Chattanooga City HallThe City Council OK’d officials to go after $800,000 in federal grants for job training and multiple brownfields cleanup projects, including one in Alton Park.
If the city were awarded the grants, officials would partner with BrightBridge for the $200,000 cleanup on the 500 block of East 38th Street. and the city would have to match 20 percent of the funds at $40,000.
Chattanooga Economic and Community Development Director Donna Williams said the city would also team up with Enterprise Center for a second grant for $400,000 to clean up another brownfield site. The site could be in any economically vulnerable community, which could include sites in East Chattanooga, Alton Park or Brainerd.
City Council also approved Williams to apply for a third grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for $200,000 and if awarded the city would partner with Enterprise Center for training for environmental-related jobs.
Enterprise Center was awarded the same EPA grant in 2011 and in March 2013 graduated its second class of 25 students. The program kicked off in 2012 and officials said of the first 18 students to graduate, 13 found full-time jobs in manufacturing, construction or transportation.