Faced with dwindling revenue from the declined use of postal mail, the United States Postal Service is studying whether it should close Wareham's mail processing center, in addition to roughly 250 processing plants across the country.

The three-month study is designed to "gather information to see if it's possible, without impacting service, to consolidate services," said Postal Service spokesman Dennis Tarmey.

The consolidations and/or closures would reduce mail processing equipment by up to 50%, decrease the nationwide Postal Service transportation network, and adjust the workforce size by up to 35,000 positions, postal officials announced on Thursday, September 15.

The changes would affect only the processing of mail, not any of the post office's retail locations, Tarmey said.

In Wareham's case, the work would be shifted to a plant in Providence, R.I. About 100 employees work for the Wareham location. If it closed, the employees, who are covered by a union contract, would have the option to apply for positions that would be created by the increased volume in Providence. The study would determine how many positions would be needed in Providence, Tarmey said.

The study's findings, in combination with community feedback, will help Postal Service officials determine whether to close Wareham's facility. A meeting with the community will take place before any decision is made.

"That gives the opportunity for people who work [at the processing facility], or any community member ... to express their concerns," Tarmey said. "We need that community feedback to see what the impacts would be. That's part of the process."

If the processing center were to close, the transition would likely occur in February or March, Tarmey said.

The volume of U.S. mail has decreased by more than 43 billion pieces in the past five years and continues to decline, according to Postal Service officials.

In addition to the consolidations, officials are proposing to change the delivery window of First-Class Mail - letters with postage stamps - from a 1-3 day window when mail is sent and delivered to 2-3 days, which would allow for increased savings.