Owens one of many lawmakers to call for halting post office closures

Rep. William L. Owens was one of 110 federal lawmakers to request in a Feb. 13 letter that Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe halt the Postal Service’s closure process.

A 139-page report from the Postal Regulatory Commission cited some problems with the U.S. Postal Service’s attempts to cut costs by closing mail processing centers and post offices.

“As we look to streamline the Postal Service and keep it solvent, we need to be certain that we’re working off a study more accurate than the one currently being utilized,” Mr. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, said in a news release.

Post offices in Deferiet, Ellisburg, West Stockholm, Hailesboro and Fishers Landing are among about 100 upstate New York post offices that are being targeted for closure. The Postal Service also is considering closing locations in Parishville, DePeyster, Lorraine, Thousand Island Park, Cranberry Lake, Dickinson Center, Fine, Newton Falls, Piercefield, Pyrites, Rainbow Lake, Brier Hill and Wanakena.