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 Full Employment Council for a Brownfields Job Training grant. The Full Employment Council plans to train 60 students and place at least 38 in environmental jobs. The training program includes 234 hours of instruction in 40-Hour HAZWOPER, and Shipping, Handling, and Storage of Hazardous Substance (DOT) Ground, OSHA 510-Introduction to Health and Safety for General Industry and Construction, OSHA 7200-Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control for Healthcare Facilities, EHSM 7932-Environmental Water Regulations, and Commercial Driver License Class A for Removal and Transport of Toxic Materials. The curriculum also includes a 20-hour Environmental Career Clinic Bootcamp and 480 hours of on-the-job learning. Students who complete the training will complete two federal certifications. The Full Employment Council is targeting students within the City of Kansas City, Missouri, specifically unemployed, underemployed, and low-income residents. Key partners include the City of Kansas City, Missouri, Water Services Department, the City Planning and Development Department's Brownfields Office, the Community Assistance Council, Environmental Works, the Heartland Conservation Alliance, Heritage Environmental Services, the Housing Authority of Kansas City, the KCV Workforce Development Board, Metropolitan Community College, the Morningstar Development Corporation, Mustardseed Cultural and Environmental Services, New Horizons, LLC, the Port Authority of Kansas City, the Public Works Department of the City of Kansas City, St. Andrew United Methodist Church, TetraTech, the United Services Community Action Agency, the University Health/ Lakewood Medical Center, the University of Central Missouri, and the West Central Missouri Community Action Agency.