SEEC Leadership Commends USPS for Decision to Electrify its Fleet

Washington, D.C. – The leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), including Co-Chairs Reps. Gerry Connolly, Doris Matsui, and Paul Tonko and Vice Chairs Reps. Matt Cartwright, Alan Lowenthal, Chellie Pingree, and Mike Quigley, released the following statement in response to the U.S. Postal Service’s announcement that it would purchase 66,000 electric vehicles and pledge to purchase almost exclusively zero-emissions delivery trucks by 2026.

“We are excited to see the $9.6 billion investment the U.S. Postal Service has made to electrify its delivery fleet over the next five years. Last February, we, as SEEC leadership, sent a letter to Postmaster General DeJoy outlining concerns regarding his original plans to procure a largely fossil fuel powered fleet. We are heartened that the Postal Service has since come to recognize that electrification is the way of the future.

“The funding announced today will be used to install charging infrastructure at hundreds of Postal Service facilities, electrify 66,000 delivery vehicles, modernize mail delivery, and overall increase the sustainability of this essential public service. This action demonstrates a commitment to technology and infrastructure that is crucial for meeting our national climate and clean energy goals.

“We are glad that the Postal Service stepped up to meet this moment and to be a part of the solution to the climate crisis. Given that the Postal Service operates one of the largest vehicle fleets in the U.S. Federal government, we believe this investment sets an appropriately high bar for other public and private fleets to meet, and we look forward to seeing similar investments by other Federal agencies and the private sector.”