Aquatic Display

Aquatic display at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center.

Sign at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center

Sign at the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. November 30, 2013.

Nature Center

Nature Center, Burr Oak Woods, Blue Springs, Missouri. November 30, 2013.

Sign

Sign at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area, Blue Springs, Missouri. November 30, 2013.

Plans for National Park in Black Forest Encounter Public Resistance - SPIEGEL ONLINE

The regional Green government plans to create a national park in the northern Black Forest, much to the consternation of many locals. Although well-intentioned, the state project has unleashed a culture war.

Plans for National Park in Black Forest Encounter Public Resistance - SPIEGEL ONLINE

EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Proposed Cleanup Plan for Cidra, Puerto Rico Superfund Site

EPA Press Release:

EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Proposed Cleanup Plan

for Cidra, Puerto Rico Superfund Site

Proposed Plan Will Address Contaminated Soil and Ground Water

Dec. 4 Public Meeting Announced

Contact: Elias Rodriguez, (212) 637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov; Mary Mears, (212) 637-3673,mears.mary@epa.gov; Brenda Reyes, (787) 977-5869, reyes.brenda@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – Nov. 27, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a plan to clean up contaminated soil and ground water at the Cidra Ground Water Contamination site in Cidra, Puerto Rico. The site includes portions of the commercial district and an industrial park in Cidra. The EPA’s plan calls for a combination of cleanup technologies within distinct areas of the site, specifically a dry cleaner business and a vacant property owned by Ramallo Brothers Printing, Inc., to protect people’s health and the environment.

Ground water at the site is contaminated with harmful volatile organic compounds, which are often found in paint, solvents, aerosol sprays, cleaners, disinfectants, automotive products, dry cleaning fluids, and printing operations. Some volatile organic compounds can cause cancer. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and length of exposure to the pollution.

Four public drinking water supply wells at the site had to be taken out of service because they were contaminated. There are 15 active drinking water wells located within four miles of the site, serving a total population of over 8,000 people. Area residents are currently connected to safe sources of drinking water from other municipal water supplies in the area.

“Protecting people’s drinking water is a top priority for the EPA, and this plan calls for actions that will address the contaminated soil and ground water that contaminated people’s drinking water,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The EPA encourages the public to attend the Cidra public meeting and share their views on this proposed plan.”

The EPA will hold a public meeting on December 4, 2013 to explain the proposed plan and is encouraging public comments. The meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Cidra city hall, third floor, calle Antonio R. Barcelo # 47. Comments will be accepted until December 20, 2013.

The EPA added the Cidra site to the Superfund list in 2004. The EPA conducted an in-depth investigation of the extent of the contamination in order to determine how best to clean it up over the long term.

The proposed cleanup plan mainly consists of three sections:

International Dry Cleaners area – The EPA is proposing to use a soil vapor extraction treatment system to reduce the volatile organic compounds in the soil. This method removes harmful chemicals from soil by extracting them in vapor form with a vacuum and then filtering the vapors through carbon filters to remove contaminants.

Ramallo Brothers Printing, Inc. soil area – The plan includes removing and disposing of contaminated soil from a portion of the site and backfilling the area with clean soil. The EPA is also proposing to use a soil vapor extraction treatment system in portions of this area. Additionally, harmful chemicals in the soil will be treated with heat to move them through soil toward wells, where they will be collected and piped to the ground surface to be treated using additional cleanup methods. The EPA will also place a cover or cap over soil in parts of the industrial area to keep rainwater out.

Ramallo Brothers Printing, Inc. ground water area – In certain underground areas of the site, the EPA will inject chemicals into the ground water to promote the breakdown of the pollutants. The specific process to be used to inject the chemical additives will be determined by the EPA as part of the design of the cleanup. Once the process has begun, the EPA will collect samples to confirm that the treatment is effective. In certain areas that may be difficult to access, the EPA may bring the polluted ground water to the surface where it can be treated. The EPA is also proposing to periodically collect and analyze ground water samples to verify that the levels of the contaminants are declining.

