Maine’s Congressional delegation has reached out to the United States Postal Service (USPS) regarding a payment issue with a contractor serving several of the state’s island communities.
Sen. Susan Collins (R), Sen. Angus King (I), Rep. Jared Golden (D), and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D) joined forces to send a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner seeking clarification on the situation.
Reports have been made that the USPS failed to pay the Rockland-based Penobscot Island Air (PIA) more than $349,000 for its mail-delivery services.
Due to this outstanding balance, PIA announced on April 21 that it would be suspending operations in protest. The delegation explained that this move prompted the USPS to pay 25 percent of what was owed, leading PIA to swiftly resume service.
The legislators suggested in a statement shared Friday, however, that questions remain as to whether PIA can expect the remaining balance to be paid in full and in a timely manner.
Click Here to Read the Delegation’s Full Statement
In their letter to the Postmaster General, the delegation noted that payments from USPS account for roughly a fifth of PIA’s annual revenue.
“We are concerned that PIA’s operations will continue to be disrupted without reliable processing of this critical stream of income,” the lawmakers said.
“The USPS cannot afford to jeopardize a dedicated, decades-long partnership, and Maine island residents cannot afford any discontinuation in service, even for a few days,” they said.
At the close of the letter, the delegation outlined six questions to which they are seeking answers, including the current back-balance owed to PIA and a timeline of payments made to PIA over the past three years.
They also asked the USPS to provide an explanation for why payments to PIA were delayed in the first place.
Additionally, the lawmakers are looking for the USPS to specify what steps will be taken to prevent lapses in payment from occurring again.
The delegation has further sought to have the USPS provide a list of all contractors who deliver mail to island communities and reveal if any of them also have outstanding balances owed to them.
Click Here to Read the Delegation’s Full Letter
“It’s been 75 days this year alone that we have dutifully loaded up USPS mail and ferried or flown it out to the islands,” said PIA in a statement last week, according to WMTW.
PIA explained that winter is its slow period, noting that its cash flow would be “bleak” if payments are not made.
A spokesperson for the USPS told WMTW that “the Postal Service does not publicly discuss specifics with [its] business relationships.”
Both Sen. Collins and Rep. Pingree expressed concern over the situation at the time.
Pingree, a resident of one of the affected islands, spoke to the situation during a committee hearing in Washington.
“This is totally unacceptable, and a sad statement on just how degraded the USPS has become,” said Pingree. “These are hardworking people, who get up early every day to make sure the mail is delivered to remote locations—rain or shine — on ferries or small, single-engine planes.”
“Our island communities rely on this service. The mismanagement at the Postal Service has been clear for years,” she said. “And it is impacting many of the communities I represent — these islands are the latest to feel the pain.”
Collins also issued a statement concerning the situation last Tuesday.
“Since hearing from residents on Vinalhaven who are worried about the disruption to their mail service, my office has contacted both the USPS and Penobscot Island Air to gather additional information and urge a quick resolution, as this issue could otherwise jeopardize mail delivery to some of our state’s island communities. USPS officials have responded that they are actively reviewing this problem,” Collins said.
“The Postal Service has a commitment to deliver mail in a timely manner,” she said. “That responsibility is especially important in a state like Maine, where many residents live in rural areas, island communities, and other hard-to-reach locations.”
