EPA Regional Administrator Helps Usher in New Chapter for Brownfields Job Training Grads in Rochester, NY.
Rochester, N.Y. (April 22, 2025) - Last night, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Michael Martucci celebrated with graduates of EPA’s Brownfields job training program. Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and other Rochester officials joined Administrator Martucci as 16 graduates accepted their diplomas and met with prospective employers. Thanks to this program, that has an incredible 100% job placement rate for graduates, these students have a brighter future.
The ceremony celebrated the hard work and dedication of 16 Rochester residents who have successfully completed the intensive 2025 Rochester's Environmental Job (REJob 3.0) Training Program. The program is a tuition-free, comprehensive, multi-partner initiative designed to connect dislocated workers and unemployed individuals with long-term, sustainable careers in the construction and environmental remediation fields.
“These graduates are proof that environmental cleanup and economic opportunity go hand in hand," said EPA Region 2 Administrator Michael Martucci. "Through this Brownfields job training program, Rochester is preparing residents for good-paying, skilled careers that will build a stronger, healthier community for the future.”
"Rochester's Environmental Job Training Program is not only opening doors to good-paying, sustainable careers—it’s revitalizing our neighborhoods and strengthening our local economy," said Congressperson Joe Morelle (NY-25). "I'm proud to support this program and the hardworking individuals who are helping build a cleaner, more resilient Rochester."
“We are proud that REJob is recognized by the EPA as one of the most successful brownfield job training programs in the country,” said Mayor Malik D. Evans. “Together, we are creating opportunities for citizens to obtain the skills they need for good paying jobs in a growing industry while also addressing contaminated properties in our neighborhoods for future investment.”
Students from the Cornerstone Training Institute graduating from the Brownfields Program in Rochester, NY.
Background
Brownfields job training 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 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 jobs reduce environmental contamination and build more sustainable futures for communities.
Since 1998, EPA has awarded 371 Brownfields job training grants. With these grants, over 15,000 individuals have been 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 more about Brownfields job training grants.
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