (Order No. 9427).
\3\ United States Postal Service Petition for Rulemaking to
Repeal the Minimum Remittance Payment Requirement, December 22,
2025; United States Postal Service Petition for Rulemaking to Modify
the Market-Dominant Ratemaking System to Achieve Objectives 5 and 8,
December 22, 2025 (Postal Service Petitions).
\4\ System for Regulating Rates and Classes for Market Dominant
Products, 91 FR 2093 (Jan. 16, 2026).
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On February 17, 2026, six interested persons filed petitions.\5\ On
or before February 17, 2026, other interested persons also filed
comments for the Commission's consideration.\6\
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\5\ Petition of Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, February 17,
2026; Petition of the Envelope Manufacturers Association for
Modification of the System for Regulating Market Dominant Rates,
February 17, 2026; Mailers Hub Petition for Rulemaking to Modify the
Market-Dominant Ratemaking System, February 17, 2026; Petition of
the News/Media Alliance for Modification of the System for
Regulating Rates for Market Dominant Products, February 17, 2026;
Petition of the National Postal Policy Council for Modification of
the System for Regulating Market Dominant Rates, February 17, 2026;
Petition of the Association for Postal Commerce, February 17, 2026.
\6\ See, e.g., Comments by Quad/Graphics, Inc., February 17,
2026; Supplemental Comments of Keep US Posted, February 17, 2026.
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On February 23, 2026, ANM filed the Motion seeking a 1-week
extension of time until March 9, 2026, for parties to file responses to
petitions. Motion at 1. ANM states that due to adverse weather
conditions in the Washington, DC region on February 22 and 23, 2026, it
requests a 1-week extension of the deadline. Id. at 2. ANM argues that
the Commission has recognized ``severe weather'' as a basis for
granting extensions of time in the past.\7\ ANM asserts that its
requested extension would have a minimal effect on the Commission's
procedural schedule and would not adversely impact any party. Id.
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\7\ Id. (citing Docket No. PI2016-2, Order Granting Motion to
Extend Comment Deadline, January 28, 2016 (Order No. 3054); Docket
No. PI2010-1, Order Granting Extension of Time, February 12, 2010
(Order No. 408)).
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On February 24, 2026, the Association for Postal Commerce (PostCom)
filed a response to the Motion, stating that it does not oppose the
Motion and agrees that the requested extension would provide parties
with time to fully digest the petitions and would not impact the timing
of the Commission's proceedings.\8\
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\8\ Response of the Association for Postal Commerce to Motion of
the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers for Extension of Time to Respond
to Petitions, February 24, 2026, at 1 (Response).
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III. Commission Analysis
A motion for extension of time ``shall only be granted upon
consideration of the potential adverse impact, if any, on other
participants and the overall impact on the procedural schedule.'' 39
CFR 3010.162(c). Having reviewed the Motion, the Commission finds that
the Motion has partially met the criteria in 39 CFR 3010.162(c). The
Motion is unopposed. Response at 1. Because the requested extension
would apply to all interested persons, no other participant would be
adversely impacted by the extension. However, the adverse weather
conditions in the Washington, DC region lasted only 2 days on February
22 and 23, 2026, 1 of which was a Sunday. The Federal government was
open on February 23, 2026, with 2 hours delayed arrival and the option
for unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework.\9\ This is unlike the
severe weather conditions experienced by the region in February 2010 or
January 2016, both of which triggered multiple days of Federal
government closure.\10\ In the future, interested persons should not
expect the Commission to grant an extension of time owing to adverse
weather conditions that is much longer than what the duration of
adverse weather conditions would justify. In addition, considering that
the Commission intends to expedite consideration of any proposals it
decides to pursue in its discretion based on consideration of petitions
and also any additional proposals as the Commission may make,\11\ the
Commission finds that the requested 1-week extension would have some
adverse impact on the procedural schedule. Therefore, the Commission
partially grants the Motion and extends the deadline for responses to
petitions to March 6, 2026.
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\9\ OPM Operating Status Archives, Washington, DC Area, February
23, 2026, available at <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/status-archives/26/2/22/Open---2-hours-Delayed-Arrival---With-Option-for-Unscheduled-Leave-or-Unscheduled-Telework_3189/">https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/status-archives/26/2/22/Open---2-hours-Delayed-Arrival---With-Option-for-Unscheduled-Leave-or-Unscheduled-Telework_3189/</a>.
\10\ The Federal government was closed from February 8 through
February 11, 2010. Order No. 408 at 1. The Federal government was
closed from January 23 through January 26, 2016. OPM Operating
Status Archives, Washington, DC Area, January 23-24, 2016, available
at <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/status-archives/16/1/22/FEDERAL-OFFICES-in-the-Washington-DC-area-remain-CLOSED_687/">https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/status-archives/16/1/22/FEDERAL-OFFICES-in-the-Washington-DC-area-remain-CLOSED_687/</a>; OPM Operating Status
Archives, Washington, DC Area, January 25, 2016, available at
<a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/status-archives/16/1/24/Federal-Offices-are-Closed---Emergency-and-Telework-ready-Employees-Must-Follow-Their-Agencys-Policies_692/">https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/status-archives/16/1/24/Federal-Offices-are-Closed---Emergency-and-Telework-ready-Employees-Must-Follow-Their-Agencys-Policies_692/</a>;
OPM Operating Status Archives, Washington, DC Area, January 26,
2016, available at <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/status-archives/16/1/25/Federal-Offices-are-Closed---Emergency-and-Telework-ready-Employees-Must-Follow-Their-Agencys-Policies_698/">https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/status-archives/16/1/25/Federal-Offices-are-Closed---Emergency-and-Telework-ready-Employees-Must-Follow-Their-Agencys-Policies_698/</a>.
\11\ Order No. 9427 at 4.
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IV. Ordering Paragraphs
It is ordered:
1. The Motion of Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers for Extension of
Time for Parties to Respond to Petitions, filed on February 23, 2026,
is partially granted.
2. Responses to any petition (including the Postal Service
Petitions) are due March 6, 2026.
3. This Order, or abstract thereof, shall be published in the
Federal Register.
By the Commission.
Sarah Wessel,
Senior Paralegal Specialist.
[FR Doc. 2026-04157 Filed 3-2-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 3, 2026.
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