I UJ Brownfields 2008 Grant Fact Sheet Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana, Inc., New Orleans, LA 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 con- taminant. 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. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. Community Description Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana, Inc., was selected to receive a job training grant. Goodwill Industries is located in New Orleans (population 200,000), a federally designated Enterprise and Re- newal Community. Many properties that pose environ- 1 Job Training Grant $200,000 EPA has selected Goodwill Industries of Southeast- ern Louisiana, Inc., for a job training grant. Good- will Industries plans to train 40 students, place 80 percent of graduates in environmental jobs or post- secondary education, and track students for one year. The training program will consist of four 13- week, 404-hour training cycles that will offer certifications in HAZWOPER; mold, lead, and asbestos abatement; and OSHA construction safety. Additional training will include coursework in engineering, debris removal, and federal, state, and local environmental rules and regulations. The primary trainer will be Louisiana Technical College. Students will be recruited by Goodwill Industries and Limitless Vistas, Inc., from neighborhoods in District B of Orleans Parish, which includes the Central City neighborhood. Goodwill Industries will work with Job 1, Total Community Action, consult- ing firms, and community organizations 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. Karen Peycke, EPA Region 6 214-665-7273 www.epa.gov/region6/brownfields Grant Recipient: Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana, Inc. 504-456-3926 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-08-231 March 2008 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- mental concerns are located in or near environmental justice communities and include at least 177 service stations and 267 hazardous waste sites. Goodwill Industries will focus its job training program in District B of Orleans Parish, primarily the Central City neigh- borhood, which is one of the oldest predominantly African-American communities in the city. It also is one of the city's most impoverished areas and includes approximately 40 brownfields. Program partners believe that the timing and location of the training will play a vital role in helping rehabilitate a community and population in need of renewal. Several companies have made commitments to hire program graduates or consider the program as a first source for employment. ------- |