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Brownfields 2005 Job Training Grant Fact Sheet

Essex County, 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

Essex County was selected to receive a job training grant.
All communities in the county (population 793,633) will
be included in this grant. The county-wide poverty rate is
15.6 percent, and the unemployment rate is 7.3 percent.
These are significantly above state averages. Minority
populations predominate within entrenched high-poverty
areas, including the poor, urban core of Newark and
surrounding urban rim communities. The majority of the
700 sites on the county's list of known contaminated sites
are located within these areas. The county's population
density is the second highest in New Jersey, one of the
country's most densely populated states. This density
underscores the need to redevelop brownfields. Essex
County and several municipalities within the county are
spearheading major rehabilitation projects, and private
sector interest and activity in local brownfields is strong.
The State of New Jersey has estimated that demand for
environmental technicians will increase 18 percent by
2010.

Job Training Grant

$200,000

EPA has selected Essex County for a job training
grant. The county plans to train 40 students and
place at least 30 graduates in entry-level
environmental technician jobs. Graduates will be
tracked for one year. The 144-hour training
program will be conducted by the New Jersey
Institute of Technology (NJIT). Courses will
include OSHA health and safety training for
hazardous waste workers; introduction to
environmental science; site assessment,
investigation, and remediation techniques,
including protocols for sampling, measurement,
and instrumentation; and treatment technologies.
Students will be recruited primarily from among
Essex County communities impacted by
brownfields. The Workforce Investment Board of
Essex County and the One Stop Career Center of
Essex County will assist with placing graduates in
environmental j obs.

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: Essex County,NJ
(973)395-8400

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 560-F-05-252

Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2005

Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )


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United States	c

Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 560-F-05-252

Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2005

Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )


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