Brownfields Job Training Cooperative Agreements

Brownfield sites are 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. The objective of the Brownfields Job Training Program is to recruit, train, and place unemployed and under-employed residents of solid and hazardous waste-impacted communities with the skills needed to obtain full-time, long term employment. This program promotes the facilitation of activities related to assessment, cleanup, or preparation of contaminated sites, including brownfields, for reuse, by building a local workforce with the skills needed to perform remediation work that is supportive of environmental protection and environmental health and safety. Underemployment is the condition in which people in a labor force are employed less than full-time or at jobs inconsistent with respect to their experience, training, or economic needs. Job Training Grants provide funding to individual nonprofits, local governments, and other eligible organizations to provide environmental training for residents of solid and hazardous waste-impacted communities. Brownfields Job Training Coalition grants are designed for one “lead” eligible entity to partner with one or more eligible entities that do not have the capacity to apply for and manage their own EPA cooperative agreement and otherwise would not have access to Brownfields Grant resources. These grants allow eligible entities to recruit, train, and place unemployed and underemployed residents of solid and hazardous waste-impacted communities. Grant recipients can allocate up to 40% of the total award for participant support costs related to transportation for trainees, childcare, and compensation for trainees to participate in the training. A critical part of the Brownfields Job Training program is to further sustainable community revitalization by ensuring that all residents living in communities historically affected by economic disinvestment, health disparities, and disproportionate and adverse exposures to environmental contamination, which may include low-income, sensitive populations (as discussed in CERCLA § 104(k)(6)(C)(x)), Tribal and Indigenous communities, have an opportunity to reap the benefits of revitalization and environmental cleanup. This program builds strong partnerships and local capacity to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfield sites. Job Training Grants may be funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Recipients will be required to report program accomplishments for IIJA-funded activities in the Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment, Exchange System (ACRES) and collected data will be used to demonstrate successful implementation of the program.

Applications will be accepted from either eligible entities as defined in CERCLA Section 104(k)(1) or eligible nonprofit organizations as defined in 2 CFR 200.1. Eligible governmental entities include a general purpose local unit of government; a land clearance authority or other quasi-governmental entity that operates under the supervision and control of, or as an agent of, a general purpose unit of government; a governmental entity created by a state legislature; a regional council or group of general purpose units of local government; a redevelopment agency that is chartered or otherwise sanctioned by a state; a state; a Federally recognized Indian Tribe other than in Alaska, an Alaskan Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village Corporation as those terms are defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 and following); and the Metlakatla Indian Community. Intertribal consortia, except consortia comprised of ineligible Alaskan tribes, are eligible to apply as well. Eligible nonprofit organizations include any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest; is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization. Workforce Investment Boards that meet these criteria may be eligible nonprofit organizations. Public and nonprofit private educational institutions are eligible to apply. However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply. For- profit or proprietary training organizations or trade schools are not eligible to apply. Limited liability corporation in which all managing members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or limited liability corporations whose sole members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, limited liability partnership in which all general partners are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or limited liability corporations whose sole members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, and qualified community development entity as defined in section 45D(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 are eligible to apply. Evidence of nonprofit status under Federal, state or tribal law must be provided at the time the proposal is submitted.

For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency’s Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.

Brownfields Job Training grants will provide environmental job training to unemployed and underemployed residents of brownfields-impacted neighborhoods to help them take advantage of job opportunities created as a result of the management, assessment, and cleanup of contaminated properties.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.

Final approval of applications for job training grants and supporting documentation is made by EPA. Award of grant funds are generally made by EPA Regional Award Officials.

For Brownfields Job Training grants, the range of approval/disapproval time will be approximately 90 days.