AUGUSTA (AP) — Members of Maine’s congressional delegation say the U.S. Postal Service has agreed to designate seven island post offices as part-time, meaning they’ll remain open at least six hours a day.
Democratic U.S. Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree said Tuesday the Postal Service is implementing a program to reduce hours at small post offices, and had proposed cutting back hours at island post offices in Maine to as few as two hours a day.
Rural post offices designated part-time are supposed to be at least 25 miles from the nearest post office, but Michaud and Pingree said that 25-mile criteria shouldn’t apply to islands that are only accessible by ferry.
The Postal Service agreed, and will allow the island post offices to stay open longer.
The affected islands are Long Island, Chebeague, North Haven, Islesboro, Cranberry Isles and Swans Island.
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