Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is partnering with the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies and Lift Johnstown to hold an informational meeting July 28 in Windber, Somerset County on Illegal Dump Free PA, a program that provides community resources to fight illegal dumping in Pennsylvania, for stakeholders in Cambria, Somerset and Bedford Counties.

The meeting is open to the public and will start at 4:30 p.m. at the Winber Community Building Gym at 1605 Graham Avenue in Windber.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful will provide an overview of their Camera Loan Program grant that is available to Pennsylvania municipalities. The grant includes the loan of a set of three high quality, motion activated, covert security cameras that provide instant wireless transmission of site activity, photo documentation of license plates at speeds of up to 50 MPH, and clear photos of activity day or night, which are key to prosecutions.

Illegal dumping is a statewide concern, according to a recent study commissioned by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and sponsored by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Dumpsites can be found in every county – 6,500 at last count. Cleanups conducted by local municipalities are costly, averaging about $600 per ton, or roughly $3,000 per site, depleting precious resources and staff time. 

“Cleanups are not only costly, but also absolve the dumpers of any responsibility. This program provides the evidence needed to fully prosecute those committing this crime,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep PA Beautiful. “We are grateful to the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies and Lift Johnstown for providing the opportunity for us to present this program and its tools and resources to regional stakeholders. We look forward to providing communities with the resources they need to effectively fight illegal dumping in their community.”

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Illegal Dump Free PA program is supported through a grant from the Department of Environmental Protection.

Contact Marisa Nelson by sending email to: mnelson@cfalleghenies.org  or call 814-536-7741 ext. 114 to register for the program on July 28.

For more information about the Camera Loan Program, visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website. 

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