WILMINGTON, Del. – Gov. John Carney joined Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, State Representative Danny Short, State Senator Bryant Richardson, Seaford Mayor Matthew MacCoy and other community leaders Thursday to announce a $3 million investment in cleaning up a riverfront site for redevelopment as part of the City of Seaford’s revitalization.

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LOWELL — Yesterday, the Healey-Driscoll Administration joined state and local officials in Lowell to celebrate awards through Community One Stop for Growth, including $2,230,050 for 37 grants to support economic development projects through the Real Estate Services Technical Assistance Program, Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, and Massachusetts Downtown Initiative.

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December 17, 2024

Contact Information

Jo Kittrell (kittrell.joanne@epa.gov)

BOSTON (Dec. 17, 2024) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the City of Worcester has been selected to receive a $499,000 grant to help recruit, train, and place workers in community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites in the Worcester area. The Brownfields Job Training Program grants is funded by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will advance economic opportunity and environmental justice.

The City of Worcester plans to train 80 students and they have a strong track record of placing the majority of their graduates in environmental jobs. The training program includes 83 hours of instructional training. Students who complete the training will earn up to two state and five federal certifications. The City of Worcester is targeting students within its six urban core Opportunity Zone Census Tracts, which are identified as disadvantaged Justice40 communities.

Key partners include the Central Massachusetts Region Planning Commission, the City of Worcester Department of Public Works and Parks, MassHire Central Region Career Centers, Resource Options, Inc., We Fix It Renovate, Inc., the Worcester Business Development Corporation, the Worcester Housing Authority, and the Worcester Jobs Fund.

"Brownfields Job Training grants change lives and improve communities that have been overburdened by contaminated properties for far too long," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David Cash. "Thanks to President Biden's Investing in America agenda, EPA is helping to create good-paying jobs for low income, unemployed, and under-employed residents who are helping make their communities cleaner, healthier and stronger."

"With this grant, Worcester will be able to train students to clean up and revitalize local brownfield sites," said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. "It's a win-win: the federal government is investing in our workforce with life-long skills while working to advance environmental justice."

"We celebrate securing half a million dollars for Worcester to invest in the next generation of environmental remediation professionals, providing them with the tools and education to turn eyesores into assets. This new workforce will build wealth and create economic opportunity in their community and throughout our region," said U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey, "After all, there is no one more qualified to carry out this important work of fixing brownfields than the very community members who have been directly affected by their existence."

EPA's Brownfields Job Training Program provides funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment. Many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues. All of the FY25 Brownfields Job Training Program applications selected have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden's Justice40 Initiative to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Individuals typically graduate from the program with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term environmental careers. This includes certifications in:

Lead and asbestos abatement;

Hazardous waste operations and emergency response;

Mold remediation;

Environmental sampling and analysis; and

Other environmental health and safety training.

For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past grant recipients, please visit EPA's Grant Factsheet Tool.

Background

President Biden's leadership and bipartisan congressional action delivered the single-largest investment in U.S. brownfields infrastructure ever. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA's highly successful Brownfields Program and the funding from this grant cycle comes from this historic investment. This budget boost gives EPA the ability to fund more communities, states, and Tribal Nations. In addition, these entities have the opportunity to apply for larger grants to build and enhance their environmental job training curriculums to support job creation and community revitalization around brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals gain access to jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.

Since 1998, EPA has awarded 430 grants totaling more than $113 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 23,400 individuals have completed training and over 17,400 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. Over the last 5 years, the average starting wage for these individuals is approximately $23 per hour. If your organization is considering applying for or has a question related to Brownfields Job Training Grants, submit a technical assistance request to EPA at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/forms/brownfields-job-training-program-technical-assistance-inquiry-form.

For more information on this and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-funding.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded $19,640,380 for the environmental restoration of eight abandoned mine lands (AML) projects as part of the Abandoned Mine Lands and Acid Mine Drainage Grant Program.

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A Rhode Island Superior Court judge has authorized more oversight of an embattled Providence scrapyard, but not as much as state regulators wanted.

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BY: MAX GILLESPIE 7:00 AM ON DECEMBER 15, 2024

The New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) recently announced that it has successfully cleaned 165 acres of contaminated land across the city since the start of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. The remediated land has been redeveloped into various new uses, including 28,000 units of housing (12,000 of which are affordable), 16 new schools, 2.9 million square feet of community space, and 6.1 million square feet of commercial space.

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December 12, 2024

Contact Information

EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of 16 organizations to receive nearly $7.7 million in grants for environmental job training programs across the country. The EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program grants are funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will help recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites while advancing economic opportunity and environmental justice. EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management Deputy Assistant Administrator Cliff Villa will announce the awards in Wichita, Kansas today alongside grant recipient Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, EPA’s Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister, and the City of Wichita Council Member Brandon Johnson.

“EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program grants are changing lives and improving communities that have been overburdened by contaminated properties for far too long,” said Cliff Villa, EPA’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is helping to create good-paying jobs for low income, unemployed, and under-employed residents who are helping make their communities cleaner, healthier and stronger.”

The Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, the host of today’s event, will provide training in key areas, including asbestos abatement, obtaining a commercial driver’s license for the transportation of hazardous waste, RCRA Hazardous Waste Management, and OSHA 30-hour Occupational Health and Safety for General Industry. This comprehensive training will equip students with the necessary expertise to contribute effectively to their community and empower students with the essential skills needed to tackle and mitigate critical environmental issues within the local community.

Each Brownfields Job Training grant, of up to $500,000, will provide funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment. Many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues. All of the FY25 Brownfields Job Training Program applications selected have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Individuals typically graduate from the program with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term environmental careers. This includes certifications in:

Lead and asbestos abatement;

Mold remediation;

Environmental sampling and analysis; and

Other environmental health and safety training. 

