May 2, 2022—Sixteen states that want the USPS to electrify its fleet are suing to stop the purchase of thousands of ICE-powered delivery vehicles. 

Three separate suits have been filed between 16 states, environmental groups and United Auto Workers last week in both New York and California according to a report from the Detroit News. The suit is seeking a "more thorough environmental review" before the USPS begins purchasing next-generation vehicles.

“Once this purchase goes through, we’ll be stuck with more than 100,000 new gas-guzzling vehicles on neighborhood streets, serving homes across our state and across the country, for the next 30 years," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. "There won’t be a reset button."

A spokesperson from the Postal Service defended the planned purchases, saying the organization has "conducted a robust and thorough review" that has "fully complied with all of our obligations under (the National Environmental Policy Act)."

The Postal Service recently entered a contract to purchase 50,000 new vehicles from Oshkosh Defense, 20 percent of which would be battery-electric vehicles.