Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 5 / Monday, January 9, 2012 / Notices 1091 

After the Postal Service files the 

administrative record and the 

Commission reviews it, the Commission 

may find that there are more legal issues 

than those set forth above, or that the 

Postal Service’s determination disposes 

of one or more of those issues. The 

deadline for the Postal Service to file the 

applicable administrative record is 

within 15 days after the date on which 

the petition for review was filed with 

the Commission. See 39 CFR 3001.113. 

In addition, the due date for any 

responsive pleading by the Postal 

Service is also within 15 days after the 

date on which the petition for review 

was filed with the Commission. 

Availability; Web site posting. The 

Commission has posted the appeal and 

supporting material on its Web site at 

http://www.prc.gov. Additional filings 

in this case and participant’s 

submissions also will be posted on the 

Web site, if provided in electronic 

format or amenable to conversion, and 

not subject to a valid protective order. 

Information on how to use the 

Commission’s Web site is available 

online or by contacting the 

Commission’s Webmaster via telephone 

at (202) 789–6873 or via electronic mail 

at prc-webmaster@prc.gov. 

The appeal and all related documents 

are also available for public inspection 

in the Commission’s docket section. 

Docket section hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 

p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through 

Friday, except on Federal government 

holidays. Docket section personnel may 

be contacted via electronic mail at prcdockets@prc.gov or via telephone at 

(202) 789–6846. 

Filing of documents. All filings of 

documents in this case shall be made 

using the Internet (Filing Online) 

pursuant to Commission rules 9(a) and 

10(a) at the Commission’s Web site, 

http://www.prc.gov, unless a waiver is 

obtained. See 39 CFR 3001.9(a) and 

3001.10(a). Instructions for obtaining an 

account to file documents online may be 

found on the Commission’s Web site, 

http://www.prc.gov, or by contacting the 

Commission’s docket section at prcdockets@prc.gov or via telephone at 

(202) 789–6846. 

Commission reserves the right to 

redact personal information which may 

infringe on an individual’s privacy 

rights from documents filed in this 

proceeding. 

Intervention. Persons, other than the 

Petitioners and respondents, wishing to 

be heard in this matter are directed to 

file a notice of intervention. See 39 CFR 

3001.111(b). Notices of intervention in 

this case are to be filed on or before 

January 23, 2012. A notice of 

intervention shall be filed using the 

Internet (Filing Online) at the 

Commission’s Web site, http:// 

www.prc.gov, unless a waiver is 

obtained for hardcopy filing. See 39 CFR 

3001.9(a) and 3001.10(a). 

Further procedures. By statute, the 

Commission is required to issue its 

decision within 120 days from the date 

it receives the appeal. See 39 U.S.C. 

404(d)(5). A procedural schedule has 

been developed to accommodate this 

statutory deadline. In the interest of 

expedition, in light of the 120-day 

decision schedule, the Commission may 

request the Postal Service or other 

participants to submit information or 

memoranda of law on any appropriate 

issue. As required by Commission rules, 

if any motions are filed, responses are 

due 7 days after any such motion is 

filed. See 39 CFR 3001.21. 

It is ordered: 

1. The procedural schedule listed 

below is hereby adopted. 

2. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Pamela 

A. Thompson is designated officer of the 

Commission (Public Representative) to 

represent the interests of the general 

public. 

3. The Secretary shall arrange for 

publication of this notice and order and 

Procedural Schedule in the Federal 

Register. 

By the Commission. 

Shoshana M. Grove, 

Secretary. 

PROCEDURAL SCHEDULE

November 30, 2011 .................................. Filing of Appeal. 

December 15, 2011 .................................. Deadline for the Postal Service to file the applicable administrative record in this appeal. 

December 15, 2011 .................................. Deadline for the Postal Service to file any responsive pleading. 

January 23, 2012 ...................................... Deadline for notices to intervene (see 39 CFR 3001.111(b)). 

January 4, 2012 ........................................ Deadline for Petitioners’ Form 61 or initial brief in support of petition (see 39 CFR 3001.115(a) and 

(b)). 

January 24, 2012 ...................................... Deadline for answering brief in support of the Postal Service (see 39 CFR 3001.115(c)). 

February 8, 2012 ...................................... Deadline for reply briefs in response to answering briefs (see 39 CFR 3001.115(d)). 

February 15, 2012 .................................... Deadline for motions by any party requesting oral argument; the Commission will schedule oral argument only when it is a necessary addition to the written filings (see 39 CFR 3001.116). 

