DRCC PRESS RELEASE:

The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group (DRCC/TAG) announces that it will partner with EPA's Superfund Job Training Initiative to provide free training for local residents interested in cleanup-related jobs.

"Local residents have borne the burden of the Duwamish River Superfund Site for many years; now they have an opportunity to benefit from jobs created by cleaning it up," says BJ Cummings, Policy Advisor for DRCC/TAG. DRCC/TAG serves as EPA's Community Advisory Group for the site.

EPA's Proposed River Cleanup Plan is currently out for public review, but Early Action "hotspots" are already being cleaned up and pollution control efforts for the rest of the river are underway, according to Cummings. This summer, about a dozen new employees are expected to be hired for work cleaning up and restoring hotspots, controlling onoging pollution sources, and monitoring cleanup activity at several sites along the river, including Boeing's Plant 2, the Port of Seattle's Terminal 117, and Jorgensen Forge. Over time, many more cleanup jobs are expected to be created as the 5-1/2 mile riverwide cleanup gets under way.

"This is a great opportunity for Duwamish-area residents," says Seattle Mayor Michael McGinn. "These are family-wage green jobs, and the training residents will receive will make them highly competitive for current and future employers."

The job training program is sponsored by EPA and offered free to local residents and companies or public agenices in need of skilled employees. "We are excited about bringing the program to the Duwamish community," says Viola Cooper, National Program Manager for EPA in Regions 6–10. "SuperJTI is a job readiness program that provides training and employment opportunities for people living in communities affected by Superfund sites. Our goal is to help this community develop job opportunities that remain long after the site has been cleaned up." This is the first time the national program has been made available to a community affected by a Superfund Site in the Pacific Northwest.

DRCC/TAG will serve as EPA's "Community Partner" for the program, recruiting un- and under-employed residents looking for family-wage jobs, and providing job placement assistance and ongoing support for a period of up to six months after trainees graduate from the program.

Interested Duwamish Valley residents can contact Justin at DRCC/TAG for more information: JTI@duwamishcleanup.org or 206-658-4375. Training will begin in late May.