Do you work with a group interested in helping clean up illegal dumps? If so, there is grant money available from the DEP to help with your project.
The Department of Environmental Protection deadline to apply for Illegal Dump Cleanup grants is Jan. 27. Grants of up to $25,000 are available to provide communities with the tools and resources they need to restore illegal dump sites and prevent future dumping.
To apply, grant applications are available at www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Illegal Dumping, or by calling DEP’s Bureau of Waste Management at 717-787-7381.
Pennsylvania is investing $500,000 in the Illegal Dump Cleanup Grant program for communities and nonprofit groups. The program will focus on cleaning up illegal dumps, restoring sites, beautification projects, and surveillance efforts at existing and remediated dump sites.
Grants will also help to enforce littering and illegal dumping ordinances and will support public awareness and educational outreach to inform local citizens about illegal dumping, littering and clean-up activities. The grants are available on a competitive basis to any existing local government or incorporated nonprofit organization located in Pennsylvania. A 50% matching investment is required.
An applicant cannot, in any way, be responsible for creating any illegal dump located in Pennsylvania.
This issue of dumping is a cost to everyone including the environment..it doesn't seem like half a million dollars is very much when you consider all the other numbers being thrown around...but the fines that go with capturing will make a big dent in the expense. Very nice post Erica...have a Happy New Year.