EPA hosts graduation ceremony for Superfund Job Training initiative in Columbus, MS

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently marked the graduation of 17 Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) particpants from the area surrounding Mississippi‘s Kerr McGee Chemical Superfund Site with a ceremony at the Geneisis Dream Center in Columbus.

The EPA’s SuperJTI program gives candidates living near Superfund sites — often in low-income communities that have significant environmental problems, called Environmental Justice (EJ) communities — job training to participate in site cleanup. The program is run through the EPA’s Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) contract.

After receiving interest from residents near the Kerr McGee site who wanted to work during the cleanup and interest from the contractor for local involvement, the EPA offered the SuperJTI program, which give graduates several necessary certifications. The two-week training program included training on pre-employment skills and CPR/First Aid certification in addition to a 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response training, which is required by law for those looking to assess and clean up Superfund sites.

In addition to promoting local employment throughout the cleanup process, the EPA hopes that its SuperJTI program will encourage job development after the work is completed.