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Brownfields 2005
Grant Fact Sheet
/s/es, /nc., Trenton, 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 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
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. Additionally, funding support is provided to
state and tribal response programs through a separate
mechanism.
Community Description
Isles, Inc., was selected to receive a job training grant.
Isles is located in Trenton, New Jersey (population
85,403), a designated Brownfields Showcase Commu-
nity. Trenton is one of the nation's poorest cities,
despite being located within one of the nation's wealthi-
Job Training Grant
$200,000
EPA has selected Isles, Inc., for a job training
grant. Isles plans to train at least 50 students,
place at least 40 in environmental jobs, and track
graduates for one year. The program will offer
285 hours of training, including environmental
assessment, field investigation and sampling,
contaminated soils management, OSHA safety
training for construction and hazardous waste
workers, and lead abatement. Primary trainers
will be Isles, Inc., and the University of Medicine
and Dentistry of New Jersey, School of Public
Health. Students will be recruited from among
low-income, unemployed, and underemployed
minority residents of Trenton. Isles, Inc., will work
with city, county, and state brownfields programs
and environmental employers to place graduates
as environmental technicians.
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 2 Brownfields Team
212-637-4314
http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/
brownfields/
Grant Recipient: Isles, Inc., NJ
609-341-4705
The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
in this fact sheet are subject to change.
est counties. The poverty rate in Trenton is 21 percent
and the unemployment rate is above 8 percent. Sev-
enty-five percent of Trenton's residents are minorities.
The decline of manufacturing in the city left many
properties abandoned and contaminated. The state has
identified 110 known contaminated sites and 156
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5105T)
EPA 560-F-05-255
May 2005
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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underground storage tanks in Trenton. Lead poisoning
is a significant issue, as the city's 2003 rates were
approximately three times higher than surrounding
communities. Isles has a successful track record of
working with the city and engaging residents in
brownfields redevelopment and environmental health
promotion. Over the last ten years, the city has seen a
significant number of brownfields redeveloped; how-
ever, this has not led to a high degree of local employ-
ment in environmental jobs. Environmental employers
in the area have expressed a strong interest in hiring
local residents trained as environmental technicians.
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