EPA Region 10 Selects Alaska Forum, Kalispel Tribe of Indians to Receive Brownfields Job Training Grants in Alaska, Washington
SEATTLE – On February 6, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the award of $698,480 in Brownfields Job Training Program grants to communities in Alaska and Washington. Alaska Forum, Inc., (AK) will receive $480,500, while the Kalispel Tribe of Indians (WA) will receive $217,980.
This funding will help both grantees recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at Brownfield sites. EPA's Brownfields Program helps grow local economies and supports 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.”
“Congratulations to the Alaska Forum and Kalispel Tribe of Indians on being selected for EPA’s Brownfields Job Training grant funding. This investment will enable program graduates to learn the skills needed to secure full-time, sustainable employment in the environmental field and is another example of EPA’s commitment to helping build a local workforce with the skills needed to give back to their community,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Emma Pokon.
Alaska Forum, Inc., plans to create a training program to provide 185 hours of instructional training to 100 students in topics such as hazardous materials, field sampling, asbestos abatement, lead abatement, emergency response, and others. For more details, see EPA's Brownfields Job Training Fact Sheet for Alaska Forum, Inc.
Kalispel Tribe of Indians will start a training program that includes 176 hours of instructional training to 36 students and establishes 32 environmental jobs. Courses will be offered in erosion and sediment controls, asbestos abatement, GIS, AutoCAD, site assessments, and more. For more details, see EPA's Brownfields Job Training Fact Sheet for Kalispel Tribe of Indians.
For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past grant recipients, please visit EPA’s Brownfields Grant Factsheet Search.
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 Brownfield 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 using our Brownfields Job Training Program Technical Assistance Inquiry Form.
For more information on this and other types of brownfields grants, please visit Types of Brownfields Funding.