March 16, 2012 ......................................... Expiration of the Commission’s 120-day decisional schedule (see 39 U.S.C. 404(d)(5)). 

[FR Doc. 2012–77 Filed 1–6–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P 

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 

[Docket No. A2012–94; Order No. 1082] 

Post Office Closing 

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This document informs the 

public that an appeal of the closing of 

the Alvord, Iowa post office has been 

filed. It identifies preliminary steps and 

provides a procedural schedule. 

Publication of this document will allow 

the Postal Service, petitioners, and 

others to take appropriate action. 

DATES: January 25, 2012, 4:30 p.m., 

Eastern Time: Deadline for answering 

brief in support of the Postal Service. 

See the Procedural Schedule in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for 

other dates of interest. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments 

electronically by accessing the ‘‘Filing 

Online’’ link in the banner at the top of 

the Commission’s Web site (http:// 

www.prc.gov) or by directly accessing 

the Commission’s Filing Online system 

at https://www.prc.gov/prc-pages/filingonline/login.aspx. Commenters who 

cannot submit their views electronically 

should contact the person identified in 

the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section as the source for case-related 

information for advice on alternatives to 

electronic filing. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Stephen L. Sharfman, General Counsel, 

at (202) 789–6820 (case-related 

information) or DocketAdmins@prc.gov 

(electronic filing assistance). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 

404(d), the Commission received five 

petitions for review of the Postal 

Service’s determination to close the 

Alvord post office in Alvord, Iowa. The 

first petition for review received 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
1092 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 5 / Monday, January 9, 2012 / Notices 

1United States Postal Service Notice of Status of 

the Moratorium on Post Office Discontinuance 

Actions, December 15, 2011, (Notice). 

December 1, 2011, was filed by Dr. and 

Mrs. Robert Hodgson. The second 

petition for review received December 6, 

2011, was filed by Jackie Knobloch. The 

third petition for review received 

December 6, 2011, was filed by Janet 

Newborg. The fourth petition for review 

received December 7, 2011, was filed by 

Joanne C. Smith. The fifth petition for 

review received December 9, 2011, was 

filed by Elaine Childress. The earliest 

postmark date is November 25, 2011. 

The Commission hereby institutes a 

proceeding under 39 U.S.C. 404(d)(5) 

and establishes Docket No. A2012–94 to 

consider Petitioners’ appeal. If 

Petitioners would like to further explain 

their position with supplemental 

information or facts, Petitioners may 

either file a Participant Statement on 

PRC Form 61 or file a brief with the 

Commission no later than January 5, 

2012. 

Notwithstanding the Postal Service’s 

determination to close this post office, 

on December 15, 2011, the Postal 

Service advised the Commission that it 

‘‘will delay the closing or consolidation 

of any Post Office until May 15, 2012’’.1

The Postal Service further indicated that 

it ‘‘will proceed with the 

discontinuance process for any Post 

Office in which a Final Determination 

was already posted as of December 12, 

2011, including all pending appeals.’’ 

Id. It stated that the only ‘‘Post Offices’’ 

subject to closing prior to May 16, 2012 

are those that were not in operation on, 

and for which a Final Determination 

was posted as of, December 12, 2011. It 

affirmed that it ‘‘will not close or 

consolidate any other Post Office prior 

to May 16, 2012.’’ Id. Lastly, the Postal 

Service requested the Commission ‘‘to 

continue adjudicating appeals as 

provided in the 120-day decisional 

schedule for each proceeding.’’ Id. 

The Postal Service’s Notice outlines 

the parameters of its newly announced 

discontinuance policy. Pursuant to the 

Postal Service’s request, the 

Commission will fulfill its appellate 

responsibilities under 39 U.S.C. 

404(d)(5). 

Categories of issues apparently raised. 

Petitioners contend that (1) the Postal 

Service failed to consider the effect of 

the closing on the community (see 39 

U.S.C. 404(d)(2)(A)(i)); (2) the Postal 

Service failed to consider whether or 

not it will continue to provide a 

maximum degree of effective and 

regular postal services to the community 

(see 39 U.S.C. 404(d)(2)(A)(iii)); and (3) 

the Postal Service failed to adequately 

consider the economic savings resulting 

from the closure (see 39 U.S.C. 

404(d)(2)(A)(iv)). 

After the Postal Service files the 

administrative record and the 

Commission reviews it, the Commission 

may find that there are more legal issues 

than those set forth above, or that the 

Postal Service’s determination disposes 

of one or more of those issues. The 

deadline for the Postal Service to file the 

applicable administrative record is 

within 15 days after the date on which 

the petition for review was filed with 

the Commission. See 39 CFR 3001.113. 

