Shifting geopolitics, climate and labor ratchet up risk for container shipping
Container shipping is hardly the only industry to feel the impact of organized labor’s bargaining power, nor is it unique in dealing with heightened geopolitical flashpoints or regulatory pressures tied to decarbonization, writes Journal of Commerce Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.
Overcapacity, larger ships mean challenges for carriers, pain for shippers
It’s looking like 2024 will follow a familiar script for container shipping, with ocean carriers facing down market challenges by taking action that typically disadvantages their customers, writes Peter Tirschwell.
India-US carriers raise GRI hopes for 2024 amid export rebound signs
Despite Indian exports picking up, there is skepticism about a rosier 2024 in the wake of multiple potentially disruptive events unfolding in the container shipping industry, including Panama Canal restrictions and recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
USDA Signs Agreement with Agriculture Future of America to Prepare Young People for Careers in Agriculture
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Agriculture Future of America (AFA), formalizing a partnership to promote the common goals of strengthening the future competitiveness and sustainability of the U.S. agriculture industry by preparing more young people for careers in agriculture.
The Biden-Harris Administration Announces $500,000 for Sante Fe Community College to Recruit and Train New Mexico Workers for Community Revitalization and Cleanup Projects
DALLAS, TEXAS (December 12, 2023) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Sante Fe Community College will receive a total of approximately $500,000 for environmental job training programs as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The grants through EPA’s Brownfields Jobs Training Program will help recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites across the country.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”
“The Investing in America Agenda continues to provide crucial funding to environmental programs across New Mexico,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “With this $500,000 investment, EPA will give back to New Mexico communities by helping job-seekers gain professional skills and experience needed in the environmental workforce. We thank and congratulate Sante Fe Community College for their dedication to serving impacted communities and for providing invaluable resources to students.”
“I’m proud to welcome this important EPA grant to Santa Fe Community College to help clean up and protect New Mexico communities from hazardous materials while creating opportunities for good-paying jobs,” said Senator Ben Ray Luján (NM). “This critical investment will not only focus on serving New Mexican students, veterans, and low-income individuals, but also those on Tribal Lands, ensuring our local workforce continues to develop to meet the needs of our community.”
“I’m pleased to welcome this investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help Santa Fe Community College prepare the next generation of New Mexicans for careers they can build their families around,” said Sen. Martin Heinrich (NM). “With this grant, we’re creating new, high-quality jobs in our state that will help revitalize our communities and create a safer, cleaner environment for the future.”
“Proud to see Santa Fe Community College receive this up to $500,000 grant thanks to the Biden Administration’s Investing in America Agenda. The Brownfields Jobs Training Program will provide students in New Mexico with wonderful employment opportunities — leading to high quality environmental science careers. This grant will also promote environmental justice through the revitalization and clean up of land that was polluted by hazardous materials,” said Rep. Leger Fernández (NM-3). “When I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made this grant possible, I knew it would provide New Mexico with the resources to thrive. I’m excited to see students from across my district take advantage of this opportunity.”
Sante Fe Community College established the New Mexico Environmental Job Training program to provide certifications and skills for entry level job positions. With this $500,000 grant, the Santa Fe Community College plans to train 134 students and place at least 125 in environmental jobs. The training program includes 168 hours of instruction and students who complete the training will earn up to 11 state or federal certifications. This program is targeting students within Bernalillo, Los Alamos, Santa Fe, San Miguel, Mora, Taos, and Rio Arriba counties, and specifically Native Americans from the area’s 17 Indian Pueblos and Tribes.
These grants will provide 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 and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.
High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities. All of the FY24 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 which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities.
Under the Brownfields Jobs Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in:
Lead and asbestos abatement,
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response,
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 have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Jobs Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.
Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.
For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”
“The Investing in America Agenda continues to provide crucial funding to environmental programs across New Mexico,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “With this $500,000 investment, EPA will give back to New Mexico communities by helping job-seekers gain professional skills and experience needed in the environmental workforce. We thank and congratulate Sante Fe Community College for their dedication to serving impacted communities and for providing invaluable resources to students.”
“I’m proud to welcome this important EPA grant to Santa Fe Community College to help clean up and protect New Mexico communities from hazardous materials while creating opportunities for good-paying jobs,” said Senator Ben Ray Luján (NM). “This critical investment will not only focus on serving New Mexican students, veterans, and low-income individuals, but also those on Tribal Lands, ensuring our local workforce continues to develop to meet the needs of our community.”
