E.P.A. Declares In excess of $3 Million in Grants for Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Nationwide/ Trainees in Richmond will assist in cleanups in the Bay Area

(06/13/13) SAN FRANCISCO - Today the E.P.A. (EPA) is announcing the selection of 16 grantees for a total award of $3.2 million through the agency's Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT) program. The grants support local work to recruit, train, and place unemployed individuals in jobs that address environmental challenges in their communities. By providing Americans in economically disadvantaged communities with job training in environmental health and safety, EWDJT backing helps protect people's health and the environment while supporting local economies.

"EPA continues to provide communities with backing to deliver valuable job training to individuals living in communities impacted by harmful pollution," said Enrique Manzanilla, Division Director in EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. "This on-the-job training provides Americans struggling to find work with valuable experience while strengthening public health and local economies."

EPA's Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training program, which provides environmental and health and safety training, helps graduates develop a broader set of skills that enhance their ability to secure short-term contractual work, as well as full-time, employment in the environmental field. Plan graduates acquire training and certifications in a variety of areas, such as environmental health and safety, lead and asbestos abatement, landfill management, wastewater treatment, brownfields assessment and cleanup, Superfund cleanup, leaking underground storage tank removal, recycling and emergency response.

The City of Richmond, California is one of the grantees awarded $200,000.00 and projects to train 60 students and place 45 graduates in environmental jobs. The City is targeting low-income, unemployed, and underemployed residents of Richmond, with a particular focus on minorities. The City has also partnered with several local entities, such as the Economic Development and Housing Authorities, to successfully place graduates of the program.

As of May 2013 in excess of 11,000 Americans have completed environmental workforce development and job training, of which, in excess of 8,000 have obtained employment in the environmental field with an average starting hourly wage of $14.12.

More information on environmental workforce development and job training grants: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/pilot_grants.htm

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