In addition, the EPA is proposing to place restrictions on how the land may be used in order to limit people’s exposure to contaminated ground water and soil.

During soil and groundwater cleanup activities, monitoring, testing and further studies will be conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the cleanup. The EPA will conduct a review every five years to ensure the effectiveness of the cleanup.

The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. After sites are placed on the Superfund list of the most contaminated waste sites, the EPA searches for parties legally responsible for the contamination and holds them accountable for the costs of investigations and cleanups. The EPA has identified Ramallo Brothers Printing, Inc. as a party potentially responsible for a portion of the site. The EPA estimates the cost of this cleanup will be about $12.9 million.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Adalberto Bosque, PhD

Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

City View Plaza II Suite 7000

#48 PR-165 Km. 1.2

Guaynabo, PR 00968-8069

Telephone: (787) 977-5825

bosque.adalberto@epa.gov

To review the plan for the Cidra Ground Water Contamination site Superfund site, please visit:http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/cidra/.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page,http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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Chihuly Exhibition Photo

Chihuly Exhibition, Desert Botanical Gardens

Photo Courtesy of Chris Brandt

EM Update | Vol. 5, Issue 11 | November 2013

EM Update | Vol. 5, Issue 11 | November 2013

FEMA Press Release:

Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station Exercise Process to be Discussed at Public Meeting

Main Content

Release date: 

NOVEMBER 25, 2013

Release Number: 

Region VII 13-023

Media Contacts:

Federal Emergency Management Agency news desk (816) 283-7095 
Jodie Fawl, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (402) 471-7428
Stefanie Bond, Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management (515) 725-3231

FORT CALHOUN NUCLEAR STATION EXERCISE PROCESS TO BE DISCUSSED AT PUBLIC MEETING

Kansas City, Mo. –The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VII office announced today the states of Nebraska and Iowa, along with Washington County in Nebraska and Pottawattamie and Harrison counties in Iowa, will participate with the Omaha Public Power District in a one-day exercise on Dec. 3, 2013, in support of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station, located near Fort Calhoun, Neb. The routine exercise will test the abilities of the states of Nebraska and Iowa, the utility, and the participating counties to protect the health and safety of the public living and working in the vicinity of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station.

The exercise is a biennial requirement to determine the adequacy of the state and local radiological emergency preparedness and response plans. It will require the activation of emergency facilities by the participating state and local officials. The activities of the state, county and local units of government will be observed and evaluated by the FEMA Region VII Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program. Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station on-site performance will be observed and evaluated by officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

On Thursday, Dec. 5 a public meeting will be held to describe and explain the full-scale response exercise process. Since the process of evaluating the full-scale response exercise will take months, the preliminary findings are very limited in scope.

Members of the public and the media are invited to attend this meeting beginning at 11 a.m. (CST) in the City Council Chambers of Blair City Hall,
located at 218 S. 16th St., Blair, Neb. Representatives from FEMA Region VII will chair the meeting and explain the exercise process. A representative from the NRC Region IV office, located in Arlington, Texas, will discuss activities conducted on-site at the power plant during the exercise.

Visit FEMA Region VII’s website and follow us on social media, at www.twitter.com/femaregion7, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, andwww.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate on Twitter.  The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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Last Updated: 

November 26, 2013 - 10:47

$2.5 Million Plant to Treat Contaminated Ground Water at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site in Nassau, New York Nears Completion

EPA Press Release:

$2.5 Million Plant to Treat Contaminated Ground Water at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site in Nassau, New York Nears Completion

EPA Announces Agreements with Companies to Conduct Studies of

Contamination at the Site

Total Actions Expected to Cost at Least $4.5 Million

Contact: Larisa Romanowski, (518) 747-4389 or (518) 703-0101; romanowski.larisa@epa.gov, Jennifer May, may.jennifer@epa.gov, (212) 637-3658

