Brownfields 2010 Job Training Grant Fact Sheet
Research Foundation of the State University of New York,
Buffalo, NY
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
The Research Foundation of the State University of New
York (SUNY) was selected to receive a job training grant.
On behalf of SUNY Buffalo, the foundation will target the
Cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Lackawanna, and
Niagara County (combined population 531,558) in
western New York State. The region was once among the
country's primary manufacturing centers. The target
communities are now struggling with the loss of major
employers, primarily in the heavy industry and materials
sectors. They also are burdened with increasing rates of
unemployment and poverty, environmental justice
concerns, and the environmental legacy of numerous
potentially contaminated facilities that have closed. There
are several hundred former industrial properties in the
region. In Buffalo, 28.7 percent of residents live in
poverty, and in Niagara Falls, more than 30 percent of
residents are minorities. Labor market assessments
indicate that statewide employment for hazardous
materials removal workers is expected to increase 9.4
percent by 2016, and 18.7 percent for environmental
technicians. Numerous environmental employers in
western New York have indicated a demand for skilled
environmental technicians.
Job Training Grant
$200,000
EPA has selected the Research Foundation of the
State University of New York (SUNY) for a job
training grant. The foundation plans to train 44
students, place 38 graduates in environmental
jobs, and track graduates for at least one year. The
training program will consist of two 11-week,
225-hour training cycles and will be based on four
training modules. Trainees will receive
certifications in 40-hour HAZWOPER, asbestos
abatement worker/handler, and construction
safety. Other courses will be offered on additional
environmental topics, including site investigation,
sampling, remediation technology, and an
overview of brownfields. Primary trainers will be
instructors from SUNY Buffalo. Students will be
recruited from among unemployed and
underemployed residents of the Cities of Buffalo,
Niagara Falls, and Lackawanna, and Niagara
County, with an emphasis on low-income and
minority residents. The foundation will work with
SUNY Buffalo's three training organizations,
municipalities that are past brownfields grant
recipients, and community-based partners to place
graduates in environmental jobs. Local Workforce
Investment Boards also will provide support
services to graduates.
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 2 Brownfields Team
(212) 637-3260
EPA Region 2 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/region2/bro wnfields)
Grant Recipient: Research Foundation of the State
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 560-F-10-246
April 2010
-------
University of New York
(716) 645-3446
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-10-246
April 2010
------- |