Going forward, S. 1789 would make the process used to consider processing facility closures or consolidations more transparent and would give interested parties a more meaningful role in the decision. Specifically, Section 201 of S. 1789 would mandate that the Postal Service provide at least 45 days advance notice before making a final decision to close or consolidate a facility; that it provide adequate opportunities for public comment; and that it conduct an area mail processing study that includes a plan to reduce the capacity of the postal facility rather than close it. Before finalizing a closure, the Postal Service would have to publish a written justification for the decision that responds to any public comments and demonstrates the Postal Service has considered potential undue burdens from the proposed closure. The Postal Service would also be required to make reasonable efforts to provide alternatives for those who would be affected by the closure of the processing facility.
The Committee chose not to freeze or overturn facility closure or consolidation procedures currently underway or to overturn decisions that have already been made.31 At the same time, the Committee recognizes that these changes may be going forward under procedures that would not meet the standards set forth in the bill and which stakeholders and members of the Committee would find inadequate. For that reason, the bill requires additional review in cases where a processing facility has been studied for possible closure but no final determination has been made. In those cases, the Postal Service would need to consider the option of reducing the capacity of the facility rather than closing it – if it had not already done so – and to publish the results of that consideration as an amendment to the original area mail processing study. Nothing in the bill, however, would prohibit the Postal Service from ultimately deciding to close or consolidate a facility or require it to overturn a decision made before enactment to close or consolidate a facility.
Post Offices
Recognizing that closing some underused post offices is likely unavoidable if the Postal Service is to become financially stable, the Committee has sought to improve the process for determining which offices will be shut.
GAO has previously recommended shrinking the Postal Service‘s retail network as part of an overall restructuring to restore financial viability.32 The Postal Service is actively considering 728 retail facilities for closure, and has plans to close many more. 33 The Postal Service announced in July 2011 that it would conduct studies of approximately 3,700 post offices, retail