The U.S. Postal Service says its “troubled” by draft legislation the Senate Commerce Committee is considering that would transfer control over hazardous materials in the mails to the U.S. Transportation Department.
Postal officials “are troubled by any proposal that may disrupt the postal service’s hazardous materials program, which is functioning well and is attuned to unique postal operational needs,” Deborah K. Willhite, senior vice president for government affairs, told Committee Chairman Senator John McCain (R-AZ), in a June 28 letter.
Noting that the USPS “manages its own hazardous materials program under postal regulations, and does not receive appropriated funds [from Congress] to run this program, she said, DOT regulations “do not cover the mail.”
While the USPS does not permit most hazardous materials to be mailed, Willhite said it “generally will accept only other regulated materials [which] present a very low risk of danger during transportation and are the kinds of consumer commodity products that many of us use in our homes.” They are products that do not require special DOT labeling for highway transport.
According to Willhite “the amount of hazardous material allowed in the mail is less than what is permitted in domestic transportation by DOT rules.” The USPS, she added, fears that the legislation “may contain language that would tie the postal service’s hands in preventing it from considering hazardous materials issues in certain rate, service and facility decisions,” but did not detail what those might involve.
The letter called for hearings on any proposed changes by Senate committees with jurisdiction over the USPS.