(New York, N.Y. – Nov. 26, 2013) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck today visited the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund site in Nassau, Rensselaer County, New York to announce that General Electric Company and SI Group, Inc. (formerly Schenectady Chemical) have agreed to conduct comprehensive studies of the contamination at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund site. The site, which is located four miles northeast of the village of Nassau in southern Rensselaer County, is contaminated with volatile organic compounds and other hazardous substances that have seeped out of the landfill and contaminated the ground water. In addition, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have also moved downstream, contaminating sediment and several species of fish in and near Nassau Lake. The EPA also announced that the construction of a new water treatment system for collecting and treating liquid seeping from the landfill and ground water is nearly complete and is expected to begin operations in January 2014.

Many volatile organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals and can cause cancer in people. PCBs are chemicals that persist in the environment and can affect the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems and can cause cancer.

“Since the Dewey Loeffel site was added to the federal Superfund List in 2011, the EPA has taken action to protect people and the environment from exposure to an array of toxins,” said Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The newly constructed water treatment plant will eliminate 6-8 truck trips per week to transport contaminated water through the surrounding community for disposal. The treatment system and the agreements announced today are important environmental accomplishments.”

One of two agreements announced today is between EPA, GE and the SI Group for an investigation and assessment of long-term cleanup options for the landfill and the ground water underlying it. The estimated value of this investigation is $1.5 million. Under a separate agreement, GE will investigate and assess long-term cleanup options for the ponds, streams and other water bodies that have been impacted by contamination from the site, including Nassau Lake. The cost for the first phase of this investigation is estimated between $500,000 and $1 million. Under both agreements, the companies will pay for the EPA’s costs in overseeing the work.

The treatment plant that is nearing completion replaces an old system that is pumping and collecting the contaminated liquid, called leachate, seeping from the landfill and contaminated ground water at the site. The liquid waste is then trucked away from the site for disposal. The new system will treat the liquid waste at the site. GE and SI Group are constructing the plant under a 2012 agreement with the EPA.

Between 1952 until 1968, an estimated 46,000 tons of industrial waste material generated by several Capital District companies was sent to the site. The waste included industrial solvents, waste oil, PCBs, scrap materials, sludge and solids. From 1980 until the site was added to the federal Superfund list in 2011, numerous investigations and cleanup actions were performed at the site by GE and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

In March 2011, the EPA began gathering landfill and ground water data. In fall 2011, the EPA began operating the ground water and leachate collection systems that had been installed by the state. In April 2012, the EPA reached an agreement with GE and SI Group for the companies to take over the operation of the collection system and construct a new plant capable of treating the contaminated ground water and leachate at the site, which will eliminate the need to truck it away. GE and SI Group took over the operation of the old system in August 2012 and began constructing the new system in May 2013. Between August 2012 and October 2013, more than 2.5 million gallons of extracted ground water and leachate have been collected and disposed of out of the area.

Treated water from the new system will be discharged to surface water only after the EPA verifies that sampling data shows that the treatment system is working effectively and is capable of meeting stringent discharge limits set by the NYSDEC. GE and SI Group will continue to send the wastewater off-site by truck until the plant has shown that it can effectively treat the liquid waste. All work being performed by GE and the SI Group is being conducted under EPA oversight.

The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. After sites are placed on the Superfund list of the most contaminated waste sites, the EPA searches for parties responsible for the contamination and holds them accountable for the costs of investigations and cleanups.

The EPA has a webpage about the site at: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page,http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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Crafting a Regional Vision - New River Valley, Virginia is Developing Long Range Strategic Plan to Shape its Future

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Chris Beck, Senior Projects Advisor, USDA Rural Development Office of the Under Secretary, on November 26, 2013 at 9:15 AM

Jessica Wirgau, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley and Kevin Byrd, Executive Director of the New River Valley Planning District Commission, celebrate the near completion of a successful three-year federally-funded community planning process.

