Central South Dakota News

U.S. Senator Mike Rounds has announced that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will maintain its local mail processing operations at the Dakota Central processing facility in Huron. This decision comes after a campaign led by Rounds to prevent the downsizing of the facility, initially planned for February 2024.

"I am pleased to see that leaders at the USPS have reconsidered their decision to move local processing operations away from the Dakota Central facility in Huron," stated Rounds. He emphasized the importance of USPS's rural services for South Dakotans, noting that moving operations to Fargo, North Dakota would slow down delivery times for packages and letters, especially those originating within Huron.

Rounds also highlighted an investment of up to $3 million by USPS in improvements at Dakota Central, aimed at enhancing mail processing efficiency in South Dakota. "I’ve appreciated working with USPS leadership on this issue and look forward to our continued partnership to sustain and improve mail delivery services in South Dakota," he added.

The senator has been active in advocating for rural USPS services. In April 2024, he sent a letter to USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging against downsizing or reorganizing mail processing operations in South Dakota. This led to a pause on downsizing plans for facilities in Huron and Sioux Falls.

Rounds introduced the Postal Processing Protection Act in June 2024, which mandates that USPS consider rural impacts during closure or downsizing evaluations. The legislation was reintroduced recently in the 119th Congress.