Biden-Harris Administration Announces $315,000 Brownfields Job Training Grant to Southwest Economic Solutions in Detroit under Investing in America Agenda
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Southwest Economic Solutions has been selected to receive a $315,000 grant to help recruit, train, and place workers in community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites in Detroit. The Brownfields Job Training Program grants are funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will advance economic opportunity and environmental justice.
“EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program not only helps communities clean up and revitalize contaminated sites but gives community members the tools they need to be part of the solution and improve their own lives,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “We are proud to continue this important work with Southwest Economic Solutions in Detroit.”
With this grant funding, Southwest Economic Solutions plans to train 60 students and place 34 in environmental jobs. The training program includes 110 hours of instruction in 40-Hour HAZWOPER, OSHA 30-Hour Health and Safety, Asbestos Abatement Worker, and OSHA 30-Hour Construction or General Industry. Students who complete the training will earn up to 12 federal certifications. Southwest Economic Solutions is targeting students within the Ccity of Detroit, with a focus on unemployed, underemployed, and economically underserved adults. The company will partner with the American Job Center, the Michigan Works Agency, Detroit at Work, Detroit Home Builders, the Michigan Department of Corrections, and North America’s Building Trades Unions.
“A good job is more than just a paycheck: it can provide hope and stability for workers and their families for generations,” said Rep. Shri Thanedar. “I have never forgotten what it’s like to live in poverty and the hopelessness that often comes with it. That’s why targeting economically underserved adults like this program does is so important. Thanks to world-class partners like Detroit at Work, Michigan Works Agency, and the Detroit Home Builders, these students will receive world-class training and placement in high-paying, environmentally friendly jobs. These investments by EPA and the Biden-Harris administration will improve the lives of constituents across my District. I am proud to support these important government programs, and will always fight to ensure Michigan’s 13th District receives its fair share of federal dollars.”
“Southwest Economic Solutions is honored to be awarded the EPA grant which will provide key training opportunities for our underserved Detroit population while redeveloping Brownfield areas in Detroit,” said Hector Hernandez, executive director of Southwest Economic Solutions. “Working with strong union partners in the construction industry, we will be able to help 60 Detroit residents move towards a sustainable career pathway that will enable them to both improve our communities and achieve upward economic mobility.”
EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program provides funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment. Many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues. All of the FY25 Brownfields Job Training Program applications selected have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
Individuals typically graduate from the program with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term environmental careers. This includes certifications in:
- Lead and asbestos abatement;
- Mold remediation;
- Environmental sampling and analysis; and
- 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
President Biden’s leadership and bipartisan congressional action delivered the single-largest investment in U.S. brownfields infrastructure ever. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program and the funding from this grant cycle comes from this historic investment. This budget boost gives EPA the ability to fund more communities, states, and Tribal Nations. In addition, these entities have the opportunity to apply for larger grants to build and enhance their environmental job training curriculums to support job creation and community revitalization around brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals gain access to jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.
Since 1998, EPA has awarded 430 grants totaling more than $113 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 5 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, please submit a technical assistance request to EPA.
Please see the Types of Brownfields Funding webpage for more.