State officials are sounding an alarm over the possible closure of Charleston’s mail processing facility, a development that could impact mail service across the state.
The U.S. Postal Service is conducting a mail processing facility review of its Charleston Processing and Distribution Center, a move that could lead to its closure and consolidation with a mail processing facility in the neighboring state of Pennsylvania.
During his weekly administration briefing, Gov. Jim Justice touched on the situation, saying he has already contacted the post master general to voice his opposition to such a move.
Justice blamed the ongoing study on the Biden administration, warning that as many as 800 employees in West Virginia would be impacted by a closure of the facility.
“We are going to fight and we are going to fight as hard and diligently as we possibly can,” Justice said, adding that the state has received acknowledgement from the post master general of Justice’s letter of opposition to the possible closure.
If the facility were to be closed, it would impact mail delivery service across the state, causing “disruptions, real hurt and lateness” in mail delivery, Justice said.
“We continue to get so many things wrong on the federal level, and this one would be a big-time mistake,” Justice said.
Justice argued that the Biden administration is “arming” agencies to take “real shots” at people and businesses “while maneuvering things around for elections.”
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., also voiced his opposition to the news Thursday.
“There is absolutely no reason to move our West Virginia mail processing facility to another state,” Manchin said. “I will do everything within my power to prevent the loss of this facility. The U.S. Postal Service should reverse its deeply flawed and misguided plan to conduct a mail processing facility review of its Charleston Processing and Distribution Center facility, which would disproportionately harm a vital lifeline for the people of West Virginia. This review blatantly ignores West Virginians’ concerns about a significant decrease in local services as well as a dramatic adverse economic impact on the postal workers who kept our country running during the pandemic.”
Manchin said many of his constituents are older Americans or veterans who live in rural communities that rely on timely postal services for life-saving medications or hard-earned federal benefits.
During her virtual media briefing Thursday, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also vowed to fight the closure threat. Capito said she has been trying to get the post master general on the telephone to discuss the issue.
“Well first of all I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Capito said. “And there are a lot of people working. Obviously 800 is a lot and we need to preserve those jobs.”
Capito said if the Biden administration is interested in preserving jobs and helping the southern part of the state, it would not close the Charleston mail processing facility.