The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide a $500,000 grant to the Research Foundation of the City College of New York in support of environmental job training programs. The funds will be allocated from the EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program, an initiative designed to train workers for rehabilitation at brownfield sites across New York.
According to an EPA news release, it is anticipated that the funds will facilitate specialized environmental job training for 84 students, with 64 of them expected to work in grant-related occupations. The training will comprise 136 hours of instruction on key areas of the environmental field including safety and training, site assessment and green infrastructure.
"EPA is thrilled to award this grant to CCNY and its partners to help train and prepare the next wave of local workers for opportunities in the Brownfields sector," said EPA Region Two Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "Through the cleanup and revitalization of brownfield sites, communities can put underutilized properties back to good use. Reclaiming these sites benefits the community and its residents, our economy, and our environment."
The news release also indicated that students within New York City’s Harlem neighborhood will have priority access to this program, including those who have served time behind bars and are underemployed. The initiative has garnered support from several organizations such as the New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation, Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast, New York City Brownfield Partnership, New York State Department of Labor and Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer lauded this development stating: "This is a win-win: investing in getting youth the hands-on skills they need to get good-paying jobs and helping clean up our communities from Utica to NYC." He added: "I am proud to help deliver this federal funding, which will help train hundreds of students in New York for environmental jobs, and I will never stop fighting to address environmental justice issues faced by New York’s underserved communities."
