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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 225 (Thursday, November 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 92190-92191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-27281]

[[Page 92190]]

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POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. N2024-1; Order No. 7998]

Service Standard Changes

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is acknowledging a recently-filed Postal 
Service request for an advisory opinion regarding planned changes to 
its processing and transportation networks. This document invites 
public comments on the request and addresses several related procedural 
steps.

DATES: Notice of intent to file a rebuttal: November 22, 2024; Hearing: 
December 4, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, Virtual.

ADDRESSES: Submit notices electronically via the Commission's Filing 
Online system at http://www.prc.gov. Persons interested in intervening 
who cannot submit their views electronically should contact the person 
identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at 
202-789-6820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. Hearing Procedures
III. Ordering Paragraphs

I. Introduction

    On October 4, 2024, the Postal Service filed a request for an 
advisory opinion from the Commission regarding planned changes to its 
processing and transportation networks.\1\ Specifically, the Postal 
Service proposes to create a nationwide network of Regional Processing 
and Distribution Centers (RPDCs) and Local Processing Centers (LPCs). 
Request at 3. Further, the Postal Service plans to implement its 
Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) initiative on a nationwide 
basis. Id. The Postal Service also proposes to revise its service 
standards ``to align with these operational initiatives . . . .'' Id.
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    \1\ United States Postal Service Request for an Advisory Opinion 
on Changes in the Nature of Postal Services, October 4, 2024 
(Request).
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II. Hearing Procedures

    Before issuing its advisory opinion, the Commission shall accord an 
opportunity for a formal, on-the-record hearing pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
556 and 557. 39 U.S.C. 3661(c). The procedural rules in 39 CFR part 
3020 apply to Docket No. N2024-1. The Commission will sit en banc for 
Docket No. N2024-1. See 39 CFR 3020.122(b). In Order No. 7695, the 
Commission stated that ``[t]he form and manner for any hearings to be 
held in Docket No. N2024-1 shall be established by Commission Order or 
Presiding Officer Ruling at a later date.'' \2\
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    \2\ Notice and Order on the Postal Service's Request for an 
Advisory Opinion on Changes in the Nature of Postal Services, 
October 9, 2024, at 14 (Order No. 7695).
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    A majority of the Commission has determined that it will conduct 
any hearings in Docket No. N2024-1 in person in the Commission's 
hearing room at 901 New York Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington DC, 
20268. Commissioner Ashley Poling shall preside over any hearings 
conducted as part of this proceeding. Additionally, the hearings will 
be live-streamed, and information on how to access the stream shall be 
forthcoming. The stream will only allow remote parties to view, but not 
interact with, the live hearing taking place at the Commission's 
hearing room. Individuals do not need to register in advance to access 
the livestream.
    Additionally, the Commission, to better support the hearing, 
modifies the procedural schedule set forth in Order No. 7695 regarding 
certain deadlines in preparation for hearing and rebuttal case. The 
modified schedule appears below the signature of this Order as 
Attachment 1. Pursuant to that schedule, any party that intends to 
conduct oral cross-examination shall file a notice of intent to do so 
by November 22, 2024. The notice must include an estimate of the amount 
of time requested for each witness.
    As noted in Order No. 7695, a rebuttal case is any evidence and 
testimony offered to disprove or contradict the evidence and testimony 
submitted by the Postal Service. A rebuttal case does not include 
cross-examination of the Postal Service's witnesses or argument 
submitted via a brief or statement of position. Any party that intends 
to file a rebuttal case must file a notice confirming its intent to do 
so by November 22, 2024. Any rebuttal case, consisting of any testimony 
and all materials in support of the case, must be filed by December 4, 
2024. Any motion for leave to file a surrebuttal case is due December 
6, 2024. See Order No. 7695 at 24.
    If no party files a notice of intent to file a rebuttal case by 
November 22, 2024, the hearing of the Postal Service's direct case 
shall begin at 10:00 a.m. ET on December 4, 2024, with additional days 
reserved on December 5, 2024, and December 6, 2024.
    If any party files a notice of intent to file a rebuttal case by 
November 22, 2024, but no surrebuttal testimony will be presented, then 
the hearing of the Postal Service's direct case shall begin at 10:00 
a.m. ET on December 11, 2024, with additional days reserved on December 
12, 2024, and December 13, 2024.
    If any party files a notice of intent to file a rebuttal case by 
November 22, 2024, and the Commission approves the presentation of 
surrebuttal testimony, then the hearing of the Postal Service's direct 
case shall begin at 10:00 a.m. ET on December 18, 2024, and the hearing 
of the surrebuttal case shall end December 20, 2024.
    Each individual seeking to attend the live hearing at the 
Commission's hearing room must register by sending an email to 
[email protected], with the subject line ``N2024-1 Hearing 
Registration'' by November 22, 2024. The hearing is open to the public 
subject to space constraints in the Commission's hearing room, however 
only intervenors are able to question Postal Service witnesses. In 
order to facilitate orderly public participation, this email shall 
provide the following information:
     your first and last name;
     your email address;
     your affiliation (if you are participating in your 
capacity as an employee, officer, or member of an entity such as a 
corporation, association, or government agency).
    The [email protected] email address is established solely for 
the exchange of information relating to the logistics of registering 
for, and attending, the live hearing.\3\ No information related to the 
substance of the Postal Service's Request shall be communicated, nor 
shall any information provided by participants apart from the list 
identified above be reviewed or considered. Only documents filed with 
the Commission's docket system will be considered by the Commission.
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    \3\ Please refer to the Commission's privacy policy which is 
available at https://www.prc.gov/privacy.
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III. Ordering Paragraphs

