Periodicals Rate Anomaly; Changes in Classification and Rate Schedule

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38930-38931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18509]


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POSTAL SERVICE


Periodicals Rate Anomaly; Changes in Classification and Rate 
Schedule

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Notice of implementation of changes to the Domestic Mail 
Classification Schedule and Periodicals Regular Rate Schedule.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the changes to Domestic Mail 
Classification Schedule (DMCS) section 441 and to Periodicals Regular 
rate schedule 421, to be implemented as a result of the July 12, 1999, 
Decision of the Governors of the United States Postal Service on 
Periodicals Classification Change.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Rubin, (202) 268-2986.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 9, 1999, pursuant to its authority 
under 39 U.S.C. 3621 et seq., the Postal Service filed with the Postal 
Rate Commission (PRC) a request for a recommended decision on 
Periodicals classification changes designed to provide a remedy to a 
rate anomaly resulting from the last omnibus rate case, Docket No. R97-
1. The PRC designated the filing as Docket No. MC99-3. On April 23, 
1999, the PRC published a notice of the filing, with a description of 
the Postal Service's proposal, in the Federal Register (64 FR 13613-
13617).
    On June 23, 1999, pursuant to its authority under 39 U.S.C. 3624, 
the PRC issued to the Governors of the Postal Service its recommended 
decision on the Postal Service's request. The PRC recommended the 
changes proposed by the Postal Service.
    Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3625, the Governors of the United States 
Postal Service acted on the PRC's recommendations on July 12, 1999. 
Decision of the Governors of the United States Postal Service on the 
Recommended Decision of the Postal Rate Commission on Periodicals 
Classification Change, Docket No. MC99-3. The Governors approved the 
Commission's recommendations. The rate schedule and classification 
changes approved by the Governors were attached to that decision, and 
are set forth below.
    Also on July 12, 1999, the Board of Governors of the Postal 
Service, pursuant to their authority under 39 U.S.C. Sec. 3625(f), 
determined to make the classification and rate schedule changes 
approved by the Governors effective at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1999 
(Resolution No. 99-6).
    In accordance with the aforementioned Decision of the Governors and 
Resolution No. 99-6, the Postal Service hereby gives notice that the 
classification and rate schedule changes set forth below will become 
effective at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1999. Implementing regulations 
also become effective at that time, as noted elsewhere in this issue.

Changes in the Domestic Mail Classification Schedule

    The following material represents changes to Domestic Mail 
Classification Schedule section 441, approved by the Governors of the 
United States Postal Service on July 12, 1999, in response to the 
Postal Rate Commission's Recommended Decision in Docket No. MC99-3.

Periodicals

Classification Schedule

* * * * *
440  POSTAGE AND PREPARATION
441  Postage.
    Postage must be paid on Periodicals class mail as set forth in 
section 3000. When the postage computed for a particular issue using 
the Nonprofit or Classroom rate schedule is higher than the postage 
computed using the Regular rate schedule, that issue is eligible to use 
the Regular rate schedule. For purposes of this section, the term issue 
is subject to certain exceptions related to separate mailings of a 
particular issue, as specified by the Postal Service.

Changes in Rate Schedule 421

    The following material represents changes to Rate Schedule 421 
approved by the Governors of the United States Postal Service on July 
12, 1999, in response to the Postal Rate Commission's Recommended 
Decision in Docket No. MC99-3.

[[Page 38931]]

Periodicals

                            Rate Schedule 421
                         [Regular Subclass 1, 2]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Rate \3\
                                       Postage rate unit       (cents)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Per Pound:
    Nonadvertising Portion.......  Pound...................         16.1
    Advertising Portion: \11\
        Delivery Office \4\......  Pound...................         15.5
        SCF \5\..................  Pound...................         17.8
        1 & 2....................  Pound...................         21.5
        3........................  Pound...................         22.9
        4........................  Pound...................         26.3
        5........................  Pound...................         31.6
        6........................  Pound...................         37.1
        7........................  Pound...................         43.8
        8........................  Pound...................         49.5
    Science of Agriculture:
        Delivery Office..........  Pound...................         11.6
        SCF......................  Pound...................         13.3
        Zones 1 & 2..............  Pound...................         16.1
Per Piece:
    Less Nonadvertising Factor       ......................          5.9
     \6\.
    Required Preparation \7\.....  Piece...................         29.4
    Presorted to 3-digit.........  Piece...................         25.3
    Presorted to 5-digit.........  Piece...................         19.7
    Presorted to Carrier Route...  Piece...................         12.2
    Discounts:
        Prepared to Delivery       Piece...................          1.3
         Office \4\.
        Prepared to SCF \5\......  Piece...................          0.7
        High Density \8\.........  Piece...................          1.9
        Saturation \9\...........  Piece...................          3.7
    Automation Discounts for
     Automation Compatible Mail
     \10\
    From Required:
        Prebarcoded letter size..  Piece...................          6.2
        Prebarcoded flats........  Piece...................          4.6
    From 3-Digit:
        Prebarcoded letter size..  Piece...................          4.7
        Prebarcoded flats........  Piece...................          3.9
    From 5-Digit:
        Prebarcoded letter size..  Piece...................          3.5
        Prebarcoded flats........  Piece...................          2.9
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Schedule 421 Notes

    1. The rates in this schedule also apply to commingled 
nonsubscriber, non-requester, complimentary, and sample copies in 
excess of 10 percent allowance in regular-rate, non-profit, and 
classroom periodicals.
    2. Rates do not apply to otherwise regular rate mail that qualifies 
for the Within County rates in Schedule 423.2.
    3. Charges are computed by adding the appropriate per-piece charge 
to the sum of the nonadvertising portion and the advertising portion, 
as applicable.
    4. Applies to carrier route (including high density and saturation) 
mail delivered within the delivery area of the originating post office.
    5. Applies to mail delivered within the SCF area of the originating 
SCF office.
    6. For postage calculations, multiply the proportion of 
nonadvertising content by this factor and subtract from the applicable 
piece rate.
    7. Mail not eligible for carrier-route, 5-digit or 3-digit rates.
    8. Applicable to high density mail, deducted from carrier route 
presort rate.
    9. Applicable to saturation mail, deducted from carrier route 
presort rate.
    10. For automation compatible mail meeting applicable Postal 
Service regulations.
    11. Not applicable to qualifying Nonprofit and Classroom 
publications containing 10 percent or less advertising content.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 99-18509 Filed 7-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P