For Immediate Release: May 29, 2007 
Contact: Mel Lloyd BLM 970-244-3097

Earth Day dumping becomes lesson of a lifetime for local children

HOTCHKISS, Colo. — Paonia resident Kenny Kirk, age 47, was cited on Earth Day, April 21, 2007, for dumping debris on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office.  Kirk recently paid a $100 fine and has already removed several lilac-bush stumps and discarded dirt from the McDonald Mesa area as part of his penalty.  A group of about 30, including BLM staff and several children from the Cocker Kids Foundation, were nearby and witnessed the dumping.  Seeing someone actually dump trash on public lands left an impression on the children, providing them with a lesson of a lifetime.  The annual “’Dobie Clean-Up,” which celebrates Earth Day, serves to pick up trash illegally dumped by others during the past year. 

“Public lands are not available or appropriate for public dumping,” said Barb Sharrow, field manager of the Uncompahgre Field Office.  “It doesn’t matter if it’s yard waste, animal carcasses, debris left after target practice, or old appliances—it’s illegal to dump on public lands.”

It costs the U.S. taxpayers thousands of dollars annually to have illegal trash removed from public lands and then disposed of properly.  Many times, the trash is a public health and safety issue, and must be tested for hazardous materials, which multiplies the costs.

“Disposal costs can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per incident for such services as laboratory testing, personnel time involved, and transport and disposal,” said Alan Kraus, BLM hazardous materials specialist covering much of western Colorado.  “The public should check with businesses in their local community who may accept such things as hazardous household waste for a minimal fee, or in some cases no fee at all.”  For example, most local automobile battery distributors take old batteries for no charge.  The public is also encouraged to use the local landfill and approach their local county about maintaining special waste disposal facilities for recycling and composting.

Additionally, the Bureau spends significant resources to eradicate noxious and invasive weeds and plants introduced to public lands through illegal dumping.  These weeds and plants can change ecosystems supporting native wildlife and their habitat.

The BLM Uncompahgre Field Office and Gunnison Gorge NCA encompass nearly 960,000 acres of public lands.  BLM frequently locates household trash and yard refuse illegally dumped on public lands.  If you see anyone dumping trash on public lands, BLM encourages you to write down a license number; a description of the vehicle; the date, time and location; and report this information to the BLM Uncompahgre ranger at (970) 240-5300.  This increases BLM’s ability to track down those violators and issue citations.  If caught, the penalty for this offense usually involves both a fine and many hours of community service cleaning up illegal dump sites on public lands.  These are your public lands—BLM needs your help in protecting them. 

-BLM-