E.P.A. Declares In excess of $3 Million in Grants to Provide Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training/

(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.

Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona is a recipient of one of the $200,000.00 grants and projects to train 36 students and place 35 graduates in environmental jobs. The university is targeting unemployed residents of the Navajo Nation, particularly those living in communities impacted by uranium mining and cleanup activities. Key partners include the Navajo Nation Department of Workforce Development, Navajo Nation EPA, Navajo Nation Office of Economic Development-Church Rock and Shiprock Chapters, and Navajo Nation Council Delegates.

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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