HI C3 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 ------- |