Q \ Brownfields 2003 Job Training Grant Fact Sheet
1 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Camden,
NJ

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
The Camden Division of Planning was selected to receive
a job training grant. Camden (population 79,900) has a
large minority population. One half of Camden's residents
are African American and 39% are Hispanic American.
Employment has suffered from the decline of Camden's
manufacturing base, a lack of skilled workers, and
migration of middle-income property owners to the
suburbs. The poverty rate is 40% and the high school drop
out rate exceeds 70%. Camden is both a federal
Empowerment Zone and a federal Renewal Community.
The grant will link the assessment and cleanup of
Brownfields Pilot sites in Camden with jobs for local
residents impacted by brownfields. The city currently
contracts with nearly a dozen environmental engineering
firms to conduct site investigations and cleanups, and in
addition, another dozen local community-based housing
rehabilitation organizations. The employment outlook for
sustainable brownfields-related jobs is very promising.
Job Training Grant
$200,000
EPA has selected the City of Camden Division of
Planning for a job training grant. Camden plans to
train 50 students, achieve a 90% placement rate,
and track students for one year. The training
program will consist of 150 hours of site
assessment, lead abatement, and asbestos
abatement courses. This will be followed by 120
hours of internships with local environmental
employers and mentoring by neighborhood
residents of the city's brownfields impacted
neighborhoods. Students will be recruited from
Camden, with emphasis on unemployed and
unskilled minority residents. Placement in
environmental jobs will be assisted by the Camden
County Improvement Authority and Camden
County Municipal Utility Authority.
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) 637-4309
EPA Region 2 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/region02/br ownfields/)
Grant Recipient: Camden, NJ
(856) 757-7619
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	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 500-F-03-022
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2003
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

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