This project provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58) for groundwork RVA to conduct eligible technical assistance-related activities as authorized by…

Funding Agency & Program: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3, Brownfields Job Training Cooperative Agreements Program (CFDA 66.815)

Award Details & Service Delivery: Groundwork RVA, Inc. received a $500,000 cooperative agreement effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030, to design and deliver comprehensive workforce training targeting unemployed and underemployed residents in Richmond, Virginia. The organization will recruit and train participants from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, including Oak Grove/Bellemeade, Davee Gardens, and Fairfield, equipping them with industry-recognized certifications and skills necessary for employment in environmental remediation and related careers. Training curricula include mandatory 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) certification, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 certification, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/First Aid, and specialized instruction in green remediation technologies, stormwater management, and contamination management across soil, surface water, and groundwater. Graduates will earn certifications enabling them to safely work with and around hazardous materials at contaminated sites, with additional eligibility for Center for Watershed Protection certification in green infrastructure and stormwater management. The recipient will track progress and outcomes through EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) Property Profile Form reporting mechanism.

This project provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58) for groundwork RVA to conduct eligible technical assistance-related activities as authorized by comprehensive environmental response, compensation, and liability act (cercla) 104(k)(7). The recipient will recruit, train, and place unemployed and underemployed residents of richmond, VA in environmental careers with skills needed to safely conduct remediation work at solid and hazardous waste-contaminated sites, as well as appropriate training in green remediation technologies, stormwater management, and emergency planning. Participants in the program will also take courses on CPR and first aid to learn how to respond to emerging injuries during site remediation, management of different types of contamination in surface water, soil, and groundwater, and OSHA10 and hazwoper courses to learn how to safely work with and around hazardous materials. Activities:this project will train graduates to earn skills and certifications necessary to enter into environmental careers. Activities to be performed under this project are the completion of courses and will allow students to earn federal or state certifications related to safely working with and around hazardous materials including OSHA10 certification, hazwoper certification, CPR/first aid, and training in green infrastructure and stormwater management to earn a center for watershed protection certification. Also, the recipient will report on interim progress and final accomplishments by completing and submitting relevant portions of the property profile form using EPA's assessment, cleanup and redevelopment exchange system (acres). This project will provide training to residents of richmond, VA, specifically in neighborhoods with the greatest number of vacant properties and those with high unemployment rates where job training programs can have an impact, including OAK grove/bellemeade, davee gardens, fairfield, and east end. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the intended beneficiaries of this project are, and the project will provide training to, residents in richmond, VA, targeting individuals living in areas with high unemployment rates and high quantities of vacant and contaminated sites. The anticipated deliverables are: 64 individuals recruited, trained, certified, and placed in environmental careers in communities impacted by solid and hazardous waste sites and facilities; 7 classroom style trainings, practical trainings, and curricula modules; 7 appropriate certifications in environmental sampling and site cleanup methods; 64 individuals that receive certifications in occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1910.120 40-hour hazwoper training. Expected outcomes from this project include: helping residents of communities take advantage of jobs created by the assessment and cleanup of brownfields and the assessment, cleanup, and management of solid and hazardous waste sites and facilities while addressing sustainable community revitalization concerns; providing training that leads to sustainable employment in the environmental field; improving community involvement and stimulating the development of constructive partnerships; reducing exposures to hazardous substances and other contaminants and improving the health of workers, occupants, and residents; fostering self-sufficiency and enhancing the skills and availability of labor for environmental remediation in particularly impacted communities, including those that are impacted by a variety of waste facilities, blighted properties, contaminated sites, and other environmental issues; and enabling residents to participate in the promotion of environmental health and occupational safety, both on the job and in their communities.