82 FR 33167 - Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Commercial Off-the-Shelf Vehicle Acquisitions, Nationwide

POSTAL SERVICE

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 137 (July 19, 2017)

To comply with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Postal Service has prepared and is making available for comments a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Vehicle Acquisitions (the Proposed Action), which is national in scope. This PEA evaluated the environmental impacts of the Proposed Action and an Alternative Action versus taking No Action. The Draft PEA can be reviewed online at http:/ /about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/green/pdf/cots-pea.pdf.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33167-33168]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15082]


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POSTAL SERVICE


Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment for Commercial Off-the-Shelf Vehicle Acquisitions, 
Nationwide

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), the Postal Service has prepared and is making 
available for comments a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment 
(PEA) for Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Vehicle Acquisitions (the 
Proposed Action), which is national in scope. This PEA evaluated the 
environmental impacts of the Proposed Action and an Alternative Action 
versus taking No Action. The Draft PEA can be reviewed online at http://about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/green/pdf/cots-pea.pdf.

DATES: Comments should be received no later than 5:00 p.m. ET, August 
3, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Direct written comments to: Davon Collins, Environmental 
Counsel, U.S. Postal Service, Room 6333, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW., 
Washington, DC 20260, email [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Davon M. Collins, (202) 268-4570.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To stabilize its delivery fleet pending the 
development of a longer-term solution to its vehicle needs and in 
furtherance of its statutory Universal Service Obligation, the Postal 
Service is considering the purchase of an estimated 26,000 COTS 
delivery vehicles to accommodate route growth over the next three 
years, and to replace accident-damaged, aged and high-maintenance-cost 
vehicles.
    Pursuant to the requirements of NEPA, the Postal Service's 
implementing procedures at 39 CFR 775, and the President's Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Postal 
Service has prepared a PEA to evaluate the environmental impacts of the 
following three actions on the physical, biological, cultural, and 
socioeconomic environments. To assist in this process, the Postal 
Service is soliciting the public's input and comments.
    The Proposed Action would accommodate an increase in delivery 
points and routes anticipated over each of the next three years through 
the purchase of an estimated 7,000 new delivery vehicles and 
establishment of new delivery routes; and replace an estimated 19,000 
accident-damaged, aged and high-maintenance-cost delivery vehicles, and 
aged minivans with new COTS vehicles. The Alternative Action would 
accommodate the expected increase in routes through the lease of 
additional vehicles, and provide for replacement of high-maintenance-
cost and aged vehicles with leased vehicles. Under the No Action 
Alternative, the Postal Service would not implement the COTS Vehicle 
Acquisitions. The existing delivery fleet would be maintained at the 
status quo; existing delivery vehicles would continue to be used and 
incur increasingly higher maintenance costs as the vehicles continued 
to age; and existing delivery routes would be expanded to address 
annual city and rural delivery growth, incurring additional mileage and 
corresponding increased costs for maintenance and repair ofexisting 
vehicles.
    The Draft PEA concludes that the Proposed Action would not result 
in significant adverse impacts on the physical, biological, cultural, 
and socioeconomic environments. The Proposed Action would result in 
beneficial impacts to current air quality nationwide, as the new 
vehicles would have better emission controls than the vehicles being 
replaced, and therefore decrease emissions as compared with the No 
Action Alternative, and at a significantly lower cost than the 
Alternative Action. Adverse impacts to other aspects of the environment 
such as biological, water, and cultural resources; energy resources; 
waste management; and community services would be minor to 
insignificant. The Proposed Action would also have an insignificant but 
beneficial socioeconomic impact nationwide, as new hires and additional 
related material purchases would produce beneficial economic results.
    Unless substantive comments are received during the 15-day comment 
period and significant issues are identified, the Postal Service will 
finalize the PEA, issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), and 
proceed with the project. Should a FONSI be issued, it will be 
available for public viewing at http://about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/green/welcome.htm, and the Postal Service would not publish 
another notice for this project. In the event significant issues are 
identified, the Postal Service will either issue a Mitigated FONSI, 
listing required mitigation measures, or publish a new

[[Page 33168]]

Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2017-15082 Filed 7-18-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-12-P