Notice2022-12581
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplement to the Next Generation Delivery Vehicles Acquisitions Final Environmental Impact Statement
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Published
June 10, 2022
Issuing agencies
Postal Service
Abstract
On January 7, 2022, the Postal Service published a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), its implementing regulations, and the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for its Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) Acquisitions. On February 23, 2022, the Postal Service issued its Record of Decision, determining that it would implement the NGDV FEIS's Preferred Alternative to purchase and deploy over a ten-year period 50,000 to 165,000 purpose-built, right-hand drive NGDV consisting of a mix of internal combustion engine (ICE) and battery electric vehicle (BEV) powertrains, with at least ten percent BEVs. On March 24, 2022, in accordance with that decision, the Postal Service placed an order for 50,000 NGDV, of which 10,019 are BEV. The Postal Service now announces its intention to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to address the three considerations that have developed since the NGDV FEIS and Record of Decision.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 112 (Friday, June 10, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35581-35582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12581]
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POSTAL SERVICE
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplement to the Next Generation
Delivery Vehicles Acquisitions Final Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Postal Service.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: On January 7, 2022, the Postal Service published a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) pursuant to the requirements of
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), its implementing
regulations, and the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations for its Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV)
Acquisitions. On February 23, 2022, the Postal Service issued its
Record of Decision, determining that it would implement the NGDV FEIS's
Preferred Alternative to purchase and deploy over a ten-year period
50,000 to 165,000 purpose-built, right-hand drive NGDV consisting of a
mix of internal combustion engine (ICE) and battery electric vehicle
(BEV) powertrains, with at least ten percent BEVs. On March 24, 2022,
in accordance with that decision, the Postal Service placed an order
for 50,000 NGDV, of which 10,019 are BEV. The Postal Service now
announces its intention to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (SEIS) to address the three considerations that have
developed since the NGDV FEIS and Record of Decision.
DATES: Comments should be received no later than July 25, 2022. The
Postal Service will also publish a Notice of Availability to announce
the availability of the Draft SEIS and solicit comments on the Draft
SEIS during a second 45-day public comment period.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may direct comments and questions to: Mr.
Davon Collins, Environmental Counsel, United States Postal Service, 475
L'Enfant Plaza SW, Office 6606, Washington, DC 20260-6201, or at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#efa1aabfaeaf9a9c9f9cc1888099"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3779726776774244474419505841">[email protected]</span></a>. Note that comments sent by mail may be subject to delay
due to federal security screening. Faxed comments are not accepted. All
submitted comments and attachments are part of the public record and
subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any material in your comments
that you consider to be confidential or inappropriate for public
disclosure.
The Postal Service will also conduct a virtual public hearing on
Tuesday, July 19, 2022, at 7 p.m. (ET). Registration information will
be made available 15 days prior to the hearing date at the following
website: <a href="http://uspsngdveis.com/">http://uspsngdveis.com/</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The three considerations that have developed
since the NGDV FEIS and Record of Decision are as follows:
First, in response to potential delivery network refinements and
route optimization efforts being considered for the postal delivery
network, the SEIS would analyze the potential impacts to the delivery
fleet from such changes, including whether the changed route length and
characteristics warrant an increase in the minimum number of BEV NGDVs
to be procured under the Proposed Action set forth in the FEIS.
Second, in response to its need to accelerate the replacement of
aged and high-maintenance Long Life Vehicles (LLV) and Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (FFV) in furtherance of its Universal Service Obligation, the
Postal Service intends to analyze the potential impacts of replacing
the remainder of its LLV/FFV fleet with a combination of NGDV and
Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) vehicles. The Postal Service
anticipates that the SEIS Proposed Action will propose acquiring up to
37,000 left-hand drive COTS with ICE and BEV powertrains, which would
be deployed on routes with fewer than 21 curb-line delivery points.
Third, as the NGDV FEIS only assessed the environmental impacts
from a replacement of the Postal Service's LLV and FFVs, the SEIS would
also assess the potential impacts from replacing other aged and high-
maintenance non-LLV/FFV postal delivery vehicles. This analysis would
include consideration of the acquisition of: (1) up to 60,000 right-
hand drive non-NGDV purpose-built vehicles with ICE and BEV powertrains
to place on routes currently utilizing personally owned vehicles
(POVs), for rural route growth, and for routes that require a vehicle
less than 111 inches tall; and (2) the acquisition of up to 26,000
left-hand drive COTS with ICE and BEV powertrains to replace existing
COTS delivery vehicles that will reach the end of their service lives
within the next ten years.
The Postal Service actively seeks input from the public, interested
persons, organizations, and Federal, state, and regional agencies to
identify environmental concerns and potential alternatives to be
addressed in the SEIS and will accept public comments for a 45-day
period, concluding on July 25, 2022. With respect to recommendations
regarding potential alternatives, the Postal Service requests that
comments be as specific as possible regarding vehicle type, model and
manufacturer so that the Postal Service might fully consider the
alternative in terms of pricing, operational capabilities, and market
availability.
References
1. U.S. Postal Service, Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental
Impact
[[Page 35582]]
Statement for Purchase of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles, 86 FR
12715 (Mar. 4, 2021).
2. U.S. Postal Service, Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental
Impact Statement for Purchase of Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, 86
FR 47662 (Aug. 26, 2021).
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Notice of Availability of EIS
No. 20210129, Draft, USPS, DC, Next Generation Delivery Vehicle
Acquisitions, 86 FR 49531 (Sept. 3, 2021).
4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Notice of Availability of EIS
No. 20220001, Final, USPS, DC, Next Generation Delivery Vehicle
Acquisitions, 87 FR 964 (Jan. 7, 2022).
5. U.S. Postal Service, Notice of Availability of Final Environmental
Impact Statement for Purchase of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles, 87
FR 994 (Jan. 7, 2022).
6. U.S. Postal Service, Notice of Availability of Record of Decision,
87 FR 14588 (Mar. 15, 2022).
Joshua J. Hofer,
Attorney, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2022-12581 Filed 6-7-22; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P
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