Governor Hochul Announces Program to Strengthen New York’s Clean Energy Workforce

Governor Kathy Hochul today, during Climate Week, announced support for the development of New York's clean energy workforce. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Environmental Justice Green Jobs for Youth Grants will support skills training by 20 community-based organizations helping advance green jobs for young New Yorkers.

"Here in New York we are proving that clean energy and jobs go hand-in-hand, and we are committed to making sure no community is left behind," Governor Hochul said."By investing in youth education and training programs in communities most impacted by pollution and climate impacts, we are positioning our future labor force to lead the way in developing sustainable energy solutions that will spur economic growth and lead us to a cleaner, healthier environment."

New York as of 2024 has created 184,000 clean energy jobs, among the most in the nation.

The $5 million in DEC Environmental Justice Green Jobs for Youth Grants announced today were awarded to organizations in communities that face the biggest impacts from climate change and severe weather as well as unemployment challenges. Projects will prepare youth ages 17-24 to enter the workforce of emerging job opportunities in clean or green industries and provide occupational skills sought by employers. These industries and skill sets are backed by local and industry demand and are in partnership with employers. Training will help participants obtain a nationally recognized certification, skill set certificate, degree, or comparable award.

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said,"Education and job creation are an important piece of Governor Hochul's efforts to affordably combat climate change, grow the clean energy economy, and protect public health and the environment. The funding provided through the Green Jobs for Youth program to these organizations will not only educate young people in historically underfunded communities on environmental issues but also provide them with the skills they need for future employment with emerging green industries."

State Senator Monica R. Martinez said, "New York's investment in developing the nation's green workforce will energize the clean energy future we need to build. I am grateful to work with Governor Hochul to ensure New York remains a national leader in sustainable energy by preparing the next generation of workers with the skills they need to power tomorrow."

This year's funded training programs include construction and management of green buildings, green education and teaching, green infrastructure, clean energy, climate adaptation, and conservation and restoration. Green Jobs for Youth is one of the competitive funding opportunities offered by DEC's Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ). Since 2006, OEJ has awarded more than $44 million in funding for 365 total projects designed to help support communities facing a disproportionate burden of environmental issues.

Funding for the Environmental Justice Green Jobs for Youth Grant program was provided by the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), a critical resource for environmental programs for environmental justice in addition to land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, recreation access, and water quality improvement projects. The FY27 Enacted Budget includes $425 million for the EPF, supplemented by an additional $25 million from the Sustainable Future Program.

The most recent round of Green Jobs for Youth Grants includes:

Long Island

Minority Millennials $250,000: Electrical Systems (North Amityville, Suffolk County).This green training program will support youth from Potential Environmental Justice Areas (PEJA)/ disadvantaged communities living in west Suffolk County in getting employed as electrical technicians and contributing to the energy transition in their communities.

New York City Metro

The Resilience Education Training $250,000: Clean Energy, EV Battery Systems, and Building Efficiency (Brooklyn, Kings County).Funding will support paid clean energy workforce training for youth (ages 17-24) from environmental justice communities in Brooklyn, providing industry credentials, entry level, hands-on solar, EV and building efficiency trainings, with wraparound supports and pathways to employment.

The Bronx is Blooming $250,000: Skills Training in Environmental Stewardship and Urban Forestry (Bronx, Bronx County). Funds will help support expansion/formalization of existing youth employment programs into an employer-aligned job training pathway to prepare Bronx youth from environmental justice communities for careers in urban forestry, green infrastructure, environmental services, and climate resilience.

Spring Creek Recreational Fund $249,999: Urban Agriculture (Brooklyn, Kings County).Funding will support Opportunity Hub's project, Green Jobs for Youth - Skills Training in Urban Agriculture, which will train 40 neurodivergent young adults receiving transition and post-secondary services in hands-on farming and workforce skills, forging inclusive pathways to long-term green jobs in Brooklyn.

Natural Areas Conservancy, Inc. $244,542: Urban Forest Restoration and Conservation (Rego Park, Queens County). Funding will help Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) provide 12 paid annual positions to Queens students who will receive training in research, conservation, and natural areas management in New York City to gain meaningful experiences and skills that lead to local employment in the green sector.

Human Impacts Institute, $250,000: Climate Justice and Creative Community Engagement (Brooklyn, Kings County). Funding will support a science, culture, society, and creative communications program preparing young people for a just transition. The program blends training, experience, and paid placements with environmental justice partners to build skills and advance climate solutions.

Andromeda Community Initiative, Inc. $250,000: Construction Restoration, Demolition, and Environmental Remediation (Greenprint for Success) (Long Island City, Queens County). Funding will support workforce training provided by Andromeda Community Initiative, Inc. to train youth and young adults (ages 18-24) in general construction, masonry, restoration, and environmental remediation skills, such as Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, Renovation, Repair, and Painting certification, asbestos handling, and confined space, helping prepare disadvantaged Long Island City residents for safe, in-demand green jobs.

Waterfront Alliance, Inc. $250,000: Waterfront Resilience and Green Infrastructure (Manhattan, New York County). Funding will support training for 120 youth (ages 17-24) from environmental justice communities in Manhattan to earn the WEDG® (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) Associate credential through coastal resilience education, green infrastructure assessment, hands-on field learning, and career pathways into climate and environmental justice jobs. WEDG® is a national, science-based rating system and set of guidelines that helps design teams, communities, and decision-makers create resilient, ecological, and accessible waterfronts. The WEDG® standard continues to grow nationally and is increasingly appearing in city ordinances and requests for proposals, enabling those with a WEDG® Professionals credential to differentiate themselves in the job marketplace.

WE ACT Environmental Justice Center, $250,000: Lead Safety and Remediation (Manhattan, New York County). Funding will support workforce training programs from WE ACT EJ Center, which will equip 45-60 Manhattan youth (ages 17-24) with skills in environmental justice education, policy and advocacy, job-readiness support, and five certifications: Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), Site Safety Training, Lead Safety, Flagger/Scaffold, and WE ACT Environmental Health and Justice Leadership Training.

Outstanding Renewal Enterprises, Inc., $250,000: Urban Horticulture (Manhattan, New York County). Funding will support hands-on urban horticulture training for Manhattan youth, including building skills in plant care, soil health, and green infrastructure, while creating pathways to paid work and environmental careers.

Hudson Valley

Citizens for Local Power, $249,874: Green Buildings (Kingston, Ulster County). Funding will support paid training for Kingston youth through a program that pairs trainees with local contractors, gaining on-the-job experience in sustainable practices. Applicants will be trained to conduct energy audits, install solar, geothermal, and HVAC systems, and receive an OSHA 10 and a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Building Science Principles (BSP) Certificate.

Environmental Leaders of Color, $250,000: Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) Residential Installation (Mount Vernon, Westchester County). Funding will support an innovative two-phase workforce program in Mount Vernon that provides neuroscience-based personal development and builds stress management and professional skills. Applicants will also earn an International Ground Source Heat Pump Association certification training that prepares them for careers in ground source heat pump installation.

Energy Justice Law and Policy Center, $250,000: Green Infrastructure (New Rochelle, Westchester County). Funding will support a workforce training program for New Rochelle youth (ages 18-24) to prepare them for green infrastructure careers through local hands-on training, recognized credentials, and employer-aligned pathways that support climate resilience and workforce equity.

Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation, $250,000: Sustainable Urban Horticulture, Forestry, and Civic Environmental Leadership in Mount Vernon (Chappaqua, Westchester County). Funding will support a stipend credentialing program that will help prepare Mount Vernon youth for careers in urban forestry, horticulture, and environmental advocacy through hands-on learning, and applied community projects, with two yearlong cohorts of more than 10 high school students.

Groundwork Hudson Valley, $250,000: The Green Team Plus+ Initiative (Yonkers, Westchester County). Funding will support integrating a nationally recognized green infrastructure training program in Yonkers into an award-winning youth conservation corps to propel disadvantaged youth and young adults into internships and jobs in climate justice fields.

Central New York

Onondaga Earth Corps, Inc., $250,000: Conservation and Restoration (Syracuse, Onondaga County). Funding will enhance Onondaga Earth Corps' current youth conservation corps program in Syracuse, Onondaga County, with paid internships in urban forestry, green infrastructure maintenance, and land management, with input from employer partners and an emphasis on job placement.

Finger Lakes

Taproot Collective, $250,000: Urban Agriculture (Rochester, Monroe County).Funding will support a training program for low-income youth in Rochester. The program will offer a range of certifications and skill sets to help participants meet career and educational goals in urban agriculture, food systems, and environmental services.

Ascend Workforce Solutions, Inc., $181,600: Weatherization and Building (Rochester, Monroe County). Funding will support Ascend, the program lead coordinator, and monitors workforce outcomes working with local trade unions on soft skills instruction, case management, wraparound support, construction training, and job placement.

Friends of the Gardenaerial, $250,000: Urban Greening (Rochester, Monroe County).Funding will provide hands-on training for youth in the care and maintenance of street trees, effective creation/maintenance of raised bed gardens, plant selection, planting, and maintenance of a small urban farm and green spaces to support a greener Rochester.

Western New York

Clean Air Coalition of Western New York, $249,558: Urban Forestry in Niagara Falls (Buffalo, Erie County). Funding will support a Niagara Falls partnership to train a cohort of youth (ages 18-24) in core urban forestry skills within an environmental justice framework. The program culminates with a tree planting project on the Niagara Falls Housing Authority properties. Participants will receive a Cornell Cooperative Extension certification in Urban Forestry upon completion of the program.

For more information on the Environmental Justice Grants Program, visitDEC's website or contact the Office of Environmental Justice at (518) 402-8556 or [email protected].