WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Postal Service published an interim final rule updating its National Environmental Policy Act procedures. The revision reflects the Supreme Court's decision in Seven. The revised regulations will contain definitions of terms, administrative and routine actions excepted from NEPA review, revised categorical exclusions, requirements for determining when NEPA applies, and a provision for emergency circumstances. USPS will maintain the remainder of its NEPA procedures, which apply only to internal processes, in a Handbook separate from the Code of Federal Regulations.

The Administrative Procedure Act does not apply to this action, which is being taken pursuant to the Postal Service's general rulemaking authority under 39 U.S.C. 401(2). Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, rescinded President Carter's Executive Order 11991, Relating to Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality.

Comments on the interim final rule are due 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register. Comments may be directed to Thomas Shepherd, Environmental Counsel, or Asif Ansari, Director, Environmental Affairs, at the United States Postal Service. Faxed comments are not accepted.

Why It Matters

The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for providing postal service. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has no official short title, as the title was removed during the Senate amendment process.

Timeline

Council on Environmental Quality NEPA regulations were repealed as of April 11, 2025. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed on July 4, 2025. The United States Postal Service is publishing an interim final rule to partially rescind and update its National Environmental Policy Act implementing procedures.

The revision aligns USPS procedures with the National Environmental Policy Act as amended by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of July 4, 2025. Comments may be directed to Thomas Shepherd, Environmental Counsel, or Asif Ansari, Director, Environmental Affairs, at the United States Postal Service.

What's New

The United States Postal Service published an interim final rule on January 13, 2014, to amend a categorical exclusion in its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing procedures. The United States Postal Service received five comment letters in response to the interim final rule published on January 13, 2014, and the Postal Service responded to these comments in a final rule published on June 10, 2014.

How Sources Differ

Regarding interim final rule comment procedures, federalregister.gov states that the United States Postal Service received five comment letters in response to the interim final rule published on January 13, 2014, and the Postal Service responded to these comments in a final rule published on June 10, 2014. Federal Register Document Number 2026-19720 states that comments on the interim final rule are due 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register.