Greetings All,
Please check out the Postal Service EIS for their planned purchase of up to 165,000 vehicles over 10 years. Up to 90% of these vehicles could be ICE powered. There are 35 days left in the comment period.
On Feb 23, 2021 Oshkosh Defense was awarded the contract for replacing the aging Grumman LLV trucks.
Now it’s time to let USPS know it needs to increase the amount of vehicles to be electrified
Today I sent the following email to the address contained in the request for comment (NEPA@usps.gov):
This EIS is disconnected from the need for immediate actions to combat the climate change emergency. Please reflect the latest UN international climate change analysis, IPCC | Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis, in your EIS.
Your current plan invests in what are to soon become stranded or non-economic assets. We must, at every level of government, look to the rapidly changing future in investment decisions. The plan to purchase any, let alone massive, numbers of ICE powered delivery vehicles is completely contrary to existing climate science, responsible investment planning and our current national administrations priorities.
The Electric Vehicle World Sales Database shows at least 16 nations with over 10% electric vehicle sales, and many with over 50%, in the last month – that includes China and several Northern European countries where vehicle operating conditions exceed those in the US. Replace shorter route vehicles earlier than those on longer routes in the current plan, and allow for smaller purchase lots of longer range vehicles as they become available.
Please note that current analysis of lifecycle costs of delivery size electric vehicles in the US show EV’s having LOWER lifecycle costs.
The environmental costs of USPS-2021-0122-0001 do not accurately or adequately incorporate the cost of the proposed ICE powered vehicles over their lifetime and the operating expense increase risk clearly stated in current climate change risk analysis.
Sincerely,
James R Bettcher
Olympic Climate Action 