The senators said the Civilian Conservation Centers provide valuable job training for young adults ages 16 to 24 in rural communities across the country, including in Southwest Virginia, while assisting in the conservation of the nation’s limited public natural resources.

The legislation also comes on the heels of a letter that Warner and Kaine, along with U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, sent to the department secretaries, urging them to reconsider the closure of these facilities.

“For decades, the Flatwoods Job Corps facility in Coeburn, Virginia has helped equip young Virginians with the skills needed to succeed in today’s changing economy,” Warner said in a written statement on Thursday. “Closing the door on this vital program would not only make it harder to expand economic opportunities in Southwest Virginia, it will also make it harder for Virginia’s employers to find the kind of high-skilled talent that the jobs of tomorrow will require.”

Kaine said job training is at the core of preparing the next generation for good-paying jobs in Virginia and across the country. The senator said he’s worried about the decision to close nine centers, including Flatwoods, which he said has a “tremendous economic impact” in the region.