USPS
In February 2021, the United States Postal Service made a controversial decision to replace its fleet of obsolete and inefficient mail trucks with a new fleet composed almost entirely of new, inefficient diesel mail trucks. While the vast majority of USPS’ delivery routes are ideally suited to electric vehicles, the USPS decided that only 10 percent of the planned order would be battery-electric.
In early February 2022, that decision sparked strong criticism from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Council on Environmental Quality, who accused the Postal Service of not properly investigating the environmental impact of its decision, as required by law.
This week, the USPS released its final decision and environmental considerations report for the purchase of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle. And it’s bad news for anyone concerned about climate change or air pollution, as the postal service has dug in and refuses to change its plans. That means 90 percent of the 50,000-165,000 NGDVs ordered will run on gasoline and only get 28.86 l/100 km when used with air conditioning.
In the EPA’s letter to the Postal Service, the agency told the USPS it should open a new public comment period and requested a public hearing on the NGDV decision.
The USPS has now rejected the EPA’s claims, claiming that just because the “EPA disagrees with the Postal Service’s conclusions does not change the fact that the Postal Service’s analysis and assumptions are reasonable, based on credible sources and the superior expertise and extensive experience in postal logistics and procurement.”
The USPS also complained about the timing of the EPA and CEQ complaints, and it continues to advocate poverty as the reason it can’t order more than 5,000 EVs. The report also says that the Postal Service has now considered and rejected the idea of buying a commercial turnkey alternative, such as Ford’s new electric e-Transit, and claims that the e-Transit – which Ars used in previous month – not yet ready. market.
The USPS also complained about the EPA’s assessment of the NGDV’s appalling fuel efficiency, claiming it would only be fair to compare fuel economy without air conditioning. That number is 14.7 mpg (16.00 l/100 km). However, the report makes no mention of turning off the air conditioning for all NGDVs once they are in use.
“The Biden administration, Congress, environmental and public health groups, and air regulators have made it clear that electrifying the postal service must be a top priority for climate and public health. Refusing to hold a public hearing on such a flawed and controversial plan speaks volumes about Postmaster Louis DeJoy’s evil intentions,” said Katherine García, the Sierra Club’s director of Clean Transportation for All. “There should be no reason why this plan moves forward in 2022,” she said in a statement.
President Joe Biden is still unable to replace Postmaster Louis DeJoy because of his continued support from the USPS board of directors.
