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Brownfields 2009 Job Training Grant Fact Sheet
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., Portland
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
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. Additionally, funding support is provided
to state and tribal response programs through a separate
mechanism.
Community Description
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. (OTI), was selected to receive
a job training grant. OTI is a nonprofit organization that
serves the Greater Portland and Multnomah County areas
(population 671,121) in northwest Oregon. More than 17
percent of county families live below the poverty level.
For families with a female head of household and
children under the age of five, the poverty rate is 51
percent. According to the Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality, there are 700 contaminated sites
within the City of Portland. Many of these sites are
located along commercial corridors and threaten adjacent
residential neighborhoods. Major thoroughfares,
municipal landfills, and sewage treatment plants are
located within these neighborhoods. At the same time, the
Portland region is experiencing a population growth that
is more than twice the national average. Limited
developable land within Portland is creating great
pressure for brownfields redevelopment. Oregon's
economic history indicates that there will continue to be a
demand for graduates with certified environmental skills.
Job Training Grant
$200,000
EPA has selected Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
(OTI), for a job training grant. OTI plans to train
120 participants, place a minimum of 78 trainees
in environmental jobs, and track students for at
least two years, including a minimum of one year
after the close of the grant. The training program
will consist of at least eight six-week, 145-hour
cycles that will include 40-hour HAZWOPER
certification training, certification of graduation
from a state approved pre-apprentice program, and
training in specialized knowledge of brownfields
problems and solutions. Primary trainers include
OTI, the University of Washington, three
environmental justice organizations, and the
Portland Brownfields Program. Students will be
recruited from the low-income, minority,
unemployed, or underemployed female population
in the area. OTI has developed partnerships with
labor unions that operate apprenticeship programs
and with potential employers. These partners will
work with OTI 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 10 Brownfields Team
(206)553-7299
EPA Region 10 Brownfields Web site
(http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/CL
EANUP.NSF/sites/bf)
Grant Recipient: Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.,
Portland
(503) 335-8200 ext 22
The information presented in this fact sheet comes
United States	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 560-F-09-015
Protection Agency	Response (5105D	January 2009
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

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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
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
Solid Waste
EPA 560-F-09-015
January 2009

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