EPA Partnership with City of Springfield, Missouri, Provides Career Training and Job Readiness
Fifteen students are graduating from Springfield’s Green for Greene program, made possible by an EPA Brownfields Grant
LENEXA, KAN. (JUNE 27, 2025) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 leadership visited Springfield, Missouri, to congratulate 15 graduates of the Green for Greene job training program.
Green for Greene is an environmental workforce development and job training program that has trained over 300 students since 2016, including the 15 today. This program is made possible through EPA’s Brownfields Job Training program and serves as an example of how EPA is Powering the Great American Comeback to provide clean air, land, and water to all Americans while fostering economic growth through job training across the country.
"Brownfields job training programs enhance EPA's mission by equipping individuals to restore clean land throughout our region," said EPA Region 7 Brownfields Redevelopment and Reuse Branch Supervisor Stan Walker. "By training hundreds of students in environmental remediation, the program not only opens doors to well-paying jobs, but also ensures that these graduates contribute directly to revitalizing the communities they call home."
“The Green for Greene environmental job training program has enhanced the lives of hundreds of graduates in southern Missouri since its inception in 2016,” said Green for Greene Program Supervisor Carmen May. “More than 300 individuals have taken advantage of this no-cost training, which offers numerous credentials and leads to higher-paying job opportunities. In short, this program changes the trajectory of people’s lives.”
Graduates of Brownfields Job Training (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.
For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past grant recipients, please visit the Brownfields Grant Fact Sheet Search page.
Background
EPA’s Brownfields 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.
EPA previously 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 program also serves Christian, Taney, Stone, Webster, Dallas, and Polk counties.
Learn more about Brownfields Job Training Grants.
Learn more about the Green for Greene program.
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