V® PR0^ Brownfields 2002 Job Training Pilot Fact Sheet Concurrent Technologies Corp., Charleston, SC EPA Brownfields Initiative 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. Background EPA has selected Concurrent Technologies Corporation in Charleston, South Carolina, for a Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilot. The City of Charleston is the recipient of a Brownfields Assessment Pilot and a Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot. The Job Training Pilot will focus on the City of Charleston's federal Enterprise Community, which is located near the city's historic district. Approximately 22,500 people live in the Enterprise Community, 80 percent of whom are African American. The poverty rate in the Enterprise Community is greater then 45 percent and the unemployment rate is over 12 percent. Of the 2,000 families with children in the Enterprise Community, two-thirds are headed by single women. The Enterprise Community has experienced the growth and decline of several industries since the Civil War, including fertilizer manufacturing, lumber treatment, and pulp and paper manufacturing. The Charleston Naval Base, which employed many in the area, closed in 1994, resulting in higher unemployment and the decline of many small manufacturing operations. Over 100 brownfields have been identified within the Enterprise Community. The Department of Defense plans a $30 million restoration of Charleston Naval Base. The Pilot Snapshot Date of Announcement: 05/01/2000 Amount: $200,000 Profile: The Pilot will train 60 participants as environmental technicians. Students will be recruited from low-income residents of the City's Enterprise Community, which has suffered economically from the closing of the Charleston Naval Base and the presence of over 100 brownfields created by past industrial activities. 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 4 Brownfields Team (404) 562-8792 EPA Region 4 Brownfields Web site (http ://www .epa.gov/region4/waste/bf) Grant Recipient: Concurrent Technologies Corp., Charleston, SC (843) 744-2829 Objectives Concurrent Technologies plans to train 60 participants, achieve an 80 percent placement rate, and support career placement of graduates for one year after the training is completed. Participants will be recruited from low-income residents of the Enterprise Community. The Pilot training program will consist of 40 hours of sampling and basic math, 30 hours of OSHA general industry standards for safety and health, 40 hours of HAZWOPER, eight hours of heavy equipment operation and safety, and 24 hours of innovative technology courses. In addition, eight students will be provided the opportunity to take the Commercial Driver's License course at the conclusion of the environmental technician training. United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 500-F-00-169 May 00 ------- environmental industry in Charleston is a growing industry and major environmental firms have indicated that they would be adding environmental technicians to their staff over the next couple of years. Concurrent Technologies' training efforts will be supported by organizations such as Trident Technical College, the Medical University of South Carolina, Innovative Alternatives for Women, Partners for Employment Program, and Youth Services Charleston. The training program will offer opportunities to take advanced training and earn credits towards a college degree. The City offers employers incentives to hire local residents. Activities Activities planned as part of this Pilot include: • Conducting outreach to recruit low-income residents of the City of Charleston's Enterprise Community; • Conducting brownfields technician training, including courses in the use of innovative assessment and cleanup technologies; and • Supporting career placement of students for one year after the job training is completed. 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-00-169 j. j.- a ancl Emergency .. __ Protection Agency Response (5105T) MaV00 Washington, DC 20450 ^ v ' ------- |