Brownfields 2010 Job Training Grant Fact Sheet
~ Groundwork Providence, Rl
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. In 2002,
the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields
Revitalization Act was passed to help states and
communities around the country cleanup and revitalize
brownfields sites. 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.
Additionally, funding support is provided to state and
tribal response programs through a separate mechanism.
Community Description
Groundwork Providence was selected to receive a job
training grant. Groundwork Providence is a nonprofit
organization that is focusing its job training efforts on the
Cities of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and
Woonsocket. The Blackstone River, birthplace of the
American Industrial Revolution, links these communities,
who share a legacy of environmental and economic
problems common to former industrial regions. These
four cities encompass the greatest centers of poverty and
the largest concentration of contaminated properties in the
State of Rhode Island. The cities of Providence and
Woonsocket have poverty rates of nearly 30 percent and
20 percent, respectively. In the four cities, the percentage
of residents who are minorities ranges from 20.8 to 48.6
percent, and the average unemployment rate is nearly 14
percent. Ongoing assessment and cleanup work at several
brownfield sites are anticipated to provide a steady source
of jobs for program graduates. The demand for workers
trained in assessment, cleanup, and lead-safe
deconstruction is expected to increase significantly during
the next two years, providing job opportunities for
graduates with these skills.
Job Training Grant
$200,000
EPA has selected Groundwork Providence for a
job training grant. Groundwork Providence plans
to train 54 students, place approximately 41
graduates in environmental jobs, and track
graduates for at least one year. The training
program will consist of four 15-week, 236-hour
training cycles. Graduates will receive
certifications in 40-hour HAZWOPER, 10-hour
OSHA construction safety, lead
supervisor/contractor, asbestos
supervisor/contractor, and mold remediation.
Training partners include Innovative Safety
Services, Inc., the Community College of Rhode
Island, and industry experts. Students will be
recruited from among unemployed and
underemployed residents of Providence,
Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket, with an
emphasis on residents who are disadvantaged,
minorities, veterans, or ex-offenders. To place
graduates in environmental jobs, Groundwork
Providence will work with its network of
community partners and the state's One Stop
Career Center.
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 1 Brownfields Team
(617)918-1424
EPA Region 1 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/regionl/bro wnfields)
Grant Recipient: Groundwork Providence,RI
(401)351-6440
The information presented in this fact sheet comes
from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 560-F-10-244
April 2010
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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-10-244
April 2010
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