Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet

Camden, NJ

EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic development 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 January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields Law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. The job training grants provide training for residents of communities affected by brownfields to prepare them for employment in the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism.

JOB TRAINING GRANTS - $200,000 Award in 2003

EPA has selected the City of Camden Division of Planning for a job training grant. Camden plans to train 50 students, achieve a 90% placement rate, and track students for one year. The training program will consist of 150 hours of site assessment, lead abatement, and asbestos abatement courses. This will be followed by 120 hours of internships with local environmental employers and mentoring by neighborhood residents of the city's brownfields impacted neighborhoods. Students will be recruited from Camden, with emphasis on unemployed and unskilled minority residents. Placement in environmental jobs will be assisted by the Camden County Improvement Authority and Camden County Municipal Utility Authority.

COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Camden Division of Planning was selected to receive a job training grant. Camden (population 79,900) has a large minority population. One half of Camden's residents are African American and 39% are Hispanic American. Employment has suffered from the decline of Camden's manufacturing base, a lack of skilled workers, and migration of middle-income property owners to the suburbs. The poverty rate is 40% and the high school drop out rate exceeds 70%. Camden is both a federal Empowerment Zone and a federal Renewal Community. The grant will link the assessment and cleanup of Brownfields Pilot sites in Camden with jobs for local residents impacted by brownfields. The city currently contracts with nearly a dozen environmental engineering firms to conduct site investigations and cleanups, and in addition, another dozen local community-based housing rehabilitation organizations. The employment outlook for sustainable brownfields-related jobs is very promising.

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.

EPA Region 2 Brownfields Team
212-637-4314
http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/brownfields/

Grant Recipient: Camden Division of Planning
856-757-7619

Prior to receipt of these funds in fiscal year 2003, the City of Camden also received funding for assessment grants.