EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, Tribal Nations, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002, as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act of 2018, was passed to help states, Tribal Nations, and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfield sites. Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through five competitive grant programs: Multipurpose Grants, Assessment Grants, Revolving Loan Fund Grants, Cleanup Grants, and Brownfields Job Training Grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism.
Brownfields Job Training Grant funds are provided to nonprofit organizations and other eligible entities to recruit and train unemployed and underemployed residents from communities affected by environmental pollution, economic disinvestment, and brownfields and place them in environmental jobs. Since the program was created in 1998, EPA has funded 371 job training grants totaling over $79 million through the Brownfields Job Training program. A total of 20,341 individuals have been trained and 15,168 individuals have been placed in full-time careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these jobs is more than $14 an hour. This equates to a cumulative placement rate of approximately 75 percent.
$500,000.00
EPA has selected the City of Richmond for a Brownfields Job Training grant. The City of Richmond plans to train 150 students and place at least 113 in environmental jobs. The training program includes 352 hours of instruction in 40-Hour HAZWOPER, OSHA 10, Traffic and Confined Spaces, Asbestos and Lead Abatement, Building Performance Certification, Soft Skills and Resume Development, Customized Utility Scale Solar Installation, EV Charging Station Installation, Refinery Safety, Richmond BUILD Pre-apprenticeship Construction, and First Aid and CPR. Students who complete the training will earn up to one state and six federal certifications. The City of Richmond is targeting students from the city who are underemployed or unemployed, have justice-system involvement, or are veterans. Key partners include Carpenters and Joiners Local 152, City of Richmond Community Development Department, Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council, Eco Performance Builders, IQ Environmental Staffing, Literacy for Every Adult Program, Marin Clean Energy, Net Electric, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 342, Richmond Community Foundation, Richmond Police Activities League, and Richmond Workforce Development Board (Richmond WDB).