I
UJ
Brownfields 2009
Grant Fact Sheet
New Jersey Institute
for Social Justice,
Newark, NJ
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 this
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 brownfields job
training grants provide residents of communities
impacted by brownfields with the skills and training
needed to effectively gain employment in assessment
and cleanup activities associated with brownfield
redevelopment and environmental remediation. Addi-
tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal
response programs through a separate mechanism.
Community Description
The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (NJISJ)
was selected to receive a job training grant. NJISJ
seeks to expand economic opportunities for low-
income and minority residents of Newark (population
282,000), which is located five miles west of New York
Job Training Grant
$200,000
EPA has selected the New Jersey Institute for
Social Justice (NJISJ) for a job training grant.
NJISJ plans to train 87 students, place at least 53
graduates in environmental technician jobs, and
track students for one year. The training program
will consist of four, 100-hour training cycles that
include coursework in HAZWOPER, lead abate-
ment, asbestos removal, OSHA health and safety,
and brownfields issues. A minimum of three
certifications will be offered. The primary trainer
will be Essex County College. Students will be
recruited from unemployed and underemployed city
residents, with priority given to returning citizens.
NJISJ will work with the Workforce Investment
Board and Essex County Building Trades Council
to place graduates in environmental jobs.
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.
Schenine Mitchell, EPA Region 2
212-637-3283
http://www.epa.gov/region02/brownfields/
Grant Recipient: New Jersey Institute for
Social Justice
973-624-9400, ext. 25
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
City. At one time, Newark was New Jersey's most
important industrial city and is still home to one of the
largest ports in the nation. As the city's industrial
legacy declined and businesses moved or closed,
Newark was left with potentially valuable properties
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-09-006
January 2009
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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that are vacant and underused. An estimated 700 acres
of brownfields are scattered throughout the city.
Newark's poverty rate exceeds 24 percent, and the
unemployment rate of 12 percent is nearly double the
state average. Nearly 78 percent of Newark residents
are minorities. Despite the downturn in the economy.
the city projects a growing need for environmental
workers and has recently revamped its brownfields
cleanup and waterfront redevelopment efforts.
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