Senators Oppose North Platte Post Office Change

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts was one of 26 U.S. Senators who called on the United States Postal Service (USPS) to pause planned changes to its processing and delivery network that some think could slow down mail delivery until the potential impacts are further studied by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) and addressed by the Postal Service.This year, USPS announced the initial findings of its Mail Processing Facility Review of the North Platte Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC). The report recommends transitioning the North Platte P&DC into a Local Processing Center and transferring some processing and distribution functions to Denver.Currently, the North Platte facility processes and distributes all mail in Nebraska west of the city of Cozad to the Wyoming border, north to the South Dakota border, and into portions of northern Kansas. However, this could have implications beyond that area as mail from other parts of the state is routed through that facility, depending on where it comes from and where it goes. It is unknown at this time how delivery times may be impacted.A controversial element of the recommendation involved sending some mail outside the state. According to USPS, “Additionally, the business case supports transferring some mail processing operations to the Denver P&DC in Denver CO. This would mean a significant percentage of the mail collected locally will travel across the wider USPS transportation and processing network over significant distances to reach their final destinations in a more efficient manner. Mail and packages destined for outside the local area may receive better service and be more cost effectively distributed by aggregating it with mail and packages from other areas going to the same places that will likewise utilize the wider postal network and be transported significant distances from where the mail originated.”Some senators are not convinced. In March 2024, Ricketts sent a letter with Representative Adrian Smith requesting more information about the plans for the P&DC.“We call on USPS to pause all changes, pending a full study of this plan by its regulator,” the senators wrote. “While USPS claims these changes overall will improve service while reducing costs, there is evidence to the contrary in locations where USPS has implemented changes so far. USPS must stop implementation, restore service in those areas where changes were implemented, and fully understand the nationwide effects of its plan on service and communities.”“The Postal Service’s primary responsibility is to provide timely and reliable delivery to every community across the nation,” the senators continued. “While USPS must continue adapting as an agency to remain stable and serve the public’s current needs, it must proceed with caution and understand the implications of its plans in order to protect mail delivery for all communities.”Senator Deb Fischer also signed the letter. She said in a statement after the change was announced, “Transferring some operations to Denver risks cutting jobs and increasing delivery delays for Nebraskans. It is also especially difficult to understand how sending intra-Nebraska mail out of state would improve efficiency.”The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Susan Collins (R-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kyrsten Sinema, (I-AZ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Angus King (I-ME), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Tester (D-MT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and John Cornyn (R-TX).

JCH&L Burkley Fitness Center Brings Back Adventure Race

Fortenberry Indicted Again

Related Articles

Primary Election Is First With New Voter ID Law

Little Blue NRD Stays All High-Capacity Irrigation Wells

Postmaster Postpones Changes to Processing Network

Medicare Fraud Attempt Reported