One of the challenges with implementing USDA Rural Development programs is that many of the communities we serve have not had the opportunity to develop strategic plans to guide federal infrastructure investments effectively. Fortunately, a 2010 grant from HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities enabled the New River Valley Planning District Commission to engage the public in the rural Southwest Virginia counties of Pulaski, Montgomery, Giles, and Floyd and all the major towns to develop a blueprint for future economic activity.

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend a meeting where over 100 rural citizens in the New River Valley gathered to put some of the finishing touches on the 3-year regional planning process, known locally as their Livability Initiative. I came away inspired by the dialogue that has evolved over the past three years and am looking forward to seeing how the communities in this economically diverse rural region look for ways to implement some of the ideas they have generated to improve their communities and enhance long-term economic opportunities.

Some of the ideas in the plan are regional in nature and some, of course, focus on locally-based strategies.  Over the coming years these communities will now be able to benefit from the multi-county relationships they have built and guidance by the goals identified in the plan.  The HUD planning grant is part of the federal agency Partnership for Sustainable Communities aimed at promoting more efficient use of federal infrastructure investments.

One of the more impressive aspects of the New River Valley Livability Initiative is how it is moving forward.  Once the plan is finalized this spring the Community Foundation of the New River Valley has volunteered to keep the community involved as it moves toward refining some of the goals and implementing the ideas outlined in the plan.  Having spent the past couple of years exploring ways that philanthropy can be more engaged in rural America, this struck me as a superb example of a foundation leveraging federal resources and stepping up to the plate to provide capacity in a rural area.   It’s the sort of activity we envisioned when USDA signed partnership agreement with the Council on Foundations in 2011.

A complementary initiative in Southwest Virginia was announced in 2012–the Rural Jobs Accelerator, a one-time program funded by USDA, the Economic Development Administration and the Appalachian Regional Commission.  The SW Virginia project–Appalachian Spring—Connecting Communities in SW Virginia.– provides a national example for a regional strategy focused on culture-based economic opportunities as well as developing strategies to support the outdoor recreation economy.  The effort includes the combined initiatives of two organizations, the Crooked Road, aimed at fostering the region’s bluegrass music tradition and Round the Mountain, dedicated to elevating the artisan crafts of the region.

During my tour of this rural region, I was able to visit the rural hamlet of Floyd situated on a hilltop ridge, near an entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Floyd offers a model of a rural community that is already embracing innovative ways of supporting local livability and embracing the cultural economy.  The pedestrian-friendly main street environs are surrounded with local businesses coupled with Bluegrass music stages in several local establishments. Moreover, the town’s proximity to outdoor recreation, and its abundance of working farms, from which a vibrant local food economy can be nurtured.

USDA Rural Development has recently provided grant support for the development of food processing facility in partnership with Sustain Floyd, a local leader in helping shape the economy of Floyd County.   Sustain Floyd’s efforts around developing a viable Farm to School effort also demonstrate strong partnership with USDA.

SW Virginians are doing everything they can to chart an innovative economic strategy for the future, and I look forward to seeing the results of their work.

The main street in Floyd, Virginia, one of the rural Southwest Virginia communities building their future around cultural economic strategies involving local food systems and Bluegrass music.

EPA Finalizes Approval of Public Participation Rules in Texas’ Clean-Air Plan

EPA Press Release:


EPA Finalizes Approval of Public Participation Rules in Texas’ Clean-Air Plan

DALLAS – (Nov. 25, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved Texas’ clean-air plan that covers public notification requirements for facilities applying for air permits. The revised plan gives citizens additional opportunities to comment on applications for air permits for new facilities and modifications to existing facilities.

Citizens will be notified when a facility applies for a permit and after Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) proposes a draft permit. Facilities will also have to provide expanded technical documents to ensure citizens and interested groups have as much information as possible on proposed permits.

“Public review and input during the permitting process is important to making good decisions,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “The state's revised rule improves transparency in the air permitting process and allows for more public input.”

