kicks off Spring Cleanup

Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment, or PRIDE, is kicking off its annual PRIDE Spring Cleanup. The event will run from April 9-23.

PRIDE was instituted by Congressman Hal Rogers to assist in restoring the natural beauty of southern and eastern Kentucky. Nearly 40 counties participate in the project each year.

Despite the frequent cleanup efforts of Bell County officials and residents, PRIDE cleanup groups will have no shortage of trash to pick up.

According to O'Boyle, many people will re-dump at a site almost immediately after it has been cleaned up. Some sites are cleaned up by the county on a regular rotation basis but continue to be used as dump sites for everyday trash as well as tires and appliances.

Last year, the county received a $50,000 community grant from PRIDE to clean up one of the two largest dumps in the county. The dump, located near Red Bird, is an old strip mining site. Dumpers use the coal roads to gain access to the mountain and then dump trash over the side and into the valley below.

Cleanup efforts began there only a few days ago, and already over 300 tires have been confiscated from the site, as well as numerous appliances.

The cleanup effort at the Red Bird site may require additional grants to complete due to the large area that it covers. The dump spans two mountainsides and a vast valley in between.

Also, efforts have been hindered by dozens of trees in the area that were blown down during recent high winds. The goal of PRIDE is to leave an area appearing as natural and pristine as it would have been had man not interfered. Therefore, the fallen trees cannot be moved and workers must go around them. Often, this challenge eliminates the possibility of using heavy equipment such as bulldozers and backhoes.

"Last year we had a creek with a lot of material in it, and we just picked it up by hand," said Bell County PRIDE Coordinator John O'Boyle.

Sometimes, dumps are large enough to require that heavy equipment be brought in, however. In these instances, county equipment is often used with the cooperation of county officials such as the Judge Executive, Road Manager, and magistrates.

"It's something that we can do, and will do...The judge is pretty adamant about keeping the county as clean as it can be with the equipment that we have," O'Boyle said.

The PRIDE initiative not only focuses on restoring the natural beauty of the area, but also on the safety of Kentucky's waterways. Runoff from illegal dump sites can enter the water system and result in polluted waters miles downstream.

O'Boyle scans the county during the winter months for dump sites because of the increased visibility. During the spring and summer, tree leaves, grasses, and bushes often hide smaller dump sites. Even though these sites are hidden, they can pose a danger to not only local wildlife, but also to local drinking water, especially in those areas of the county where city water lines have not yet reached.

O'Boyle believes that the dumping is partially out of habit and sometimes out of the desire to save a few dollars. Even though everyone in the county is mandated to have regular garbage pickup at their homes, construction debris such as wood and shingles will not be picked up without a fee. Tires also require a minimal dumping fee. However, O'Boyle could not determine why so many large appliances are dumped illegally throughout the county. According to O'Boyle, the Bell County Solid Waste office will pick these up for free and recycle them.

"You may have to wait a few days until they have a chance to get to them," O'Boyle said, "but it is better than dumping illegally...You will be fined if you are caught."

The county currently has only one enforcement officer for littering and dumping crimes, but sometimes federal officials can also become involved. When federal money such as the PRIDE grants is spent on cleaning up a dump site, federal officials have the right to arrest anyone littering or re-dumping in the area. Reports of cameras being hidden in dump sites here in Bell County were confirmed by O'Boyle.

"You never know where a camera might be," O'Boyle said.

If you want to become involved in the Spring Cleanup but do not have a particular road, stream, or dump area in mind, O'Boyle is ready with several suggestions.

"If they don't already know of a place to start, then I'll help them find somewhere to go," said Bell County PRIDE coordinator.

Bags and gloves for all groups will be provided by PRIDE.

For more information, or to join the cleanup efforts, contact John O'Boyle at 337-3076.

More information on PRIDE and community cleanup grants can be found at www.kypride.org.