“I’m pleased to welcome this investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help Santa Fe Community College prepare the next generation of New Mexicans for careers they can build their families around,” said Sen. Martin Heinrich (NM). “With this grant, we’re creating new, high-quality jobs in our state that will help revitalize our communities and create a safer, cleaner environment for the future.”
“Proud to see Santa Fe Community College receive this up to $500,000 grant thanks to the Biden Administration’s Investing in America Agenda. The Brownfields Jobs Training Program will provide students in New Mexico with wonderful employment opportunities — leading to high quality environmental science careers. This grant will also promote environmental justice through the revitalization and clean up of land that was polluted by hazardous materials,” said Rep. Leger Fernández (NM-3). “When I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made this grant possible, I knew it would provide New Mexico with the resources to thrive. I’m excited to see students from across my district take advantage of this opportunity.”
Sante Fe Community College established the New Mexico Environmental Job Training program to provide certifications and skills for entry level job positions. With this $500,000 grant, the Santa Fe Community College plans to train 134 students and place at least 125 in environmental jobs. The training program includes 168 hours of instruction and students who complete the training will earn up to 11 state or federal certifications. This program is targeting students within Bernalillo, Los Alamos, Santa Fe, San Miguel, Mora, Taos, and Rio Arriba counties, and specifically Native Americans from the area’s 17 Indian Pueblos and Tribes.
These grants will provide 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 and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.
High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities. All of the FY24 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 which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities.
Under the Brownfields Jobs Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in:
Lead and asbestos abatement,
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response,
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 have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Jobs Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.
Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.
For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
The Biden-Harris Administration Announces $500,000 for the City of Texarkana to Recruit and Train Texas Workers for Community Revitalization and Cleanup Projects
DALLAS, TEXAS (December 12, 2023) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the City of Texarkana to receive a total of approximately $500,000 for environmental job training programs as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The grants through EPA’s Brownfields Jobs Training Program will help recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites across the country.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”
“The Investing in America Agenda continues to provide crucial funding to environmental programs across Texas,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “With this $500,000 investment, EPA will give back to Texas communities by helping job-seekers gain professional skills and experience needed in the environmental workforce. We thank and congratulate the City of Texarkana for their dedication to serving impacted communities and for providing invaluable resources to students.”
This program will allow the City of Texarkana to target students within disadvantaged communities who have lacked critical education opportunities. The overall goal of this training is to train 59 students and place at least 56 in environmental jobs. By completing this training, the students will earn up to four federal certifications which will showcase competence and consistency in the workplace.
These grants will provide 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 and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.
High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities. All of the FY24 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 which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities.
Under the Brownfields Jobs Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in:
Lead and asbestos abatement,
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response,
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 have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Jobs Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.
Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.
For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”
“The Investing in America Agenda continues to provide crucial funding to environmental programs across Texas,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “With this $500,000 investment, EPA will give back to Texas communities by helping job-seekers gain professional skills and experience needed in the environmental workforce. We thank and congratulate the City of Texarkana for their dedication to serving impacted communities and for providing invaluable resources to students.”
This program will allow the City of Texarkana to target students within disadvantaged communities who have lacked critical education opportunities. The overall goal of this training is to train 59 students and place at least 56 in environmental jobs. By completing this training, the students will earn up to four federal certifications which will showcase competence and consistency in the workplace.
These grants will provide 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 and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.
High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities. All of the FY24 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 which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities.
Under the Brownfields Jobs Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in:
Lead and asbestos abatement,
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response,
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 have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Jobs Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.
Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.
For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
The Biden-Harris Administration Announces $500,000 for Honeybee Strategies to Recruit and Train Louisiana Workers for Community Revitalization and Cleanup Projects
DALLAS, TEXAS (December 12, 2023) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Honeybee Strategies to receive a total of approximately $500,000 for environmental job training programs as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The grants through EPA’s Brownfields Jobs Training Program will help recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites across the country.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”
“The Investing in America Agenda continues to provide crucial funding to environmental programs across Louisiana,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “With this $500,000 investment, EPA will give back to Louisiana communities by helping job-seekers gain professional skills and experience needed in the environmental workforce. We thank and congratulate Honeybee Strategies for their dedication to serving impacted communities and for providing invaluable resources to students.”
