EPA Initiative Provides Skills, Employment Opportunities to Arizona Residents Near Mine Cleanup Site
ARIZONA – On January 24th, nine residents who live or work near the ASARCO Superfund site in Hayden, AZ are graduating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) program. These graduates now have the necessary skills to be considered for future jobs with employers who clean up Superfund sites, such as the ASARCO site, and conduct other environmental cleanup work. EPA worked with local stakeholders to provide training specific to the hiring opportunities in the area.
“This SuperJTI job training program drives progress towards both economic justice and the cleanup of hazardous waste in Arizona,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA congratulates these graduates for their hard work and contributions to resolving environmental challenges in their communities.”
“It has been exciting,” said one graduate. “I have told so many people about the program. I have learned so much that is useful in my everyday life. It has been so helpful to be part of this training and I am able to tell my loved ones about the information that I have learned as well.”
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Community Liaison Unit Manager Mannie Bowler also commented, stating: "On behalf of ADEQ, our community liaisons who serve the Copper Corridor area are honored to have collaborated with EPA and played a role in connecting the community to this opportunity that enables participants to develop professional skill sets to advance their careers in environmental protection. The success of this program shows that our ongoing partnership with EPA allows for more and better outcomes for Arizona communities and our unique environment."
EPA worked with ADEQ, the University of Arizona and the cities of Superior, Hayden and Winkelman, Arizona to recruit for and implement the four-week training program, which included classroom instruction and hands-on exercises.
SuperJTI is a national program that provides unemployed and underemployed individuals with the technical skills and specialized training to work on Superfund site cleanups, other environmental cleanups, and in a broad range of construction projects. Each graduate earned certificates in:
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Asbestos and Lead Worker Training
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Work Readiness
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CPR/First Aid
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40-hr Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response
To date, over 400 trainees nationwide have participated in the SuperJTI program. About 75 percent of those trainees have found jobs doing environmental cleanup work.
EPA’s Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of the nation’s most contaminated land and responding to environmental emergencies, oil spills, and natural disasters. Superfund cleans up contamination at manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites, such as the ASARCO Hayden site. Often, EPA takes legal action to ensure responsible parties pay for cleanup work. EPA aims to involve communities in the Superfund process and return Superfund sites to productive use. For additional information regarding the Superfund Program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/what-superfund .
For more SuperJTI information, please visit: www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-job-training-initiative .
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