WASHINGTON, D.C. — New legislation for a 21st-century Civilian Climate Corps would put millions of young people to work restoring and protecting our treasured public lands and water. The bill, introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Ben Lujan (D-N.M.), comes at a time when youth unemployment has spiked and our public lands, forests, and wetlands are in urgent need of conservation and restoration.

“Launching President Biden’s proposed Civilian Climate Corps is the perfect way to put hundreds of thousands of young people to work restoring natural resources, bolstering resilience, and revitalizing communities. It’s the ultimate win-win-win,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “Relaunching a modern CCC will allow us to act at-scale to confront the interrelated climate, biodiversity, and environmental justice crises which demand immediate attention. We are incredibly grateful to Senators Coons, Heinrich, and Lujan for their remarkable leadership and look forward to working closely with them to turn this idea a reality.”

The National Wildlife Federation has been a leading voice for a 21st-century Civilian Conservation Corps and how it can put millions of young people to work restoring and protecting our natural resources. Read more from Collin O’Mara here.