After extensive collaboration between the TCEQ and the EPA, the state revised the public participation rules for air permit applications to apply to new and existing facilities classified as major or minor sources of pollution. TCEQ incorporated these revisions into the State Implementation Plan submitted to EPA. The revised plan clarified procedures for citizens to submit comments on permit applications, as well as how TCEQ is to respond to comments.

More information about the Clean Air Act is available at: http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/peg/

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

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EPA Appoints New Scientific Integrity Official

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 25, 2013

EPA Appoints New Scientific Integrity Official

Washington, DC – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has appointed Dr. Francesca Grifo as the agency’s new scientific integrity official. Dr. Grifo’s responsibilities in her new role include coordinating and carrying out EPA’s scientific integrity policy and chairing a standing EPA scientific integrity committee.

“Science is, and continues, to be the backbone of this agency and the integrity of our science is central to the identity and credibility of our work,” said Gina McCarthy, administrator for EPA. “Dr. Grifo brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to EPA that will help continue our work to implement the agency’s scientific integrity policy.”

Dr. Francesca Grifo has many years of experience in scientific research, academia, and science policy. She comes to EPA from the Union of Concerned Scientists and has devoted her career to strengthening scientific integrity in the government.

EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment depends upon the integrity of science. It is the agency’s key responsibility to conduct, utilize, and communicate scientific information with the highest degree of integrity, and transparency to the American public.

For more information: http://www.epa.gov/research/htm/scientific-integrity.htm

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Conservation Innovation Grant Helps Cranberry Farmers Conserve Water, Shield Fruit from Cold

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Justin Fritscher, Natural Resources Conservation Service, on November 25, 2013 at 5:30 PM

Growers load cranberries after a harvest at Mayflower Cranberries in Plympton, Mass. Photo by Jeff LaFleur of Mayflower Cranberries used with permission.

It’s tough to imagine the Thanksgiving celebration without turkey, dressing, and most importantly, the cranberry sauce. To keep this holiday staple safe from the cold and ready for harvest, farmers apply water to cranberries on frosty nights.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association worked with growers to install automated sprinkler systems that conserve water and trim costs.

With the automated system, cranberry growers can control sprinklers from a computer and turn on and off sprinklers with a simple button. Traditionally, the different systems had to be turned on and off manually, wasting time, money and water.

A Conservation Innovation Grant from NRCS has enabled the association to work with 11 growers and implement these sprinkler systems, which are a relatively new technology to the industry.

These systems have sensors among the cranberry vines that monitor temperature and other weather conditions. A grower can monitor and control the systems from the Internet. Growers using these systems can save more than 9,000 gallons of water per acre on a frost night.

“The use of computerized irrigation systems had a huge impact on growers’ lives,” said Jeff LaFleur, the association’s former director. “The system has simplified how we monitor bog temperatures, and it provides accurate data on when irrigations systems should be turned on to protect from frost.”

Sprinklers spray water on cranberries during a frosty morning. Photo by Jeff LaFleur of Mayflower Cranberries used with permission.

During the study period, the systems kept water running about two hours less. For a typical growing season, 280,000 gallons of water per acre can be conserved.

Water protects the plants because as it turns to ice, heat is released, warming the berries. If the berries get too cold, they’re difficult to market.

“Water is our life blood in cranberries,” said LaFleur, who now heads the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Districts and owns his own cranberry farm. “Even though cranberry bogs are dry most of the growing season, proper water management is critical to yields and fruit quality.”

This grant, awarded in 2007, has changed the way cranberry growers do business. The grant shows how technology can make farming easier and cheaper, LaFleur said. Most of the participating growers plan to invest in more automated systems for their bogs.

Cranberries are floated after they are picked. Photo by Jeff LaFleur of Mayflower Cranberries used with permission.

“It was risky for growers to participate in this project,” he said. “We asked them to trust computers and make management decisions based upon what the computers were telling them. The end result is that growers have come not only to trust the systems but rely heavily on them on a regular basis to better manage the resources on their farms.”

