This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

4727 

Vol. 74, No. 16 

Tuesday, January 27, 2009 

POSTAL SERVICE 

39 CFR Part 111 

Insurance Claims Process Changes 

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The Postal Service proposes 

to revise its regulations governing the 

processing and adjudication of domestic 

mail insurance claims in order to 

streamline the claims process and to 

provide customers with more consistent 

service. 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

February 26, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Address all comments to 

the Manager, Mailing Standards, U.S. 

Postal Service, Room 3436, 475 L’Enfant 

Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20260– 

3436. Copies of all comments will be 

available for inspection and 

photocopying between 9 a.m. and 4 

p.m., Monday through Friday in the 

USPS Headquarters Library on the 11th 

Floor at the above address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Monica Grein, 202–268–8411. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal 

Service is proposing to revise its 

procedures for processing and 

adjudicating domestic mail insurance 

claims in order to streamline the claims 

process and to provide its customers 

with more consistent service. It 

proposes to do this by making its online 

claims processing service available to 

customers who purchase domestic 

insurance through any retail channel— 

i.e., usps.com, Automated Postal 

Center® kiosks, local Post OfficeTM

facilities, or authorized PC Postage®

providers. Currently, the online process 

can only be used by customers who 

purchase postage and insurance through 

Click-N-Ship® or eBay®. In addition, the 

proposal would allow Express Mail®

customers to file online claims, even if 

no additional insurance was purchased. 

The proposal would also allow Collect 

on Delivery (COD) and Registered 

MailTM claims to be filed by mail or at 

a Post Office; however, they could not 

be filed online. 

The proposal would also permit a 

customer to file a claim by downloading 

a form from usps.com and mailing it 

directly to Postal Service Accounting 

Services in St. Louis, MO. Customers 

also could continue to file claim forms 

at a local Post Office. 

Under the proposal, local Post Office 

facilities would no longer adjudicate 

insurance claims. To ensure consistency 

and service quality, all claims would be 

adjudicated by Accounting Services. 

The proposal also would change the 

current damaged goods inspection 

policy for domestic claims. The 

proposal would require a customer to 

retain her or his damaged article and 

container, including packaging, 

wrapping, and any other contents 

received, until the claim is fully 

resolved. Customers would no longer be 

required to take these materials to the 

Post Office at the time a claim is filed. 

Rather, upon receiving a request from 

the Postal Service, they would be 

required to turn the materials over to 

their local Post Office for inspection, 

retention, and disposition in accordance 

with the claims decision. 

This proposal also would update the 

Registered Mail section by changing the 

term uninsured Registered Mail to 

Registered Mail with no declared value 

to reflect current policy. 

Although exempt from the notice and 

comment requirements of the 

Administrative Procedure Act [5 U.S.C. 

553(b), (c)], regarding proposed 

rulemaking by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), the 

Postal Service invites comments on the 

following proposed revision of the 

Domestic Mail Manual, incorporated by 

reference in the Code of Federal 

Regulations. See 39 CFR part 111. 

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111 

Administrative practice and 

procedure, Postal Service. 

PART 111—[AMENDED] 

1. The authority citation for 39 CFR 

Part 111 continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101, 

401, 403, 404, 414, 416, 3001–3011, 3201– 

3219, 3403–3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3632, 

3633, and 5001. 

2. Revise the following sections of 

Mailing Standards of the United States 

Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual 

(DMM) as follows: 

* * * * * 

500 Additional Mailing Services 

503 Extra Services 

* * * * * 

2.0 Registered Mail 

* * * * * 

[Revise heading of 2.6 as follows:] 

2.6 Inquiry on Article With No 

Declared Value 

2.6.1 Who May File 

[Revise 2.6.1 to read as follows:] 

If postal insurance was purchased, the 

claim procedures in 609 apply. The 

procedures in this section apply only to 

Registered Mail with no declared value. 

Only the mailer may file an inquiry on 

Registered Mail with no declared value. 

For matter registered with no declared 

value but with merchandise return 

service, only the permit holder may file 

an inquiry. 

