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Brownfields 2006
Grant Fact Sheet
CityofTacoma, WA
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
The City of Tacoma was selected to receive a job
training grant. The target population of 224,484 encom-
passes several census tracts in Pierce County where
there are an estimated 29 brownfields for every 10,000
Job Training Grant
$141,7640
EPA has selected the City of Tacoma for a job
training grant. Tacoma plans to train 60 individuals,
place at least 42 graduates in environmental jobs,
and track students for at least one year. The
training program will include 184 hours of basic
environmental training, including courses in
HAZWOPER, spill response, pathogens, environ-
mental chemistry, sampling, soils, watershed
analysis, and hydrology. Participants will receive
certificates in HAZWOPER, blood borne patho-
gens, and spill response and will be able to apply
credits toward an Associate in Applied Science
degree. Clover Park Technical College will conduct
the training on its campus, which is eight miles from
downtown Tacoma. The Metropolitan Develop-
ment Council will recruit prospective students
through its partnership with over 50 community-
based organizations in Pierce County. The city will
place graduates in environmental jobs through
cooperative agreements with local employers and
with the assistance of the Clover Park Technical
College Environmental Science Advisory Board
and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
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 10 Brownfields Team
206-553-6378
www.epa.gov/rlOearth, click on "Superfund",
scroll down and click on "Brownfields"
Grant Recipient: Tacoma, WA
253-594-7933
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-05-266
December 2005
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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residents. The South Tacoma Way Industrial Area
alone has a Superfund site and 30 identified potential
brownfields. Tacoma grew as a result of industrial
development that included a flourishing maritime
industry along Commencement Bay. In the late 1970s.
many of the waterfront businesses closed or relocated.
leaving a diverse population of low-income residents
surrounded by vacant sites. The target population's 7.8
percent unemployment rate exceeds that of any other
county in the state. Over 11 percent of the households
live in poverty, and 27.8 percent are racial minorities.
Rapid development in Tacoma is now fueling the
demand for environmental technicians to clean up
contaminated sites and prepare them for redevelop-
ment.
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