Nine Arizona residents have graduated from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) job-training program for people from communities near a Superfund site and now have the skills needed to conduct environmental cleanup work, the agency announced recently.
The graduates, who live or work near the ASARCO Superfund site in Hayden, Ariz., graduated Jan. 24 from the EPA's Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) program, the agency announced at the time. SuperJTI is a four-week program that teaches people technical skills and specialized training to work on environmental cleanup, including Superfund sites, according to the EPA.
"This SuperJTI job training program drives progress towards both economic justice and the cleanup of hazardous waste in Arizona," EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman said in the announcement. "EPA congratulates these graduates for their hard work and contributions to resolving environmental challenges in their communities."
Superfund sites, areas contaminated by hazardous waste from manufacturing, processing, landfills and mining, are often located near minority and low-income communities, according to the EPA. The agency's training initiative is designed to "help these communities develop job opportunities that remain long after a Superfund site has been cleaned up," the EPA states.
EPA collaborated with Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), the University of Arizona and the cities of Superior, Hayden and Winkelman to recruit for and implement the program, the agency states in the announcement. Graduates earned certificates in areas specific to hazardous-waste cleanup, operations and emergency response.
"It has been exciting," one graduate said in the announcement. "I have told so many people about the program. I have learned so much that is useful in my everyday life. It has been so helpful to be part of this training and I am able to tell my loved ones about the information that I have learned as well."
ADEQ Community Liaison Unit Manager Mannie Bowler said the entities involved were "honored" to work with the EPA to provide job skills to individuals who can now help their communities.
"The success of this program shows that our ongoing partnership with EPA allows for more and better outcomes for Arizona communities and our unique environment," Bowler said.
To date, over 400 trainees nationwide have participated in the SuperJTI program. About 75 percent of those trainees have found jobs doing environmental cleanup work, according to the EPA announcement.
