USPS Providence Facility Sets New Environmental Standards

In Providence, Rhode Island, the U.S. Postal Service Vehicle Maintenance Facility is leading the charge toward a cleaner future. By cutting energy consumption, slashing hazardous waste, and boosting the use of recycled materials, the site exemplifies the kind of proactive stewardship that the EPA’s Environmental Performance Track rewards.

Since joining the EPA’s Performance Track, the facility has set ambitious, measurable goals that exceed federal mandates. Internally, it tracks every action that could impact the environment, ensuring each step is planned, monitored, and verified. Recent milestones include a 150 % increase in recycled‑content procurement and a complete shift to electronic work tickets and vehicle paperwork between 2006 and 2009, eliminating thousands of paper pages.

Earlier initiatives have delivered tangible results: paint‑solvent waste fell by 85 % and antifreeze waste dropped by 9 % between 2003 and 2005. These achievements underscore a long‑term commitment to reducing hazardous materials and protecting local waterways.

The Providence plant is one of 46 New England facilities that have embraced the Performance Track. Together, the 470 member sites nationwide have made 1,500 public commitments, reducing water use by 3.5 billion gallons, cutting greenhouse‑gas emissions by 88,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent, and conserving more than 14,000 acres of land.

Current pledges from the new cohort include:

• 47 facilities aim to cut waste generation over the next three years
• 37 plan to lower energy consumption
• 25 pledge to reduce water use
• 17 commit to decreasing air emissions
• 16 focus on EPA‑defined regional and national priorities

EPA Regional Administrator Robert W. Varney praised these efforts: “Because these facilities have strong environmental records and are willing to publicly commit to continuous improvement, they are making a real difference.”

Learn more about the program and its newest members:

EPA’s Environmental Performance Track program in New England

New Performance Track members