National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures

What it does

• •USPS revises its NEPA implementing regulations to include only definitions, administrative exemptions, categorical exclusions, requirements for determining NEPA applicability, and emergency provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations.
• •USPS moves remaining internal NEPA procedures from federal regulations to a separate non-binding guidance document (NEPA Standard Operating Procedures Handbook) outside the CFR.
• •USPS updates its categorical exclusions based on experience with existing regulations and new policies implemented since the original exclusions were established.
• •USPS solicits public comments on the interim final rule through October 26, 2026.

Why it matters

• •The CEQ NEPA regulations that USPS's original rules implemented were repealed as of April 11, 2025, requiring USPS to update its procedures to comply with current statute.
• •Congressional amendments to NEPA in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 added procedural requirements directly to statute, necessitating alignment with the law as amended.
• •The Supreme Court's Seven County Infrastructure Coalition decision characterized NEPA as a procedural statute only and directed agencies to streamline processes, which USPS states this revision accomplishes.

Who is affected

• •The United States Postal Service and its internal environmental review processes for agency actions.
• •Members of the public submitting comments on USPS NEPA procedures and any parties affected by USPS actions subject to NEPA review.

What happens next

USPS will review comments submitted by October 26, 2026, and may make further revisions to the interim final rule based on that review before issuing a final rule.