News Releases from Region 06

EPA Awards Job Training Grant to Limitless Vistas, Inc., New Orleans, La.

DALLAS – (May 12, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding $200,000 to Limitless Vistas, Inc., to operate environmental job training programs that advance environmental justice by providing opportunities for residents living in areas impacted by contaminated lands. Trainees will gain experience for jobs related to cleanup activities in the Greater New Orleans area.

“Cleaning up the environment creates jobs,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “EPA is happy to provide needed funding to ensure that people are properly trained while doing environmental cleanup work in New Orleans.”

EPA announced the selection of the grantees at the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response training session in Los Angeles, Calif. EPA selected 18 grantees for approximately $3.5 million in Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training grants.

The training programs serve unemployed persons, dislocated workers who have lost their jobs as a result of manufacturing plant closures, minorities, tribal residents, veterans, former gang members, ex-offenders, and other individuals who may face barriers to employment.

Since the program's inception in 1998, EPA has funded 256 job training grants exceeding $54 million. More than 14,800 individuals have completed training, and of those, more than 10,600 have secured employment in the environmental field with an average hourly starting wage of $14.34. This equates to a cumulative job placement rate of 72 percent.

For more information on Limitless Vistas' project, please visit: https://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/gfs/index.cfm?xpg_id=9073&display_type=HTML

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