Most cranberries are grown in southeastern Massachusetts, where 400 cranberry growing families farm more than 14,000 acres.

Cranberries grow in low-lying beds layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay. Commonly called bogs, they were originally created by glacial deposits. Now, growers create commercial bogs through a network of wetlands, ditches and ponds.

Almost 20 percent of cranberries produced each year are eaten during Thanksgiving week, what LaFleur calls “an iconic part of the Thanksgiving celebration.”

Ripe berries on the vine ready to be picked at Mayflower Cranberries in Plympton, Mass. Photo by Jeff LaFleur of Mayflower Cranberries used with permission.

Forest Kindergartens Could Be the Next Big Export from Germany - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Radical back-to-nature forest kindergartens where children are allowed to climb trees and play with fire have spread across the country. Will the concept of the Waldkindergarten become Germany's next export success?

Forest Kindergartens Could Be the Next Big Export from Germany - SPIEGEL ONLINE

U.S. EPA honors graduates of environmental job training program at ceremony

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 21, 2013

MEDIA CONTACT: David Yogi, yogi.david@epa.gov, (415) 972-3350

U.S. EPA honors graduates of environmental job training program at ceremony

Students prepared for employment within communities for environmental projects

(SAN FRANCISCO) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today will recognize 37 graduates from the Cypress Mandela Training Center for completing professional environmental remediation training at an award ceremony held at the State of California Transportation auditorium in Oakland, Calif.

Funded in part by a $200,000 grant from the EPA Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization’s Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWD/JT) program, students at the Cypress Mandela Training Center gained the training and expertise necessary to secure skilled jobs in environmental remediation, construction, and utility professions.

“These graduates will play a critical role in Bay Area environmental restoration efforts,” said Clancy Tenley, Assistant Director of EPA’s Superfund program for the Pacific Southwest.  “As catalysts for change, they are a great example of community members who work for the betterment of their neighborhoods.”

Cypress Mandela provides training to low-income, unemployed and underemployed students. In addition to funding from EPA, Cypress Mandela leverages the support of many other organizations, including the Alameda County Justice and Sheriff Departments, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties Building Trades Associations, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

“The Cypress Mandela Training Center has had a long standing relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency, which has proven to be one of the most beneficial partnerships that directly impacts the community,” said Art Shanks, Cypress Mandela Executive Director. “The funding that EPA has provided has served the community with effective training and education in the environmental sector. Post training, students are placed directly into employment, which reduces poverty and crime in our communities. I would like to say that it has truly been an honor and a pleasure to work with the EPA for the betterment of our communities.”

As part of the program, graduates earned professional certifications and completed multiple training sessions focused on environmental topics such as emergency preparedness, mold remediation, health hazard awareness, asbestos awareness, and hazardous material training.

Further, graduates completed two-weeks of “Life Skills” training to hone skills related to work readiness, job search and job retention, and confronting potential barriers to employment. Throughout the training, graduates also participated in weekly sessions to update resumes, engage in mock interviews, and conduct online job searches. As part of these sessions, some graduates also had the opportunity to interview with Bay Area environmental contractors in advance of the graduation.

“The graduates are putting their training to use and are currently working in the communities that they live in.  There is nothing better than having a career and giving back to your neighborhood.  That’s community and workforce development!” said Justin Real of PG&E.

Bay Area organizations have received more than $4.8 million in EPA job training funds since 1999 and, in 2013 alone, more than 165 people in the Bay Area have been trained to work in the environmental cleanup industry. As of May 2013, more than 11,000 Americans have completed training through the support of this program, of which, more than 8,000 have obtained employment in the environmental field. 

For more information about EPA’s Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program, visit:http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/job.htm#bro

For more information about EPA’s Brownfields program, visit: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/index.html

For more information about the Cypress Mandela Training Center, visit:

http://www.cypressmandela.org/

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