Honeybee Strategies was founded in 2020 and specializes in training and professional development for individuals who lack affordable job-training opportunities. The overall goal of this training is to train 120 students and place at least 84 in environmental jobs. By completing this training, the students will earn up to six federal certifications which will showcase competence and consistency in the workplace. The target area of this grant will include the areas impacted by environmental justice issues such as the Parishes of St. Bernard, Terrebonne, and East Baton Rouge.
These grants will provide 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 and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.
High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities. All of the FY24 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 which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities.
Under the Brownfields Jobs Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in:
Lead and asbestos abatement,
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response,
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 have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Jobs Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.
Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.
For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”
“The Investing in America Agenda continues to provide crucial funding to environmental programs across Louisiana,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “With this $500,000 investment, EPA will give back to Louisiana communities by helping job-seekers gain professional skills and experience needed in the environmental workforce. We thank and congratulate Honeybee Strategies for their dedication to serving impacted communities and for providing invaluable resources to students.”
Honeybee Strategies was founded in 2020 and specializes in training and professional development for individuals who lack affordable job-training opportunities. The overall goal of this training is to train 120 students and place at least 84 in environmental jobs. By completing this training, the students will earn up to six federal certifications which will showcase competence and consistency in the workplace. The target area of this grant will include the areas impacted by environmental justice issues such as the Parishes of St. Bernard, Terrebonne, and East Baton Rouge.
These grants will provide 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 and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.
High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities. All of the FY24 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 which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities.
Under the Brownfields Jobs Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in:
Lead and asbestos abatement,
Hazardous waste operations and emergency response,
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 have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Jobs Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.
Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.
For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
FormFactor, Inc., to Pay Penalty to Settle Claims of Clean Air Act Violations at Livermore Facility
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with FormFactor, Inc., that resolves claims of violations of the Clean Air Act at the company’s nickel-plating facility in Livermore, Calif. As part of the settlement, FormFactor will pay a civil penalty of $258,170. FormFactor has also certified that its Livermore facility is operating in compliance with the Clean Air Act.
“FormFactor’s failure to provide notice, properly document and keep records of emission controls means regulators like EPA -- and the public -- lacked critical information about the Livermore facility’s ability to operate safely,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This settlement exemplifies EPA’s commitment to hold accountable entities that fail to comply with federal laws that protect public health, workers and the environment.”
On June 9, 2021, the EPA conducted an inspection of the FormFactor nickel-plating facility in Livermore. Form Factor is required to create and maintain records detailing its compliance with the hazardous air pollutant regulations. Between 2017 and 2020, FormFactor failed to keep and submit annual compliance certification documentation that ensures the facility is correctly operating its air emission controls and following applicable management practices and equipment standards.
Established under the Clean Air Act, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are standards for hazardous air pollutants at various types of regulated facilities, like polishing and plating operations. NESHAP requires that regulated facilities use proper management practices and equipment standards to control hazardous air pollutants. Hazardous air pollutants are those pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects.
Learn more about EPA’s work on NESHAP compliance monitoring on the agency’s website.
For more information about EPA’s enforcement program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/basic-information-enforcement
For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations visit EPA’s enforcement reporting website.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.
“FormFactor’s failure to provide notice, properly document and keep records of emission controls means regulators like EPA -- and the public -- lacked critical information about the Livermore facility’s ability to operate safely,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This settlement exemplifies EPA’s commitment to hold accountable entities that fail to comply with federal laws that protect public health, workers and the environment.”
On June 9, 2021, the EPA conducted an inspection of the FormFactor nickel-plating facility in Livermore. Form Factor is required to create and maintain records detailing its compliance with the hazardous air pollutant regulations. Between 2017 and 2020, FormFactor failed to keep and submit annual compliance certification documentation that ensures the facility is correctly operating its air emission controls and following applicable management practices and equipment standards.
Established under the Clean Air Act, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are standards for hazardous air pollutants at various types of regulated facilities, like polishing and plating operations. NESHAP requires that regulated facilities use proper management practices and equipment standards to control hazardous air pollutants. Hazardous air pollutants are those pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects.
Learn more about EPA’s work on NESHAP compliance monitoring on the agency’s website.
For more information about EPA’s enforcement program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/basic-information-enforcement
For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations visit EPA’s enforcement reporting website.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.