tion is reasonable in light of local population 
projections; 
‘‘(vi) consistency with the size, scale, de-
sign, and general character of the surrounding 
community; 
‘‘(vii) whether all reasonable alternatives to 
such action have been explored; and’’. 
(d) NOTICE OF DETERMINATION.—Paragraph (4) of 
such section 404(b) (as so redesignated) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘to close or consolidate’’ and in-
serting ‘‘to take a proposed action (described in 
paragraph (1)) with respect to’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘paragraph (2)’’ and inserting 
‘‘paragraph (3)’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘office.’’ and inserting ‘‘office 
(including by posting a copy of such determination 
in the post office or each post office serving the per-
sons who will be affected by such action) and shall 
be transmitted to appropriate local officials.’’. 
(e) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS.—Such section 
404(b) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) In any case in which a community has promul-
gated any procedures to address the relocation, closing, 
consolidation, or construction of buildings in the commu-
nity, and the public participation requirements of those
procedures are more stringent than those provided in this 
subsection, the Postal Service shall apply those procedures 
to the relocation, closing, consolidation, or construction of 
a post office in that community in lieu of applying the 
procedures established in this subsection. 
‘‘(8) In making a determination to relocate, close, 
consolidate, or construct any post office, the Postal Serv-
ice shall comply with any applicable zoning, planning, or 
land use laws (including design guidelines, building codes, 
and all other provisions of law) to the same extent and 
in the same manner as if the Postal Service were not an 
establishment of the Government of the United States. 
‘‘(9) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to 
apply to a temporary customer service facility to be used 
by the Postal Service for a period of less than 60 days. 
‘‘(10)(A) For purposes of this paragraph the term 
‘emergency’ means any occurrence that forces an imme-
diate relocation from an existing facility, including natural 
disasters, fire, health and safety factors, and lease termi-
nations. 
‘‘(B) If the Postmaster General determines that there 
exists an emergency affecting a particular post office, the 
Postmaster General may suspend the application of this 
subsection, with respect to such post office, for a period 
not to exceed 180 days.
‘‘(C) The Postmaster General may exercise the sus-
pension authority under this paragraph with respect to a 
post office once for each discrete emergency affecting such 
post office. 
‘‘(11) The relocation, closing, consolidation, or con-
struction of any post office shall be conducted in accord-
ance with applicable provisions of the National Historic 
Preservation Act.’’. 
(f) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
Such section 404(b) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated) by 
striking ‘‘take no action to close or consolidate’’ and 
inserting ‘‘take no action described in paragraph (1) 
with respect to’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (6) (as so redesignated)—
(A) by striking ‘‘to close or consolidate’’ 
and inserting ‘‘to take any action described in 
paragraph (1) with respect to’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘paragraph (3)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘paragraph (4)’’.
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