A yearslong legal battle over the Postal Service’s next-generation vehicle fleet is over.
California and 16 other states, plus the District of Columbia and several major cities, dropped a lawsuit last month that challenged the USPS’ plans in 2022 to purchase mostly gas-powered delivery vehicles in the coming years.
USPS now plans to purchase mostly electric delivery vehicles, after receiving $3 billion to do so in the Inflation Reduction Act.
A similar lawsuit filed by environmental groups has also been dismissed.
The lawsuits claimed USPS set unrealistically high costs for electric vehicles, but underestimated the lifecycle cost of gas-powered vehicles, as part of its obligations requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act.
The 1996 NEPA legislation requires agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) when evaluating major federal acquisitions that could significantly affect the environment.
