I am proud to report that during its 38th annual Environmental Merit Awards ceremony at Boston's Faneuil Hall and in honor of Earth Day, EPA New England recognized the Maine District of the U.S. Postal Service for voluntarily achieving environmental improvements that exceed required compliance levels.

Actually, our Eastern Maine Processing and Distribution Facility in East Hampden and Southern Maine Processing and Distribution Center in Scarborough are two of 16 Postal Service installations that dominated the ceremony acknowledging the efforts of 18 members of the EPA's National Environmental Performance Track program.

Each facility has committed to making significant, measurable environmental improvements through their participation in the program.

When it comes to responsible stewardship of our air, land and water, the Postal Service has long been a leader in reducing the environmental impacts of our operations through recycling and the use of state-of-the-art green techniques and equipment.

We are proud to be recognized by the EPA for protecting our precious natural resources. In Maine and elsewhere, we in the Postal Service are doing our part, and more.

William J. Boughton

Maine district manager

U.S. Postal Service