United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA 500-F-00-177
May 2000
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
SEPA
Brownfields Job Training
and Development
Demonstration Pilot
New Jersey Youth Corps, Phillipsburg and Middlesex County, NJ
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5105)
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other
stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and
sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and
an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA is funding: assessment demonstration pilot programs (each funded
up to $200,000 over two years), to assess brownfields sites and to test cleanup and redevelopment models; job training
pilot programs (each funded up to $200,000 over two years), to provide training for residents of communities affected
by brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields sites and prepare trainees for future employment in the environmental
field; and cleanup revolving loan fund programs (each funded up to $500,000 over five years) to capitalize loan funds
to make loans for the environmental cleanup of brownfields. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states,
tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods
to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment.
BACKGROUND
EPA has selected the New Jersey Youth Corps for
a Brownfields Job Training and Development
Demonstration Pilot. The New Jersey Youth Corps
will partner with the Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilot programs of Middlesex County
and the Town of Phillip sburg. The New Jersey Youth
Corps is a program of the State of New Jersey's
Department of Human Services, Office of Education
and provides youth j ob training and career development
programsthroughoutthe state. The Job Training Pilot
will focus on the Town of Phillipsburg (population
16,000) and the Raritan River Strategic Planning
Area (population 92,000) in the eastern portion of
Middlesex County. The Town of Phillipsburg is located
on the Delaware J^iver in northwestern New Jersey.
The decline of manufacturing, including steel, has
directly contributed to urban decline. The town's
unemployment continues to exceed the state-wide
average. Middlesex County is located in central New
Jersey and is comprised of 25 municipalities. Almost
six percent of Middlesex County residents, primarily
African-Americans orHispanics, live at or below the
poverty level.
The J^aritan J^iver Strategic Planning Areahistorically
was the center of industry and commerce in Middlesex
County. The former heavily industrialized region has
PILOT SNAPSHOT
Phillipsburg and
Middlesex County,
NewJersey
Contacts:
New Jersey Youth Corps
(609)588-3198
Date of Announcement:
May 2000
Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot will train at
least 40 participants as
environmental technicians.
Students will be recruited from
among young, unskilled
residents between the ages of
18-25 residing in both the Town
of Phillipsburg and Middlesex
County, both of which are
economically depressed
because of a continuing decline
in manufacturing activities.
Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA - Region 2
(212)637-4291
Visit the EPA Region 2 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/r02earth/superfnd/brownfld/
bfmainpg.htm
Forfurther information, including specific Pilot contacts,
additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and
publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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suffered a significant decline in activity for the past 3 0
years, leaving many industrial facilities abandoned
and contaminated. The Middlesex County assessment
pilot is focused on redevelopment of properties within
this strategic area. In Phillipsburg, eight contaminated
sites have been identified within the 3.2 square mile
extent of the town. Phillipsburg has been designated
an Urban Enterprise Zone by the state. Currently,
there are few programs in the state that focus on
providing job skills to young, unskilled residents who
are notinthe mainstream of educational opportunities.
The Pilot will provide career training for livable wage
jobs for young, unskilled residents in the assessments
and cleanups being conducted through the two
Brownfields Assessment Pilots.
TRAINING OBJECTIVES
The New Jersey Youth Corps plans to train at least
40 participants, achieve an 80 percent placement rate,
and support career placement of graduates for one
year after the training is completed. Participants will
be recruited from among young, unskilled residents
between the ages of 18-25 residing in both Phillipsburg
and Middlesex County. The Pilot training program
will consist of science and math concepts, the 40-hour
OSHA health and safety training, preliminary
assessment and remediation investigation courses,
ASTM auditing, site characterization, measurements
and instrumentation, risk communication, and remedial
selection. The 15 0-hour training program will include
training in the use of innovative assessment and
cleanup technologies. In addition, students will
complete 150 hours of community service that will
focus on environmental activities.
New Jersey Youth Corps training efforts will be
supported by organizations such as New Jersey
Institute of Technology (NJIT), New Brunswick
Council for Youth, Middlesex County Community
College, New Jersey Department of Labor One Stop
Career Center in Phillipsburg, and the New Jersey
Department of Human Services. The New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection has
committed to assisting the training program. In
addition, local unions have offered their assistance.
ACTIVITIES
Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:
• Conducting outreach to recruit young, unskilled
residents between the ages of 18-25 residing in both
Phillipsburg and Middlesex County;
• Conducting brownfieldstechniciantraining,including
courses in the use of innovative assessment and
cleanup technologies; and
• Supporting career placement of students for one
year after the job training is completed.
The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated;
therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.
Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilot
May2000
New Jersey Youth Corps, Phillipsburg and Middlesex County, New Jersey
EPA500-F-00-177
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