Sustainability

Standardized Reporting Requirements for Environmental Notices of Violation and Environmental Regulatory Agency Site Visits

It is Postal Service™ policy to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal environmental regulations. A Notice of Violation (NOV), or similarly entitled action, such as a warning letter or a notice of non-compliance, is issued to the Postal Service for the violation of an environmental regulation. These actions can be issued from a local, state, or federal agency.

Examples of non-compliance actions include, but are not limited to, the following:

n The issuance of a NOV from a state environmental protection agency for a Vehicle Maintenance Facility’s non-compliance with the state’s underground storage tank regulations.

n The issuance of a notice of non-compliance from a state environmental agency for the improper disposal of hazardous waste generated by a postal worker or contractor working at a postal facility.

n A warning letter issued by a state department of environmental protection for storm water violations.

The Office of Environmental Compliance and Risk Management, within the Office of Sustainability, is standardizing the tracking and reporting of all NOVs within the Postal Service. Tracking NOVs ensures timely and necessary actions are taken in response and that certain critical NOVs are referred to the Law Department; tracking also assists with trend analysis to determine internal compliance-focused activities.

When an Installation Head or Facility Department project manager become aware of a NOV, or similarly entitled action issued by a local, state, or federal agency, he or she must send an electronic copy of the NOV to the respective Regional Manager of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability within five days of receipt.

In addition, the Environmental Compliance and Risk Management Office is also standardizing the reporting of site visits and site inspections by local, state, or federal environmental regulatory agencies. Regardless of whether the site visit is announced (pre-scheduled) or unannounced, notification to the respective Regional Manager, Environmental Compliance and Sustainability must be reported as soon as it is known.

For environmental regulatory agency visits and NOVs generated in the Northeast, Eastern, Capital Metro Areas, and Headquarters related facilities, send an email notification and/or electronic copy to:

Nick DeCarlo, Regional Manager, Environmental Compliance and Sustainability at Nicholas.Decarlo@usps.gov.

For environmental regulatory agency visits and NOVs generated in the Great Lakes, Western, Southern, and Pacific Areas, send an email notification and/or electronic copy to:

Larry Hanna, Regional Manager, Environmental Compliance and Sustainability at Larry.J.Hanna@usps.gov.