Text of Senator Charles Schumer's Letter to John E. Potter, Post Master General of the United States

Dear General Potter:

I write to request that the United States Postal Service (USPS) withdraw plans for the Stony Brook extension project and to re-allocate the relevant funds to other projects.

As you may be aware, I contacted your predecessor in July of 2000 requesting that the USPS continue the split operation currently employed at your Stony Brook Facility. Since that time, the landlord for the postal facility locate at Stony Brook Village Center applied for permits to construct an extension to the existing facility in order to combine off site sorting with the retail facility located there. The Town of Brookhaven subsequently granted those permits.

The community was outraged by the town's hasty and incorrect decision granting the permits without first undertaking an appropriate environmental review. I share their displeasure. As a result, a community organization, Coalition for the Future of Stony Brook Village, successfully challenged the issuance of the permits pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). My office has forwarded a copy of the decision in the case of Coalition for the Future of Stony Brook Village v Reilly, 750 N.Y.S.2d 126 (November 18, 2002) to your staff.

Since that time we have been in constant communication with your office requesting that the USPS withdraw from the project and re-allocate funds budgeted for Stony Brook to other projects. My staff has been assured that a decision would be made concerning the future of this project. To date, I have not received any information on what the USPS plans to do with the Stony Brook Site. As a result of the appellate court's decision and the intense public opposition to this project, it is clear that building permits will not be issued for this project in the foreseeable future. There are other projects here on Long Island where a greater need — combined with a receptive host community— exists.

If I can be of any assistance in the swift completion of this request, please feel free to contact me. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senate