• A \ Brownfields 2009 Job Training Grant J&Zj Fact Sheet ***««* l_os Angeles Conservation Corps, CA 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 Los Angeles Conservation Corps was selected to receive a job training grant. Based in Los Angeles (population 4,018,080), the Corps will target residents in the city's federally designated Empowerment Zone, with a focus on the Wilmington and Pacoima communities. In Wilmington, 25 percent of families live at or below the poverty level, and 90.7 percent of residents are minorities. In Pacoima, 17 percent of families live at or below the poverty level, and 89.2 percent of residents are minorities. Pacoima is home to four Superfund sites and several brownfields. The state reports that jobs in the construction trades will increase by eight percent in Los Angeles County between 2004 and 2014, and the Mayor of Los Angeles supports programs that promote a greener and more sustainable city. The Corps expects these trends and the city's first-source hiring agreements will increase the demand for skilled workers trained in green practices and environmental technologies. Job Training Grant $500,000 EPA has selected the Los Angeles Conservation Corps for a job training grant. The Corps plans to train 100 participants, place 80 graduates in environmental jobs, and track graduates for one year after job placement. The training program will consist of four 10-week cycles of 400 hours per cycle. Courses will include HAZWOPER, asbestos and lead abatement, weatherization, and energy audit certifications. Each area of training will provide participants with certifications needed to take advantage of jobs created by the assessment and cleanup of brownfields. To place graduates in jobs, the Corps will work with its 26-member Vocational Services Advisory Board, which includes employers, trade unions, and training firms. It also will work with WorkSource Centers in Los Angeles County to match graduates with employers in the environmental remediation field. 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 9 Brownfields Team (415) 972-3091 EPA Region 9 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region9/bro wnfields) Grant Recipient: Los Angeles Conservation Corps,CA (213) 749-3601 ext 204 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 United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-09-493 August 2009 ------- 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-09-493 August 2009 ------- |