MULE CREEK, N.M. – Mule Creek could lose its only post office, leaving some people to drive 18 miles for mail, medications and other key deliveries.
New Mexico’s federal delegation is asking the postmaster general to keep the office open after the U.S. Postal Service said it may end service in the rural southwestern New Mexico town.
Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., joined Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., in that appeal. The town’s post office building shut down in 2024 when a car hit it.
Since the shutdown, Mule Creek mail service has operated from a mobile unit with limited weekday hours while the Postal Service looked for another building. But now the postal service is considering forgoing service in Mule Creek altogether and having people use the postal office in Buckhorn which is about 18 miles away.
“They arbitrarily just want to go shut down places where rural folks are living it makes zero sense what they’re up to,” Lujan said, criticizing the Trump Administration and current USPS leadership.
The delegation said it worries about the effect on senior citizens, veterans and others in the community.
“Mule Creek might not be a big town, it might not be the biggest city, but that is their lifeline, that postal office is their lifeline, and so I’ve written several letters,” Vasquez said.
“For those folks, it’s not just about getting mail, it’s about getting their prescription drugs, it’s about being able to pay their bills, it’s about receiving their pension checks and so much more” Vasquez said, pointing to concerns for people in the area.
The delegation’s letter can be found here.
The USPS responds
The USPS sent KOB a statement reading:
“The Postmaster General will respond directly to the Senator and members of Congress who sent the letter. In the meantime, it’s important to note that a decision has not been made regarding the future of the Mule Creek Post Office. By law, the Postal Service must follow a detailed process, including a feasibility study and a public comment period, before it closes any Post Office location, including this Post Office.
The discontinuance feasibility study, which began on Sept. 2, reviews customer needs, service options, and operational efficiency. On average, the discontinuance study takes 210–250 days to complete. The next step is to collect and review all questionnaires and customer meeting comments and questions, evaluate the results, and post an Initial Proposal. This portion of the study is expected to take 30–90 days.
The Mule Creek Post Office remains under emergency suspension due to irreparable safety and health concerns, and no suitable alternate quarters are available. Since the suspension, postal products and services have been provided via a mobile unit located in Mule Creek.
The Postal Service held a community meeting on Sept. 2 to provide information and answer customer questions. Affected customers will also have an opportunity to submit comments during a 60-day public comment period once an Initial Proposal is issued and posted at the Mule Creek Mobile Unit. In addition, customers will be able to provide comments during a 30-day period following the posting of a final determination. The final decision is reviewed by the Postal Regulatory Commission.”
