Reid Spoke With USPS To Ensure Reno Plant Was Fairly Evaluated Reid Told USPS That Trucking Nevada’s Mail To Sacramento Made Little Sense

February 23, 2012

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid announced today that the Reno mail processing facility will remain open and is removed from the United States Postal Service (USPS) consolidation list, saving nearly 300 jobs in Northern Nevada.

“The loss of the Reno mail processing plant would have been devastating to Northern Nevada,” Reid said. “Once this processing plant was fairly evaluated, I felt confident the Postal Service would arrive at the same conclusion I did: Trucking Nevada’s mail to Sacramento made little sense. I am pleased that we were able to protect Nevada jobs and ensure that Nevadans continue to receive their mail in a timely manner.”

Senator Reid spoke with the USPS when the Reno processing plant was under consideration for closure to ensure that the plant was fairly evaluated. Senator Reid raised his concerns about the loss of jobs in Nevada as well as the effects closure would have on mail delivery in Northern Nevada. Former Nevada Representative Jim Bilbray, who serves on the Postal Board of Governors, was also helpful in this effort. Additionally, a wide range of community leaders from Assemblywoman Debbie Smith to local unions were part of the effort to save postal jobs at the plant. Last December, the City of Reno unanimously passed a resolution in support of keeping the Reno Mail Processing Center open.

As part of their efforts to streamline their processing network, the USPS studied the potential closure of more than 250 distribution centers across the country, including the Reno Mail Processing Center. The operations of the Reno processing plant would have been consolidated into a facility in Sacramento, California, leading to the transfer of Northern Nevada workers and their families. Closing the Reno plant could have slowed down mail delivery and hurt small businesses that rely on the mail.

The 283,000 square foot distribution center is located at 2000 Vassar Street in Reno. It opened in 1971 and employs 292 people.

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