[Revise the heading of 2.6.2 to read as 

follows:] 

2.6.2 When and How To File 

[Revise introductory paragraph to read 

as follows, and delete items 2.6.2a, 

2.6.2b, and 2.6.2c:] 

The mailer may not file any inquiry 

until 15 days after the mailing date of 

the article. An inquiry may be filed at 

any Post Office, classified station, or 

classified branch, except for an inquiry 

about matter registered with 

merchandise return service, which must 

be filed by the permit holder at the Post 

Office where the permit is held. An 

inquiry for Registered Mail with no 

declared value must be filed by 

completing a PS Form 1000, Domestic 

or International Claim, which may be 

obtained from any Post Office or online 

at www.usps.com/forms/_pdf/ 

ps1000.pdf. 

* * * * * 

600 Basic Standards for All Mailing 

Services 

* * * * * 

609 Filing Indemnity Claims for Loss 

or Damage 

1.0 General Filing Instructions 

* * * * * 


cprice-sewell on PRODPC61 with PROPOSALS
4728 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 27, 2009 / Proposed Rules 

1.5 Where To File 

[Revise 1.5 to read as follows:] 

A claim may be filed: 

a. Via mail to Domestic Claims, 

Accounting Services (see 608.8.0 for 

address) for insured mail, Registered 

Mail, COD, and Express Mail. 

b. Online at www.usps.com/ 

insuranceclaims/online.htm for 

domestic insured mail and Express 

Mail. Claims for COD and Registered 

Mail cannot be filed online. 

c. By submitting the required 

information at any Post Office facility 

for mailing to Accounting Services in St. 

Louis. 

* * * * * 

1.6 How To File 

[Revise 1.6 by deleting existing text and 

adding 1.6.1 and 1.6.2 to read as 

follows:] 

1.6.1 Claims Filed by Mail 

Customers may file a claim by 

completing a PS Form 1000, Domestic 

or International Claim, and mailing it to 

Domestic Claims, Accounting Services 

(see 608.8.0 for address). Customers may 

print PS Form 1000 from 

www.usps.com/insuranceclaims. 

Evidence of value is required and must 

accompany the PS Form 1000. Evidence 

of insurance must be retained by the 

customer until the claim is resolved. For 

Express Mail COD and Registered Mail 

COD claims, the customer must provide 

both the original COD receipt and the 

Express Mail receipt or the Registered 

Mail receipt. Upon written request by 

the USPS, the customer must submit 

proof of damage (see 2.0) for damaged 

items or missing contents, in person to 

a local Post Office for inspection, 

retention, and disposition in accordance 

with the claims decision. 

1.6.2 Claims Filed Online 

Customers may file a claim online for 

insured mail and Express Mail at 

www.usps.com/insuranceclaims/ 

online.htm. Evidence of value is 

required and may be submitted as an 

uploaded file or sent via First-Class Mail 

to Domestic Claims, Accounting 

Services (see 608.8.0 for address). 

Evidence of insurance must be retained 

by the customer until the claim is 

resolved. Upon written request by the 

USPS, the customer must submit proof 

of damage (see 2.0) for damaged items 

or missing contents, in person to a local 

Post Office for inspection, retention, and 

disposition in accordance with the 

claims decision. COD and Registered 

Mail claims cannot be filed online. 

1.6.3 Claims Filed at the Post Office 

A customer may file a claim form, PS 

Form 1000, at a local Post Office, which 

will then forward the form to 

Accounting Services in St. Louis. 

Customers may print PS Form 1000 

from www.usps.com/insuranceclaims. 

Evidence of value is required and must 

accompany the PS Form 1000. Evidence 

of insurance must be retained by the 

customer until the claim is resolved. For 

Express Mail COD and Registered Mail 

COD claims, the customer must provide 

both the original COD receipt and the 

Express Mail receipt or the Registered 

Mail receipt. Upon written request by 

the USPS, the customer must submit 

proof of damage (see 2.0) for damaged 

items or missing contents, in person to 

a local Post Office for inspection, 

retention, and disposition in accordance 

with the claims decision. 

* * * * * 

2.0 Providing Proof of Loss or Damage 

2.1 Missing Contents 

[Revise the first sentence of 2.1 to read 

as follows:] 

If a claim is filed because some or all 

of the contents are missing, the 

addressee must retain the mailing 

container, including wrapping, 

packaging, and any contents that were 

received, and must, upon written 

request by the USPS, make them 

available to the local Post Office for 

inspection, retention, and disposition in 

accordance with the claims decision. 

