I JBt | Brownfields 2003 Job Training Grant Fact Sheet
\	Coalition for a Better Acre, Lowell, MA
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 Coalition for a Better Acre was selected to receive
a job training grant. The Coalition for a Better Acre is
located in Lowell, MA, a Brownfields Showcase
Community. The Lowell Enterprise Community (EC)
population is diverse, with 24% Asians, 26% Hispanics,
6% African American, and 6% multi-racial residents.
The city has lost 58% of its manufacturing jobs, which
has raised its unemployment rate. The Massachusetts
Department of Labor projects that the number of jobs
for hazardous waste removal workers will increase by
16.5% over the next five years. The demand in this
employment category will increase because of the
number of brownfield sites in the state. Employers have
told the Coalition for a Better Acre that they are
looking for employees with a solid grounding in
sampling techniques, site assessment, air quality
monitoring, and other environmental technician skills.
The grant will train local residents impacted by
brownfields to address the city's Brownfields Pilot sites.
Job Training Grant
$200,000
EPA has selected the Coalition for a Better Acre in
Lowell for a brownfields job training grant. The
Coalition for a Better Acre will provide training to
48 residents, achieve a placement rate of 83%, and
track students for a year. The 256-hour training
program will include hazardous material handling,
Phase I environmental site assessment,
environmental sampling of soil and water, and
asbestos inspection. Students will be recruited from
among low-income residents of the Lowell
Enterprise Community. Students will be placed
through the Coalition for a Better Acre's existing
relationships with area employers and labor unions.
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/region 1 /brownfields)
Grant Recipient: City of Lowell,MA
(978) 452-7523 ext 805
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.
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