States, environmental groups drop lawsuit over US Postal Service EV purchase plans
Source: Reuters
December 19, 2024 3:08 PM EST Updated 38 min ago
WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (Reuters) - A group of 16 states led by California and environmental groups dropped a lawsuit filed in 2022 that sought to block the U.S. Postal Service's plan to buy mostly gas-powered, next-generation delivery vehicles.
Since the lawsuit was filed, the Postal Service has shifted from its initial plan to buy 90% gasoline vehicles and 10% EVs to now planning to buy mostly EVs. The California attorney general's office said on Thursday the states and groups decided to dismiss the lawsuit "given USPS’s commitment to rebuild its fleet with a majority of electric vehicles."
In 2023, Congress gave the Postal Service $3 billion as part of a $430 billion climate bill to buy EVs and charging infrastructure -- including $1.2 billion for electric vehicles. It plans to buy some 66,000 electric vehicles by 2028.
The Center for Biological Diversity said it agreed to drop the lawsuit because the USPS "has the funding and is moving forward with an electric vehicle fleet. The new administration would be wise to remember that these new postal trucks are saving money, cutting air pollution and improving the health of our communities."
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/states-environmental-groups-drop-lawsuit-over-us-postal-service-ev-purchase-2024-12-19/