* * * 

2.2 Proof of Damage 

[Revise the first and second sentences of 

2.2 to read as follows:] 

If the addressee files the claim, the 

addressee must retain the damaged 

article and mailing container, including 

wrapping, packaging, and contents, and 

must, upon written request by the 

USPS, make them available for 

inspection. If the mailer files the claim, 

Accounting Services in St. Louis may 

notify the addressee by letter to present 

the damaged article and mailing 

container, including any wrapping, 

packaging, and any other contents 

received, to a local Post Office for 

inspection, retention, and disposition in 

accordance with the claims decision. 

* * * 

3.0 Providing Evidence of Insurance 

and Value 

3.1 Evidence of Insurance 

[Revise introductory paragraph and 

item 3.1a to read as follows:] 

For a claim involving insured mail, 

Registered Mail, COD, or Express Mail, 

the customer must retain evidence 

showing that the particular service was 

purchased until the claim is resolved. 

Examples of acceptable evidence of 

insurance are: 

a. The original mailing receipt issued 

at the time of mailing (retail insured 

mail, Registered Mail, and COD receipts 

must contain a USPS postmark). If the 

original mailing receipt is not available, 

the original USPS sales receipt listing 

the mailing receipt number and 

insurance amount is acceptable. 

Reproduced copies are not acceptable 

for Registered Mail and COD claims. 

Customers filing online claims may scan 

the receipt and submit as an uploaded 

file. 

* * * * * 

[Delete item 3.1d, and redesignate 

current items 3.1e and 3.1f as 3.1d and 

3.1e.] 

* * * * * 

3.2 Evidence of Value 

[Revise introductory paragraph of 3.2 to 

add online option as follows:] 

The customer (either the mailer or the 

addressee) must submit acceptable 

evidence to establish the cost or value 

of the article at the time it was mailed. 

For claims submitted online, the 

evidence may be scanned and uploaded 

or sent via First-Class Mail to Domestic 

Claims, Accounting Services (see 

608.8.0 for address). (Other evidence 

may be requested to help determine an 

accurate value.) Examples of acceptable 

evidence are: 

* * * * * 

6.0 Adjudication of Claims 

6.1 Initial Adjudication of Claims 

[Revise 6.1 to read as follows:] 

Accounting Services in St. Louis 

adjudicates and determines whether to 

uphold a claim in full, uphold a claim 

in part, or deny a claim in full. Domestic 

insurance claims may be filed online 

through www.usps.com/ 

insuranceclaims/online.htm, via mail to 

Domestic Claims Accounting Services 

(see 608.8 for address), or by filing it at 

a local Post Office. Claims for COD and 

Registered Mail cannot be filed online. 


cprice-sewell on PRODPC61 with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 27, 2009 / Proposed Rules 4729 

6.2 Appealing a Claim Decision 

[Revise 6.2 to read as follows:] 

A customer may appeal a claim 

decision by filing a written appeal to 

Domestic Claims Appeals, Accounting 

Services (see 608.8 for address) within 

60 days of the date of the original 

decision. A customer may also appeal a 

claim decision online through 

www.usps.com/insuranceclaims/ 

online.htm if the original claim was 

filed online. 

6.3 Final USPS Decision of Claims 

[Revise text of 6.3 by adding a new last 

sentence as follows:] 

* * * The customer may file the 

additional appeal online if the original 

appeal was filed online. 

* * * * * 

We will publish an appropriate 

amendment to 39 CFR 111 to reflect 

these changes if our proposal is 

adopted. 

Neva R. Watson, 

Attorney, Legislative. 

[FR Doc. E9–1645 Filed 1–26–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–12–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

40 CFR Part 300 

[EPA–HQ–SFUND–1989–0008; FRL–8761–1] 

National Oil and Hazardous Substance 

Pollution Contingency Plan National 

Priorities List 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent for Partial 

Deletion of the Rentokil, Inc. Superfund 

Site from the National Priorities List. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) Region 3 is issuing a 

Notice of Intent to Delete former 

Wetland Areas B and C of the Rentokil, 

Inc. Superfund Site (Site) located in 

Henrico County, Virginia, from the 

National Priorities List (NPL) and 

requests public comments on this 

proposed action. The NPL, promulgated 

pursuant to section 105 of the 

Comprehensive Environmental 

Response, Compensation, and Liability 

Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, is 

found at Appendix B of 40 CFR part 

300, which is the National Oil and 

Hazardous Substances Pollution 

Contingency Plan (NCP). The EPA and 

the Commonwealth of Virginia, through 

the Virginia Department of 

Environmental Quality, have 

determined that all appropriate 

response actions at these identified 

parcels under CERCLA, other than 

operation and maintenance and fiveyear reviews, have been completed. 

