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Brownfields Success Stories
New Opportunities in Hazmat Operations for East Palo Alto Residents
Seventeen members of the community surrounding East Palo Alto, California have discovered a promising future in hazardous waste operations, thanks to U.S. EPA's Brownfields Initiative, local stakeholders, and the efforts of several Stanford University interns. The U.S. EPA announced the award of $125,000 to the City of East Palo Alto as part of the Brownfields Pilot program in May, 1997.
The Pilot worked with many community members, local and regional organizations, and with Stanford University student interns who, as part of their duties, posted flyers at local organizations and restaurants to encourage local youth participation in a hazardous materials job training program. Seventeen graduates of this program completed seven weeks of classroom training in hazardous waste operations and contamination removal in September, 1997, and are finishing up with 90 days of paid, on-the-job training with a local environmental cleanup company.
A local chemical solvent recycling company is considering hiring five or six of the students full-time. While the Pilot is working to find other permanent job placements, the students also have the option to continue working for the company after their training period. Already, several graduates have started as permanent employees with regional companies.
For more information on the East Palo Alto Brownfields Pilot, contact Thomas Mix at (415) 744-2378.