In addition, the due date for any 

responsive pleading by the Postal 

Service is also within 15 days after the 

date on which the petition for review 

was filed with the Commission. 

Availability; Web site posting. The 

Commission has posted the appeal and 

supporting material on its Web site at 

http://www.prc.gov. Additional filings 

in this case and participant’s 

submissions also will be posted on the 

Web site, if provided in electronic 

format or amenable to conversion, and 

not subject to a valid protective order. 

Information on how to use the 

Commission’s Web site is available 

online or by contacting the 

Commission’s webmaster via telephone 

at (202) 789–6873 or via electronic mail 

at prc-webmaster@prc.gov. 

The appeal and all related documents 

are also available for public inspection 

in the Commission’s docket section. 

Docket section hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 

p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through 

Friday, except on Federal government 

holidays. Docket section personnel may 

be contacted via electronic mail at prcdockets@prc.gov or via telephone at 

(202) 789–6846. 

Filing of documents. All filings of 

documents in this case shall be made 

using the Internet (Filing Online) 

pursuant to Commission rules 9(a) and 

10(a) at the Commission’s Web site, 

http://www.prc.gov, unless a waiver is 

obtained. See 39 CFR 3001.9(a) and 

3001.10(a). Instructions for obtaining an 

account to file documents online may be 

found on the Commission’s Web site, 

http://www.prc.gov, or by contacting the 

Commission’s docket section at prcdockets@prc.gov or via telephone at 

(202) 789–6846. 

Commission reserves the right to 

redact personal information which may 

infringe on an individual’s privacy 

rights from documents filed in this 

proceeding. 

Intervention. Persons, other than the 

Petitioners and respondents, wishing to 

be heard in this matter are directed to 

file a notice of intervention. See 39 CFR 

3001.111(b). Notices of intervention in 

this case are to be filed on or before 

January 23, 2012. A notice of 

intervention shall be filed using the 

Internet (Filing Online) at the 

Commission’s Web site, http:// 

www.prc.gov, unless a waiver is 

obtained for hardcopy filing. See 39 CFR 

3001.9(a) and 3001.10(a). 

Further procedures. By statute, the 

Commission is required to issue its 

decision within 120 days from the date 

it receives the appeal. See 39 U.S.C. 

404(d)(5). A procedural schedule has 

been developed to accommodate this 

statutory deadline. In the interest of 

expedition, in light of the 120-day 

decision schedule, the Commission may 

request the Postal Service or other 

participants to submit information or 

memoranda of law on any appropriate 

issue. As required by Commission rules, 

if any motions are filed, responses are 

due 7 days after any such motion is 

filed. See 39 CFR 3001.21. 

It is ordered: 

1. The procedural schedule listed 

below is hereby adopted. 

2. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Laura R. 

Schwartz is designated officer of the 

Commission (Public Representative) to 

represent the interests of the general 

public. 

3. The Secretary shall arrange for 

publication of this notice and order and 

Procedural Schedule in the Federal 

Register. 

By the Commission. 

Shoshana M. Grove, 

Secretary. 

PROCEDURAL SCHEDULE

December 1, 2011 .................................... Filing of Appeal. 

December 16, 2011 .................................. Deadline for the Postal Service to file the applicable administrative record in this appeal. 

December 16, 2011 .................................. Deadline for the Postal Service to file any responsive pleading. 

January 23, 2012 ...................................... Deadline for notices to intervene (see 39 CFR 3001.111(b)). 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 5 / Monday, January 9, 2012 / Notices 1093 

PROCEDURAL SCHEDULE—Continued 

January 5, 2012 ........................................ Deadline for Petitioners’ Form 61 or initial brief in support of petition (see 39 CFR 3001.115(a) and 

(b)). 

January 25, 2012 ...................................... Deadline for answering brief in support of the Postal Service (see 39 CFR 3001.115(c)). 

February 9, 2012 ...................................... Deadline for reply briefs in response to answering briefs (see 39 CFR 3001.115(d)). 

February 16, 2012 .................................... Deadline for motions by any party requesting oral argument; the Commission will schedule oral argument only when it is a necessary addition to the written filings (see 39 CFR 3001.116). 

March 23, 2012 ......................................... Expiration of the Commission’s 120-day decisional schedule (see 39 U.S.C. 404(d)(5)). 

