Snowe Statement on Postmaster General's Revised Plan on Rural Post Offices

Statement

In response to the United States Postal Service's (USPS) announcement today that it would forgo closure of rural post offices for a strategy based on reduced hours at these locations, U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) released the following statement:

"I am pleased to see that Postmaster General Donahoe has reconsidered his ill-advised plan to close thousands of rural postal offices, including 34 in Maine, and instead focus on alternative strategies to ensure these critical links to our nation's communities stay open, either with reduced hours or through co-location with other businesses. While I will continue to review the details of the plan, it appears to be a step in the right direction. That said, it is vital that the changes to each rural post office match the specific needs of each individual community. Simply put, a one-size-fits-all approach will not work in Maine or anywhere else in the United States.

"I also remain concerned about the fate of the Eastern Maine Processing and Distribution plant in Hampden, as this revised plan does not explicitly address the Postal Service's intentions regarding that essential facility for timely postal mail delivery in northern, eastern, and western Maine. I hope the Postmaster General will heed my April 4th letter, urging him to delay plans to close and consolidate postal facilities until after Congress completes action on legislation to reform the Postal Service."

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