EPA Selects City of Austin for Brownfields Job Training Grant to Boost the Austin Economy and Clean Up Communities
DALLAS, TEXAS (February 10, 2026) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the selection of City of Austin’s Economic Development Department to receive a total of $500,000 in Brownfields Job Training Grant funding. This funding will help City of Austin’s Economic Development Department recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at Brownfield 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.”
“With funding from EPA’s Brownfields program, Austin’s job training program shows how we can power the economy and job growth by cleaning up contaminated sites,” said Regional Administrator Scott Mason. “Leveraging this funding is an investment that will create compounding dividends for the students, the community, and the environment.”
The City of Austin Economic Development Department plans to train 38 students and place 32 in environmental jobs. The training program includes 296 hours of instructional training and students who complete the training will earn up to six federal certifications. The City of Austin Economic Development Department is targeting individuals from Austin's Eastern Crescent area.
The City of Austin’s job training grant will help train and grow the skilled workforce needed for brownfield site assessment, cleanup, and preparation for reuse activities. Participants often overcome various employment barriers and graduate with certifications that enhance their marketability, ensuring long-term environmental careers. Certifications include:
- Lead and asbestos abatement.
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response.
Mold remediation.
Environmental sampling and analysis.
Other environmental health and safety training.
For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past grant recipients, please visit EPA’s Grant Factsheet 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 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 at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/forms/brownfields-job-training-program-technical-assistance-inquiry-form.
For more information on this and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-funding.
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