    It is ordered:
    1. The Commission will conduct any hearings in Docket No. N2024-1 
in person at the Commission's hearing room.
    2. The modified procedural schedule for this proceeding is set 
forth below the signature of this Order.

[[Page 92191]]

    3. The Secretary shall arrange for publication of this order in the 
Federal Register.

    By the Commission.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.

               Procedural Schedule for Docket No. N2024-1
             [Modified by the Commission, November 15, 2024]
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Technical Conference Dates:
    Deadline to Email [email protected] to  October 15, 2024.
     Register to Participate in the Live
     Technical Conference via Microsoft Teams.
    Filing of the Postal Service's Materials   October 15, 2024.
     (if any) for the Technical Conference.
    Technical Conference (live via Microsoft   October 16, 2024, at 1:00
     Teams).                                    p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
Intervention Deadline:
    Filing of Notice of Intervention.........  October 21, 2024.
Discovery Deadlines for the Postal Service's
 Direct Case:
    Last Filing of Discovery Requests........  November 5, 2024.
    Filing of the Postal Service's Answers to  November 12, 2024.
     Discovery.
Deadlines in Preparation for Hearing
 (assuming no rebuttal case):
    Filing of Notice Confirming Intent to      November 22, 2024.
     Conduct Oral Cross-Examination.
    Filing of Request to Present Oral          November 22, 2024.
     Argument.
    Filing of Notice of Designations           November 26, 2024.
     (Parties).
    Filing of Notices of Designated Materials  December 2, 2024.
     (Postal Service).
Rebuttal Case Deadlines (if applicable):
    Filing of Notice Confirming Intent to      November 22, 2024.
     File a Rebuttal Case.
    Filing of Rebuttal Case..................  December 4, 2024.
Surrebuttal Case Deadlines (if applicable):    .........................
    Filing of Motion for Leave to File         December 6, 2024.
     Surrebuttal Case.
    Filing of Response to Motion for Leave to  December 10, 2024.
     File Surrebuttal Case.
    Filing of Surrebuttal Case (if             December 13, 2024.
     authorized).
Hearing Dates:
    Hearings (with no Rebuttal Case).........  December 4 to 6, 2024.
    Hearings (with Rebuttal Case, but no       December 11 to 13, 2024.
     authorized Surrebuttal Case).
    Hearings (with Rebuttal Case and           December 18 to 20, 2024.
     authorized Surrebuttal Case).
Briefing Deadlines:
    Filing of Initial Briefs (with no          December 12, 2024.
     Rebuttal Case).
    Filing of Reply Briefs (with no Rebuttal   December 19, 2024.
     Case).
Statement of Position Deadline:
    Filing of Statement of Position (with no   December 12, 2024.
     Rebuttal Case).
Advisory Opinion Deadline:
    Filing of Advisory Opinion...............  January 31, 2025.
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[FR Doc. 2024-27281 Filed 11-20-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-FW-P
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