EPA announces up to $14 million for brownfields job training program

Key Takeaways

On July 23, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $14 million through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Brownfields Job Training Grants Program. This program helps communities impacted by brownfield sites—blighted, contaminated properties—build local workforces to support site cleanup and redevelopment.

What is the Brownfields Job Training Program?

Unlike EPA’s other Brownfields grants that fund site assessment, remediation or planning, the Job Training Program focuses on workforce development. It offers funding for local training programs that equip residents with skills to safely handle and prepare brownfield sites for reuse. Brownfield sites often require specialized environmental expertise to address the contaminated area to protect communities from hazardous exposure.  

Grant funds can be used to create or expand training programs that cover environmental cleanup, sustainable reuse, chemical safety and related skills. These programs are especially designed to support unemployed and underemployed residents in communities affected by environmental degradation.

Why this matters for counties

Counties have long supported increased technical assistance through EPA’s Brownfields Program, particularly for rural and underserved areas. The Job Training Program advances environmental safety and site revitalization and strengthens the local economy by preparing residents for long-term careers in the environmental field.

Counties are eligible to apply for FY 2026 Brownfields Job Training Grants until September 26, 2025. Find out how to apply for the Brownfields Job Training Grants Program here.

Other resources:

Learn how counties revitalize communities through redevelopment of brownfields. Download Primer

Read how NACo continues to advocate for brownfields revitalization in Congress.