A \ Brownfields 2009 Job Training Grant tSE./ Fact Sheet Canton, OH RECOUERY.GOV EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states. communities, and other stakeholders 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 February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the Brownfields Program to award grants to train unemployed or underemployed individuals to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Community Description The City of Canton was selected to receive a job training grant. Located in northeast Ohio, Canton (population 78,319) has a history of heavy manufacturing. A number of former industrial sites are now brownfields. Several residential neighborhoods have been affected by a plume of contaminated groundwater and now require groundwater monitoring. The city has an unemployment rate greater than the county and state as a whole. The program will train graduates for jobs at companies working to address contamination, benefiting both residents and the community. A recent labor market assessment by the state found that the occupations with the highest projected rate of increase were hazardous materials removal workers, occupational health and safety specialists, and supervisors and managers of construction trades. Employers are enthusiastic about opportunities to hire graduates from this program, as there is currently a shortage of trained personnel for environmental jobs. Job Training Grant $444,004.00 EPA has selected the City of Canton for a job training grant. Canton plans to train 105 participants, graduate 92 students, place at least 69 graduates in environmental jobs, and track graduates for one year following employment. The training program will consist of 232 hours, 14 college credits, and 30 weeks of classes. Graduates will receive certifications in OSHA 10-hour health and safety training, HAZWOPER, lead abatement, asbestos worker 32-hour training, and sustainable green building technologies. The primary trainers will be instructors from the Environmental Health and Safety Technology program at Stark State College of Technology. The city will work with over 12 private environmental contractors 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 (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields). EPA Region 5 Brownfields Team (312)886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfiel ds) Grant Recipient: City of Canton, Ohio (330) 489-3330 The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. The cooperative agreement for the grant has not yet been negotiated. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-09-487 August 2009 ------- United States Q ., . ,A/__t,. Environmental bona waste 560-F-09-487 _, and Emergency ™™ Protection Agency Resoonse (51oVn August 2009 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (bl Ob I) ------- |