ANCHORAGE-In a meeting today between U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, officials with the United States Postal Service (USPS), rural health care providers, and other community groups, postal officials announced 25 Alaska post offices are no longer under consideration for closure.

Last month, the USPS announced nearly 3,700 post offices, including 36 in Alaska, had been targeted for possible closure as a way to reduce costs and expenses. In response, Begich joined three other senators on a letter to the Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe requesting more information on the issues related to the possible closures. Begich also had a conversation with Donahoe expressing concern about the impacts on Alaska if post offices are closed, particularly in rural areas.

Today, Sen. Begich convened a meeting in his Anchorage office to provide information to USPS officials regarding the value of post offices in rural Alaska. At the meeting USPS District Manager for Alaska Diane Horbuchuk announced the USPS has already determined 25 Alaska offices off the road system are in the clear and will not be closed.

“It was great news to hear 25 Alaska post offices are no longer on the list for possible closure,” Begich said. “I am pleased we have been able to successfully relay concerns to the postal service and help them realize the importance of these offices to remote parts of the state.”

You can view a map of the 36 post offices originally identified by the USPS here.

Horbuchuk said letters to the 25 communities no longer targeted for possible closure are going out this week. She said the review of the remaining 11 sites continues and should be completed by the end of this week.