St. Louis Area Gets 10 Newly Trained Environmental Workers Through EPA Grant
Students graduate from St. Louis Community College program made possible by EPA funding
LENEXA, KAN. (FEB. 20, 2026) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 leadership visited St. Louis to congratulate 10 graduates of the St. Louis Community College Brownfields Environmental Remediation Job Training program.
St. Louis Community College hosts an environmental workforce development and job training program that has trained more than 47 students since 2024, including today’s 10 graduates. This program is made possible through an EPA Brownfields Job Training Grant and serves as an example of how EPA is Powering the Great American Comeback to provide clean air, land, and water to all Americans while fostering economic growth.
“Employers across our region are asking for trained environmental professionals, and this program answers that call,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy. “The credentials students earn here translate directly into good jobs, economic opportunity, and cleaner, safer communities.”
“The Brownfields Environmental Remediation Job Training Program has been extremely rewarding to work with,” said St. Louis Community College Project Support Specialist Micheal Anderson. “Being able to recruit individuals who are ready to embrace a fulfilling and life-changing career path has been an honor. This program is truly transformative because it equips students with practical hands-on experience that ultimately makes them a more attractive to prospective employers.”
Graduates of Brownfields Job Training programs learn valuable, sought-after skills and have the opportunity to earn a variety of certifications, ensuring that employment opportunities result not only in temporary contractual work, but also in long-term environmental careers.
St. Louis Community College’s Brownfields Environmental Remediation Job Training program is tuition-free for accepted students. The program provides 20 licenses and certifications, including high-demand certifications such as 40-hour HAZWOPER, OSHA 10-hour Construction and Safety, asbestos abatement, lead abatement, and more.
Background
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.9 billion in Brownfield 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 jobs. Since the Brownfields Job Training Program's inception, over 21,000 individuals have received training and over 16,100 graduates have obtained employment in the environmental field.
Learn more about Brownfields Job Training Grants.
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