EPA Selects Urban League of Atlanta to Receive Brownfields Job Training Grant to Boost the Local Economy, Clean Up Communities
EPA Selects Urban League of Atlanta to Receive Brownfields Job Training Grant to Boost the Local Economy, Clean Up Communities
ATLANTA (February 11, 2026) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the selection of Urban League of Atlanta to receive a $500,000 Brownfields Job Training Grant. This funding will help Urban League of Atlanta recruit, train and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfields sites.
EPA's Brownfields Program helps grow local economies and support efforts to assess and clean up contaminated sites and return blighted properties to productive use.
“These grants reflect our dedication to improving quality of life for American families by achieving both the environmental stewardship and economic vitality that help Power the Great American Comeback,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management John W. Busterud. “These grants lift up communities by giving local people the tools they need to shape their own future. They help neighborhoods clean up and transform contaminated sites into places that support jobs, small businesses and more. Together with our state and local partners, we are building lasting opportunities close to home.”
“This partnership is a wonderful opportunity to steer residents in brownfields communities into environmental careers,” said Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. “We need well-trained employees to fulfill our mission of protecting human health and the environment and look forward to welcoming people who have gone through this training into the field.”
Atlanta Urban League will use its grant to train 72 students and place 65 in environmental jobs. The training program includes 58 hours of instruction in environmental health and safety for hazardous materials operations and emergency response. Students will earn up to three state and federal certifications.
The program will target unemployed or underemployed individuals, teens and young adults who are neither working nor attending school, veterans, dislocated workers, and formerly incarcerated individuals. Atlanta Urban league will partner with Georgia Tech OSHA Training Institute Education Center, Invest Atlanta, WorkSource Atlanta, Atlanta Technical College, City of Atlanta and several employer partners.
For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past grant recipients, please visit EPA’s Grant Fact Sheet Tool.
Background
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.9 billion in grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, brownfields investments have leveraged more than $42 billion for cleanup and redevelopment and have created more than 220,500 American jobs. Since 1998, EPA has awarded 456 grants totaling over $119 million through Brownfields Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 23,400 individuals have completed training and over 17,400 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. Over the last five years, the average starting wage for these individuals is approximately $23 per hour.
If your organization is considering applying for or has a question related to Brownfields Job Training Grants, submit a technical assistance request to EPA. For more information on this and other types of Brownfields Grants, visit the Brownfields web page.
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