WASHINGTON D.C.: To halt the purchase of thousands of gasoline-powered delivery trucks, California and 15 other states are suing the U.S. Postal Service, demanding that they only purchase electric vehicles.

The states that sued are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District in California, District of Columbia and city of New York also joined the lawsuit.

Additionally, three separate lawsuits we filed by state and environmental groups in New York and California contending that purchasing fossil fuel-powered delivery vehicles will cause further environmental harm.

The lawsuits could also delay the Postal Service's efforts to replace its old delivery trucks, which went into service between 1987 and 1994.

Meanwhile, California Attorney-General Rob Bonta commented, "Once this purchase goes through, we will 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. There will not be a reset button."

Meawhile, the Postal Service defended the decision in
an email, in which spokesperson Kim Frum said, "The Postal Service conducted a robust and thorough review and fully complied with all of our obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act."

The Postal Service contract stipulates that 10 percent of new vehicles must be electric, but it argues that more electric vehicles should be purchased based on the financial outlook and strategic considerations.

The percentage of battery-electric vehicles has been doubled to 20 percent from the initial $2.98 billion order for 50,000 vehicles.

Carl Tobias, professor at University of Richmond School of Law, said if the parties cannot reach a settlement, the lawsuit could drag on for months and possibly into next year, if there are appeals.