Brownfields Job Training and Development
Demonstration Pilot Fact Sheet

PILOT SNAPSHOT
Buffalo, New York	Date of Announcement: May 2000 Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot will train 40-50 participants as environmental technicians. Students will be recruited from low-income residents, minorities, unemployed, under-employed and dislocated workers, and Welfare-to-Work recipients living in brownfields-impacted neighborhoods in Niagara County, which is economically distressed due to disinvestment in steel manufacturing, chemical manufacturing, and other heavy industries.

BACKGROUND

EPA has selected the Center for Integrated Waste Management, State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY-Buffalo) for a Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilot. The Center for Integrated Waste Management’s assessment pilot partners are the City of Buffalo, the City of Niagara Falls, and Niagara County. The City of Niagara Falls and Niagara County are the recipients of a $1 million Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilot. The Job Training Pilot will focus on residents living in brownfields impacted neighborhoods in Niagara County. The City of Buffalo suffers from a 26 percent poverty rate and the City of Niagara Falls suffers from a 23 percent poverty rate, which are significantly higher than national averages. Between 1980 and 1997, Niagara County lost 60 percent of its jobs in 40 of its largest industries and suffers from an unemployment rate much higher than the national average. In 1990, Buffalo was the fifth poorest city in the country.

Western New York has experienced a significant restructuring of its industrial base, moving away from steel production, chemical production, and other manufacturing industries. Older manufacturing facilities closed their operations and moved to greenfields in other parts of the country rather than reinvest in dated urban facilities. The disinvestment in major regional industries caused a decline in population and left over 700 brownfields in Niagara County. The environmental industry is growing in Western New York in response to the need for environmental assessment and remediation of the many brownfields in the area. Skilled environmental technicians are in increasing demand by environmental firms in the county.

TRAINING OBJECTIVES

The Center for Integrated Waste Management plans to train 40-50 participants, achieve a 90 percent placement rate, and support career placement of graduates for one year after the training is completed. Participants will be recruited from low-income residents, minorities, unemployed, under-employed and dislocated workers, and Welfare-to-Work recipients living in neighborhoods impacted by brownfields. The Pilot training program will consist of general introductions on the effects of brownfields and technical training in HAZWOPER, asbestos and lead abatement, preliminary site assessment and sampling procedures, remedial technology selection, and technology information resources, including training in the use of innovative assessment and cleanup technologies. Classroom training will be supplemented by hands-on training and field experiences in numerous topic areas.

The Center for Waste Management’s training efforts will be supported by organizations such as the University of Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center, Niagara County Employment and Training Department, Niagara County Community College, Ecology and Environment, Inc., SJB Services, Inc., and Hazardous Materials Research Center. The Center for Integrated Waste Management has completed a preliminary survey of employer needs. In addition, employers have committed to considering graduates of the Pilot program for employment.

ACTIVITIES

Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:

• Conducting outreach to recruit low-income residents, minorities, unemployed, under-employed and dislocated workers, and Welfare-to-Work recipients living in Niagara County neighborhoods impacted by brownfields;
• Conducting brownfields technician training, including courses in the use of innovative assessment and cleanup technologies; and
• Supporting career placement of students for one year after the job training is completed.

CONTACTS

Center for Integrated Waste Management, SUNY-Buffalo
(716) 645-3446

Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA - Region 2
(212) 637-4314

Visit the EPA Region 2 Brownfields web site at:

http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/brownfields/

The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.

For further information, including specific grant contacts, additional grant information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site.