Today’s selected applicants are:

Groundwork Rhode Island - Pawtucket, RI

Worcester, City of - Worcester, MA

*Groundwork Elizabeth - Elizabeth, NJ

*Montclair State University - Montclair, NJ

*Center for Nonprofit Advancement - Washington, DC

*Groundwork Richmond Virginia - Richmond, VA

*Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - Blacksburg, VA

*Eco Ed Impact Corp - Miami, FL

Southwest Economic Solutions - Detroit, MI

Iowa Western Community College - Council Bluffs, IA

*Saint Louis University - St. Louis, MO

*Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas - Wichita, KS

Groundwork Denver - Denver, CO

*NyE Communities Coalition - Pahrump, NV

*Pocatello, City of - Pocatello, ID

*Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network - Tekoa, WA

*First-time Brownfields Job Training Program grant recipients.

For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past grant recipients, please visit EPA’s Grant Factsheet Tool.

Background

President Biden’s leadership and bipartisan congressional action delivered the single-largest investment in U.S. brownfields infrastructure ever. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program and the funding from this grant cycle comes from this historic investment. This budget boost gives EPA the ability to fund more communities, states, and Tribal Nations. In addition, these entities have the opportunity to apply for larger grants to build and enhance their environmental job training curriculums to support job creation and community revitalization around brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals gain access to jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.

Since 1998, EPA has awarded 430 grants totaling more than $113 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 23,400 individuals have completed training and over 17,400 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. Over the last 5 years, the average starting wage for these individuals is approximately $23 per hour. If your organization is considering applying for or has a question related to Brownfields Job Training Grants, please submit a technical assistance request to EPA.

Please see the Types of Brownfields Funding webpage for more.

November 20, 2024

Contact Information

Carlos Vega (vega.carlos@epa.gov)

646-988-2996

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency celebrated a nearly $5 million Brownfields cleanup grant to clean up asbestos and perform other critical renovations at the Family Partnership Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. EPA Deputy Administrator Alyssa Arcaya, standing with state and local leaders, emphasized the significance of this grant, made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocates $1.5 billion to the Brownfields Program nation-wide.

“This EPA grant will help clean up asbestos, preserve this historic Poughkeepsie site, and ensure that the critical services provided by Family Services, Inc. continue to benefit the surrounding communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “The Brownfields Program grants, bolstered by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is a powerful tool for revitalizing communities and promoting economic growth and job creation while supporting environmental health.”

"I am proud to have helped to secure this critical funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up hazardous substances and inorganic contaminants at the historic Family Partnership Center in Poughkeepsie," said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. "This $5 million grant from the EPA’s Brownfields Program will help ensure that residents can continue to access the essential medical, educational, and social services and programs offered by Family Services and its partners. I will continue fighting for more federal funding to safeguard the health and well-being of our communities and promote sustainable economic development across our state.”

“Family Services has forged a critical support system that uplifts Poughkeepsie families at the Center, and its impact is undeniable,” said U.S. Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18). “I’m proud that This nearly $5 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, along with the $1 million I secured earlier this year, will help further the rehabilitation of the building. I’m grateful to have worked alongside community partners and officials at every level of government to secure these funds. I will keep fighting for the resources needed to complete this restoration and allow Family Services to continue expanding its invaluable work in our community.” 

Family Services, Inc. will use the grant funds to clean up the Family Partnership Center located at 29 North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie. The 110-year-old cleanup site was formerly a Catholic and a public high school. Grant funds will support asbestos removal, building renovations, and the preparation of a public involvement plan and community engagement activities.

Family Services, Inc. bought the building in 1997. The building currently houses Family Services, Inc. and 20 public and private service organizations that provide food and housing support, medical and dental care, mental health services, crisis intervention, education, recreation and enrichment programs to the community. The important cleanup project will ensure environmental justice and the continuation of critical services for residents in Poughkeepsie and surrounding communities.

“The Family Partnership Center has been a beacon of hope and support in Poughkeepsie for decades. This EPA Brownfields grant represents a critical investment in our community, enabling the building to remain a safe and welcoming space for the vital services that over 20 partner organizations provide to our neighbors,” said Leah Feldman, CEO of Family Services. “We are deeply grateful for this support, which will strengthen our ability to meet the critical needs of residents and support everyone’s right to thrive.”

This grant is part of the EPA’s ongoing efforts to support economically stressed communities in New York and across the nation. EPA’s Brownfields Program provides essential resources to help communities clean up and redevelop contaminated properties, attracting jobs, promoting economic revitalization, and creating sustainable, environmentally just neighborhoods.

Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities than ever before transform sites and address the economic, social and environmental challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.

EPA’s Brownfields Program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The Brownfields Program is committed to meeting this goal and advancing environmental justice and equity in all its work.

For more information on EPA’s Brownfields Program visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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MELROSE, The Bronx (PIX11) — A decaying parcel of land in the South Bronx that once housed a dry cleaner has been the source of a years-long toxic battle.

Residents have been pleading with the state to clean up the contaminated site claiming the state hasn’t adequately responded to their calls for action. Residents have now turned to the federal government for help.

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Last fall, developers and local stakeholders held a groundbreaking ceremony at a former refinery on the banks of the Schuylkill River in South Philadelphia. The event celebrated the launch of construction of “The Bellwether District,” a major redevelopment project that will turn a 1,300-acre site previously used for industrial purposes into what developers and elected officials hope will be a thriving hub for logistics, e-commerce, and life sciences uses. 

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