HI
                            C3
 Brownfields  2003

 Grant  Fact  Sheet

         Camden, 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. A brownfield 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
brownfields sites. Additionally, funding support is
provided to state and tribal response programs through
a separate mechanism.

Community Description

The Camden Division of Planning was selected to
receive a job training grant. Camden (population
79,900) has a large minority population. One half of
Camden's residents are African American and 39%
are Hispanic American. Employment has suffered
from the decline of Camden's manufacturing base, a
lack of skilled workers, and migration of middle-income
property owners to the suburbs. The poverty rate is
40% and the high school drop out rate exceeds 70%.
Camden is both a federal Empowerment Zone and a
federal Renewal Community. The grant will link the
assessment and cleanup of Brownfields Pilot sites in
  Job Training Grant    (2003
   $200,000

   EPA has selected the City of Camden Division of
   Planning for a job training grant. Camden plans to
   train 50 students, achieve a 90% placement rate,
   and track students for one year. The training
   program will consist of 150 hours of site assess-
   ment, lead abatement, and asbestos abatement
   courses. This will be followed by 120 hours of
   internships with local environmental employers and
   mentoring by neighborhood residents of the city's
   brownfields impacted neighborhoods. Students will
   be recruited from Camden, with emphasis on
   unemployed and unskilled minority residents.
   Placement in environmental jobs will be assisted by
   the Camden County Improvement Authority and
   Camden County Municipal Utility Authority.
   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: Camden Division of Planning
  856-757-7619

  Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003,
  the City of Camden also received funding for
  assessment grants.
Camden with jobs for local residents impacted by
brownfields. The city currently contracts with nearly a
dozen environmental engineering firms to conduct site
investigations and cleanups, and in addition, another
dozen local community-based housing rehabilitation
organizations. The employment outlook for sustainable
brownfields-related jobs is very promising.
                                                  Solid Waste and
                                                  Emergency Response
                                                  (5105T)
                         EPA 500-F-03-022
                         May 2003
                         www.epa.gov/brownfields

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