[FR Doc. 2012–90 Filed 1–6–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P 

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD 

Proposed Collection; Comment 

Request 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

requirement of Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

which provides opportunity for public 

comment on new or revised data 

collections, the Railroad Retirement 

Board (RRB) will publish periodic 

summaries of proposed data collections. 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

the proposed information collection is 

necessary for the proper performance of 

the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information has practical 

utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB’s 

estimate of the burden of the collection 

of the information; (c) ways to enhance 

the quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (d) 

ways to minimize the burden related to 

the collection of information on 

respondents, including the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

1. Title and purpose of information 

collection: Application for Employee 

Annuity Under the Railroad Retirement 

Act; OMB 3220–0002. 

Section 2a of the Railroad Retirement 

Act (RRA) provides for payments of age 

and service, disability, and 

supplemental annuities to qualified 

employees. An annuity cannot be paid 

until the employee stops working for a 

railroad employer. In addition, the age 

and service employee must relinquish 

any rights held to such jobs. A disabled 

employee does not need to relinquish 

employee rights until attaining Full 

Retirement Age, or if earlier, when their 

spouse files for a spouse annuity. 

Benefits become payable after the 

employee meets certain other 

requirements, which depend on the type 

of annuity payable. The requirements 

for obtaining the annuities are 

prescribed in 20 CFR parts 216 and 220. 

To collect the information needed to 

help determine an applicant’s 

entitlement to, and the amount of, an 

employee retirement annuity the RRB 

uses Forms AA–1, Application for 

Employee Annuity; AA–1d, Application 

for Determination of Employee 

Disability; G–204, Verification of 

Workers Compensation/Public Disability 

Benefit Information and electronic Form 

AA–1cert, Application Summary and 

Certification. 

The AA–1 application process obtains 

information from an applicant about 

their marital history, work history, 

military service, benefits from other 

governmental agencies, railroad 

pensions and Medicare entitlement for 

either an age and service or disability 

annuity. An RRB representative 

interviews the applicant either at a field 

office (preferred), an itinerant point, or 

by telephone. During the interview, the 

RRB representative enters the 

information obtained into an on-line 

information system. Upon completion of 

the interview, the on-line information 

system generates, for the applicant’s 

review and traditional pen and ink 

‘‘wet’’ signature, Form AA–1cert, 

Application Summary and Certification, 

which summarizes the information that 

was provided or verified by the 

applicant. When the RRB representative 

is unable to contact the applicant in 

person or by telephone, for example, the 

applicant lives in another country, a 

manual version of Form AA–1 is used. 

Form AA–1d, Application for 

Determination of Employee’s Disability, 

is completed by an employee who is 

filing for a disability annuity under the 

RRA, or a disability freeze under the 

Social Security Act, for early Medicare 

based on a disability. Form G–204, 

Verification of Worker’s Compensation/ 

Public Disability Benefit Information, is 

used to obtain and verify information 

concerning a worker’s compensation or 

a public disability benefit that is or will 

be paid by a public agency to a disabled 

railroad employee. The RRB proposes 

no changes to Forms AA–1d or G–204. 

Consistent with 20 CFR 217.17, upon 

completion of the AA–1 interview 

process, the RRB proposes to provide, in 

addition to the current Form AA–1cert 

pen and ink ‘‘wet’’ signature, an 

alternate signing method called 

‘‘Attestation,’’ which will be 

documented by new form AA–1sum. 

Attestation refers to an action taken by 

the RRB representative to confirm and 

annotate in the RRB records (1) the 

applicant’s intent to file an application; 

(2) the applicant’s affirmation under 

penalty of perjury that the information 

provided is correct; and (3) the 

applicant’s agreement to sign the 

application by proxy. The information 

collected as part of the AA–1 interview 

process will be the same irrespective of 

whether the application is signed by a 

pen and ink ‘‘wet’’ signature or by 

attestation. The only difference will be 

the method of signature. 

In addition, consistent with 

Department of Treasury guidelines, the 

RRB proposes revisions to Forms AA–1 

and AA–1cert to provide claimants a 

Direct Express® Master Card® Debit 

Card payment option. Other nonburden-impacting editorial and 

formatting changes are proposed. One 

response is requested of each 

respondent. Completion of the forms is 

required to obtain a benefit. 

ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL RESPONDENT BURDEN

[The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows] 

Form No. Annual 

responses 

Time 

(minutes) 

Burden 

(hours) 

AA–1 (without assistance) ........................................................................................................... 100 62 103 

AA–1cert (with assistance) .......................................................................................................... 4,900 30 2,450 

AA–1sum (with assistance) ......................................................................................................... 9,100 29 4,398 

AA–1d (with assistance) .............................................................................................................. 3,700 35 2,158 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES