  |
|
|
Department of Ecology Press Release - December 20, 2005
05-303
SPOKANE - Litter-cleanup efforts in 13 counties in Eastern Washington will be boosted by more than $640,000 in grants from the Department of Ecology (Ecology) over the next two years.
The grants are awarded through Ecology's community litter cleanup program, which helps local governments clean up litter and illegal dumps, provide anti-litter education in their communities, and purchase equipment.
Using similar grants in the past two years, these 13 counties cleaned up more than 1.7 million pounds of litter and illegally dumped material. More than 73,000 pounds of the material were recycled. Nearly 19,000 miles of roadway and 1,830 acres of public land were cleaned in the past two years.
Unlike many state-grant programs, the cleanup grants do not require matching money from local governments. However, the governments often contribute in other ways, such as waiving disposal fees, paying for crew labor and donating the use of county equipment.
"Local governments play an essential role in Ecology's statewide litter efforts," said Gary Lambacher, who administers litter grants for Ecology in Eastern Washington. "As it is, we can barely keep up with the litter on the roadways, and without their help we'd really see a difference -- and not a good one."
Lambacher said these efforts have included promoting the state's litter-prevention campaign, "Litter and It Will Hurt."
Funding for this grant program comes from a litter tax imposed on industries whose products are related to the litter problem. Statewide, Ecology has awarded $2.8 million to 41 local governments for litter-cleanup activities in the 2005-07 biennium.
The following Eastern Washington counties received funding:
Adams County*- The Public Works Department will use $46,436 to run a community service work crew to clean litter and illegal dumps from roadways and public property throughout the county, including the Columbia Basin Wildlife Refuge. Contact: Loren Wiltse at 509-488-9441.
Asotin County* - The Asotin County Regional Landfill will use $30,775 to pay for a community service work crew to clean litter and illegal dumps throughout the county. Special emphasis will be focused on public right-of-ways and recreational areas alongside the Snake and Grande Ronde rivers, and the landfill area. Contact: Stephen Becker at 509-758-9230.
Columbia County* - The Sheriff's Office will use $35,426 to run community service work crews to clean litter from roadways and public property. They will work cooperatively with Walla Walla and Pomeroy Forest Service staff to clean trailheads and provide anti-litter educational materials to schools, public buildings, and recreational areas. Contact Carole Sleeman at 509-382-2518.
Ferry County*- Ferry County Public Works will use $37,122 to pay for several types of litter-cleanup crews and an anti-litter education campaign. The Community Cleanup Program is a volunteer cleanup program; the Clean Team will include community service workers; and the Ecology Youth Corps presence in Ferry County will be doubled and will operate out of Republic. A crew has operated out of Inchelium for several decades. Contact Kristy Cromwell at 509-775-5217.
Franklin County - Franklin County Solid Waste will use $44,075 to pay for community service work crews to clean up litter and illegal dumps from roadways and public areas throughout the county. The county will give money to the city of Pasco to run additional crews. The county also will organize a county-wide auto litter bag give-away through the auditor's office at the Department of Licensing. Contact Sally McKenzie at 509-545-3551.
Garfield County - Garfield County Solid Waste will use $44,226 to purchase a new litter vehicle, hire a two-person litter pickup/illegal dump crew, and provide anti-litter education materials, including signs, an educational display and school assembly. Contact Walter Morgan at 509-843-1301.
Grant County* - The Grant County Sheriff's Office will use $72,257 to clean litter and illegal dumps throughout the county. They will oversee a community-service work crew and will focus on Grant County roadways, the Moses Lake Sand Dunes recreation area, wildlife areas and other public lands. Contact Leroy Allison at 509-754-2011, ext.428.
Lincoln County* - Lincoln County Juvenile Court Services will use $26,800 to clean litter and illegal dumps throughout Lincoln County, using community service work crews. Contact William Manion at 509-725-7475.
Pend Oreille County* - Pend Oreille County Sheriff's Corrections will use $43,402 to run a community-service work crew. They will concentrate on cleaning litter and illegal dumps from county roadways and public lands. Contact Sergeant Fred Johnson at 509-447-1918.
Spokane County* - Geiger Corrections Center will use $119,489 to run work crews cleaning litter and illegal dumps from roadways and public property in the county. They also will purchase a truck and trailer to transport 12 workers, supplies and equipment. This enables the center to put another crew on the road. Contact Chris Wiese at 509-477-1541.
Stevens County - Stevens County Public Works will use $45,120 for a number of litter-related projects. The department will help cities establish cleanup events and purchase litter receptacles. The successful "Adopt-A-Roadway" and "Roadside Clean Teams" programs will be continued. Volunteers will be compensated for mileage they incur while transporting bags and equipment, and school and civic groups can pick up litter as a fund-raiser. The county also will provide an anti-litter education program using brochures, demonstrations and displays at fairs, school assemblies, classroom presentations and more. Contact Dennis Durbin at 509-738-6106.
Walla Walla County* - The Walla Walla Community Development Department will use $56,552 to pay for two community service work crews to collect litter from roadways and illegal dumps throughout the county. One large crew will concentrate on litter pickup. Another smaller crew will dispose of the filled litter bags. The county also will use some of its money to support an anti-litter educational program reaching citizens of Walla Walla through fairs, community events, and classrooms. Contact Sharon Baker-Johnson at 509-527-3282.
Whitman County* - Whitman County Public Works Department will pay for several crews with its $38,401 allotment. The department will coordinate with the Whitman County Sheriff's Department to operate a work crew supervised by off-duty officers to collect litter along the county's roadsides and a smaller inmate crew to collect and dispose of the bags. In collaboration with Ecology, the county will pay for an Ecology Youth Corps (EYC) crew to pick up litter along state roads and beside the Snake River. Contact Tim Davis at 509-334-2400.
* In these counties, cleanup crews may include low-risk jail inmates.
# # #
Media Contact: Jani Gilbert, public information manager, (509) 329-3495; cell phone, (509) 990-9177
NOTE: Call listed contacts or Jani Gilbert for individual county results for the past two years.
For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/litter/
Report violators: Call 866-LITTER-1
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
