2. ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
In 2002, the Postal Service completed an independent national review of hazardous waste sites and significantly reduced its environmental liability. More than 60 facilities were removed from the EPA's large generator status. Over 200 Postal Service sites no longer generate any hazardous waste, and of the sites that still do, none are considered a large generator. This means reduced risk of employee injuries due to chemicals and solvents, reduced hazardous waste disposition and environmental compliance costs, and lower administrative and record keeping costs.

In 2002, the Postal Service also developed an environmental portal and Environmental Management Contract Control system. The portal, which uses off-the-shelf software, serves as a knowledge management tool. It supports project management and increased collaboration among environmental professionals; provides access to decision tools, productivity software and national contracts; and "crawls" the Web to provide information to users. This new technology has enabled the Postal Service to improve service to field customers despite a 30 percent reduction in staff in the past year, according to data from a national customer satisfaction survey conducted by an independent firm.

During 2002, the Postal Service deployed 21,275 flexible fuel vehicles, which are powered by any combination of ethanol and gasoline. The flexible fuel vehicles, when driven on E85, conserve petroleum and provide considerable reductions in pollution. The ethanol, which makes up 85 percent of the fuel, is renewable, and at present, is produced mainly from corn products.

The Postal Service also deployed 500 electric vehicles in California, New York, and the Washington, DC, metropolitan area this year. The electric vehicles save on petroleum use, do not pollute (i.e., zero emission), and are much quieter than ordinary vehicles. They have a battery pack instead of a fuel tank, thus eliminating trips to the gas station for petroleum-based fuel. They track better through the snow because they are heavier than the gas-powered version and have better wheel alignment. Operators find them as good as or better to drive than ordinary vehicles.

With the completion of these two deployments, the Postal Service's alternative fuel vehicle fleet now numbers over 30,000, or about 15 percent of its total fleet. This is the largest alternative fuel vehicle fleet in the world. For the future, the Postal Service is examining new technologies such as hybrid electric vehicles, which if proven cost effective in use, will further contribute to reducing pollution and fuel costs.

In 2002, the Postal Service worked with the Defense Energy Support Center to establish a national contract for the federal government to purchase B20, an environmentally superior fuel made up of 80 percent diesel fuel and 20 percent biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from agricultural products that generates lower pollution than regular diesel. The Postal Service is one of the largest users of B20 in the government. During 2002, the Postal Service reduced its oil consumption by almost 700,000 gallons through the use of B20. In fact, our use of this fuel from 1999-2002, resulted in a reduction of approximately 8,000 pounds of hydrocarbons, 25,000 pounds of carbon monoxide, 4,500 pounds of sulfur oxides, and 7.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide. Our steadily increasing consumption of B20 has provided us with a cost-effective means to meet regulatory requirements.

In 2002, the Alabama District received White House Closing the Circle awards, which is the federal government's top award for environmental leadership and innovation, for its pollution prevention program.


Energy

Energy consumption within postal facilities decreased significantly in 2002. The Postal Service spends approximately $500 million per year for energy and, therefore, the consumption reduction allowed us to save tens of millions of dollars. Furthermore, Postal Service facilities are already highly energy-efficient compared to most federal facilities. The average energy consumption among federal facilities is about 108,000 British thermal units (BTUs) per gross square foot (GSF). By comparison, the Postal Service facility energy consumption averages less than 70,000 BTUs/GSF, which is more than 35 percent below the federal average.

In 2002, the EPA began to analyze data collected from over 100 Postal Service stations and branches to identify facilities that qualify for the Energy Star label and to establish benchmark standards for the others. This project ultimately will reduce energy consumption for the Postal Service.

The Postal Service remains a leader in implementing innovative energy solutions at its facilities. In 2002, a state-of-the-art project that combines steam heating with electricity production was approved. This technology uses a byproduct of electricity production that would otherwise be wasted. The Postal Service is on the cutting edge of other energy technologies, including a fuel cell project in Alaska, solar energy projects in Rhode Island and California, and geothermal projects in Nebraska and Maryland. The Postal Service is testing these technologies for their efficiency, economic value, and affect on the environment.

The Postal Service purchased 40 energy-saving Segway™ Human Transporters in 2002 to determine the feasibility of using them on mobile/pedestrian routes to carry and deliver the mail. Segway Human Transporters are two-wheeled electric scooters that enable letter carriers to transport as much as 35 pounds of mail at speeds up to 12.5 miles per hour. In some cases, they can be used on walking routes, decreasing the time needed to complete delivery as well as the physical demands of the job. In others, they can substitute for 4-wheel vehicles, thereby reducing petroleum consumption and pollution. Initial testing in six cities across the country has been promising. Testing will continue during 2003 to fully evaluate the safety and human engineering of the Segway Human Transporter, as well as its ability to save money through less expensive, more efficient means of delivering the mail.

During 2002, the Postal Service sought competitive bids from electricity and natural gas suppliers in many states to take advantage of customer choice initiatives that allow buyers to choose among suppliers. The process involves soliciting bids from electricity and natural gas suppliers to support Postal Service facilities’ requirements in a given region of the country.