However, this deletion does not 

preclude future actions under 

Superfund. 

This partial deletion pertains to the 

soil and sediment of former Wetland 

Areas B and C and the ground water at 

former Wetland Area C. The remaining 

areas/media will remain on the NPL and 

are not being considered for deletion as 

part of this action. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

February 26, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by Docket ID no. EPA–HQ– 

SFUND–1989–0008, by one of the 

following methods: 

• http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 

on-line instructions for submitting 

comments. 

• E-mail: Larry C Johnson, 

Community Involvement Coordinator at 

Johnson.larryc@epa.gov or Andy 

Palestini, Remedial Project Manager at 

Palestini.andy@epa.gov. 

• Fax: (215) 814–3002. 

• Mail: Larry C Johnson, Community 

Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA 

Region 3, Mailcode 3HS52, 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. 

• Hand delivery: Larry C Johnson, 

Community Involvement Coordinator, 

U.S. EPA Region 3, Mailcode 3HS52, 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. Such 

deliveries are only accepted during the 

Docket’s normal hours of operation, and 

special arrangements should be made 

for deliveries of boxed information. 

Instructions: Direct your comments to 

Docket ID no. EPA–HQ–SFUND–1989– 

0008. EPA’s policy is that all comments 

received will be included in the public 

docket without change and may be 

made available online at http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided, unless 

the comment includes information 

claimed to be Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) or other information 

whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 

Do not submit information that you 

consider to be CBI or otherwise 

protected through http:// 

www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The 

http://www.regulations.gov Web site is 

an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which 

means EPA will not know your identity 

or contact information unless you 

provide it in the body of your comment. 

If you send an e-mail comment directly 

to EPA without going through http:// 

www.regulations.gov, your e-mail 

address will be automatically captured 

and included as part of the comment 

that is placed in the public docket and 

made available on the Internet. If you 

submit an electronic comment, EPA 

recommends that you include your 

name and other contact information in 

the body of your comment and with any 

disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA 

cannot read your comment due to 

technical difficulties and cannot contact 

you for clarification, EPA may not be 

able to consider your comment. 

Electronic files should avoid the use of 

special characters, any form of 

encryption, and be free of any defects or 

viruses. 

Docket: All documents in the docket 

are listed in the http:// 

www.regulations.gov index. Although 

listed in the index, some information is 

not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other 

information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statue. Certain other 

material, such as copyrighted material, 

will be publicly available only in hard 

copy. Publicly available docket 

materials are available either 

electronically in http:// 

www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at: 

U.S. EPA Region 3 Library, U.S. EPA 

Region 3, 1650 Arch Street, 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103– 

2029, (215) 814–5000, Monday through 

Friday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.; 

Henrico County Municipal Reference 

and Law Library, Parham Road at 

Hungary Spring Road, Richmond, 

Virginia 23273. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Andy Palestini, Remedial Project 

Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, Region 3, Mailcode 3HS23, 

1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, 

Pennsylvania 19103, (215) 814–3233. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the 

‘‘Rules and Regulations’’ Section of 

today’s Federal Register, we are 

publishing a direct final Notice of 

Partial Deletion for former Wetland 

Areas B and C of the Rentokil, Inc. 

Superfund Site without prior Notice of 

Intent for Partial Deletion because EPA 

views this as a noncontroversial 

revision and anticipates no adverse 

comment. We have explained our 

reasons for this partial deletion in the 

preamble to the direct final Notice of 

Partial Deletion, and those reasons are 

incorporated herein. If we receive no 

adverse comment(s) on this partial 

deletion action, we will not take further 

action on this Notice of Intent for Partial 

Deletion. If we receive adverse 

comment(s), we will withdraw the 

direct final Notice of Partial Deletion 

and it will not take effect. We will, as 

appropriate, address all public 

comments in a subsequent final Notice 

of Partial Deletion based on this Notice 


cprice-sewell on PRODPC61 with PROPOSALS