A \ Brownfields 2009 Job Training Grant Fact Sheet OAI, Inc., Chicago, IL 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 February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, and create or save millions of jobs. This law provided stimulus funds to the Brownfields Program to award grants to train unemployed or underemployed individuals to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites. Under this law, EPA will provide financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Community Description OAI, Inc., was selected to receive a job training grant. The target areas for this grant include the 9th and 24th wards in Chicago's south side, and seven south-Chicago suburban communities (combined population 214,925). These areas include federally designated Empowerment Zones and Renewal Communities, and have an average unemployment rate of 17 percent. Seven of the nine communities have minority populations exceeding 85 percent. Hundreds of brownfield sites have been identified in and around these communities. The city has identified a large number of positions that employers need to fill in the weatherization and environmental remediation areas. These numbers will likely increase as the City of Chicago implements its Climate Action Plan, which is expected to generate a demand for up to 2,500 green jobs annually. Job Training Grant $499,947.00 EPA has selected OAI, Inc., for a job training grant. OAI plans to train 80 students, place at least 60 graduates in environmental technician jobs, and track graduates for one year. The training program will consist of 128 hours of foundational skills training followed by one of two tracks: 112 hours of environmental remediation training or 206 hours of weatherization training. All participants will be certified in five classes: OSHA 10-hour construction health and safety, HAZWOPER, lockout/tagout, confined space entry, and first aid/CPR. Additional certifications will be offered in the two separate tracks. OAI also will offer "train-the-trainer" courses to 10 training providers and provide refresher training to program graduates. OAI will work with an Employer Advisory Council, including the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, the Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation, and DNR Construction, Inc., to place 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 5 Brownfields Team (312) 886-7576 EPA Region 5 Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfiel ds) Grant Recipient: OAI, Inc., Chicago, IL (312) 528-3500 The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the United States c Environmental anri Fmpflpn™ EPA 560-F-09-486 Protection Agency Response (5105T) August 2009 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- 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-09-486 Protection Agency Response (5105T) August 2009 Washington, DC 20450 Kesponse (si us ) ------- |