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Brownfields 2004
Grant Fact Sheet
Cleveland, OH
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up,
and sustainably reuse brownfields. Abrownfield 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. On January 11, 2002, President George
W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability
Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the
Brownfields Law, EPA provides financial assistance to
eligible applicants through four competitive grant
programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund
grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. The job
training grants provide training for residents of commu-
nities affected by brownfields to prepare them for
employment in the assessment and cleanup of
brownfield sites. Additionally, funding support is
provided to state and tribal response programs through
a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The Cleveland Department of Economic Development
was selected to receive a job training grant. The
decline in Cleveland's heavy manufacturing industrial
base, with the resulting loss of jobs and businesses, has
had a devastating effect within the city and surrounding
communities. The city (population 478,403) has an
unemployment rate of almost 12% and a poverty rate
of almost 26%. The city will focus its training efforts
on the residents of Cleveland's Empowerment Zone,
93% of whom are African-American with a poverty
rate of over 35%. The city has 350 brownfields and
very little land available for development that is not
Job Training Grants
$200,000
EPA has selected the Cleveland Department of
Economic Development for a job training grant.
Cleveland plans to train 80 students, achieve a
75% placement rate for graduates, and conduct
retention rate verification at regular intervals over
a one year period. The training program will offer
240 hours of course work. Level one training will
include training in hazardous waste health and
safety, lead and asbestos abatement, and CPR.
Level two training in media sampling and confined
space entry, including hands-on practice, will be
offered to eligible students. Students will be
recruited from Cleveland neighborhoods with the
highest unemployment, poverty, and drop-out
rates. The Cuyahoga Community College's
Environmental Health and Safety Training Advi-
sory Committee and a network of environmental
employers will assist the city in placing students in
environmental j obs.
Contacts
For further information, including specific grant
contacts, additional grant information, brownfields
news and events, and publications and links, visit
the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/
brownfields.
EPA Region 5 Brownfields Team
312-886-7576
http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Cleveland Department of
Economic Development, OH
216-664-3611
potentially contaminated. The city currently is working
on several brownfields redevelopment projects. The
city's increased efforts in brownfields redevelopment
activities and the willingness of environmental employ-
ers to participate in this job training program help make
the employment outlook for sustainable brownfieIds-
related jobs promising.
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 500-F-04-006
March 2004
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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