EPA Partnership with City of Springfield, Missouri, Provides Career Training, Job Readiness at Ozark Correctional Center

Nineteen students are graduating from Springfield's Green for Greene program, made possible by EPA Brownfields Grant

November 20, 2024

LENEXA, KAN. (NOV. 20, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister visited the Ozark Correctional Center near Springfield, Missouri, to congratulate 19 graduates of the Green for Greene program.

Green for Greene is an environmental job training program that has trained 170 students since 2017, including the 19 today. This program is made possible through EPA's Brownfields Job Training program with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

"Support from EPA's Brownfields Job Training Grants allows programs like Green for Greene to succeed," said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. "This program is not just a training course. It's a transformative experience that equips individuals with skills for a brighter future, while directly making a positive impact on both their community and the environment."

In January 2023, EPA announced that the city of Springfield was selected to receive a $500,000 Brownfields Job Training Grant. This grant funding was used to expand the Green for Greene program, which offers free instruction and certifications to students that enable them to find jobs in environmental fields, such as hazardous waste; lead and mold abatement; lead renovation, repair, and painting; and asbestos abatement.

Green for Greene is tuition-free for accepted students, and the program targets Springfield residents who are unemployed or underemployed, veterans, and individuals with justice system involvement. The Ozark Correctional Center is the only state prison to offer the Green for Greene program.

Background

EPA's Brownfields Job Training (JT) Grants allow nonprofits, local governments, and other organizations to recruit, train, and place unemployed and underemployed residents of areas affected by the presence of brownfield sites. Through the JT program, graduates develop the skills needed to secure full-time, sustainable employment in various aspects of hazardous and solid waste management and within the larger environmental field, including sustainable cleanup and reuse, and chemical safety. These green jobs reduce environmental contamination and build more sustainable futures for communities.

Graduates of Brownfields JT programs learn valuable, sought-after skills and have the opportunity to earn a variety of certifications, ensuring that employment opportunities result not just in temporary contractual work, but in long-term environmental careers.

Since 1998, EPA has awarded 408 Brownfields Job Training Grants. With these grants, over 23,460 individuals have completed trainings with over 17,450 placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety.

For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past grant recipients, please visit the Brownfields Grant Fact Sheet Search page.

• Learn moreabout Brownfields Job Training Grants.
• Learn more about the Green for Greene program.

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