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Department of Ecology News Release - June 19, 2008
08-174
SPOKANE - Eastern Washington's roadways are just about to get a little bit cleaner, thanks to 114 teens, members of the Ecology Youth Corps, who begin picking up litter June 23.
The youth, age 14 to 17, will work in two, four-week sessions under the direction of the Washington Department of Ecology. They plan to clean up over 2,000 miles of freeway and highway in 13 Eastern Washington counties.
Teens from throughout the region applied for the annual program in April and were accepted for the $8.07 per hour jobs in a competitive process. The focus of the Ecology Youth Corps is not just litter pickup, but also educating youth about good stewardship of the environment.
"These kids are really dedicated to helping improve the environment in Eastern Washington. They deserve to be recognized and respected for what they're doing. We hope drivers will be particularly careful when they see our crews working a stretch of road," said Gary Lambacher, who coordinates the Ecology Youth Corps for the eastern region of the Department of Ecology.
The Ecology Youth Corps is a statewide program supported by the Department of Ecology that removes more than 1.1 million pounds of litter and illegally dumped materials annually from along Washington's roadways. Last year, the Youth Corps collected more than 205,000 pounds of litter in Eastern Washington. Other participants in the litter cleanup effort include county community litter-cleanup programs and the state department of Natural Resources, Transportation, Corrections, and Parks and Recreation. A tax on items that contribute to the litter problem supports Washington's litter-control efforts.
The litter crews will be at work from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, June 24 to July 18 and again from July 22 to August 15. Crews work in teams of five or six with an experienced adult supervisor. Each crew cleans 4 to 10 miles of roadway per day. On rainy days, or when the weather is too hot, the crews will take a break from the road to receive classroom education that focuses on climate change, waste reduction and recycling.
The Washington Department of Ecology urges motorists to use extra caution when they see the orange "Ecology youth working" signs along state highways. Crews will be at work on I-90 west of Spokane to Vantage, SR 395 from Ritzville to Pasco and major portions of other state highways in Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, Grant, Ferry, Franklin, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla and Whitman counties.
Littering can draw fines of up to $1,025. Fines for illegal dumping are $1,000 to $5,000, plus jail time. Failure to secure your load leads to fines of $216 and potential criminal charges if people or property are injured or damaged. To report litter coming from a vehicle, call toll-free to 866-LITTER-1 (866-548-8371).
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Media Contacts:
Cathy Cochrane, 509-329-3433; cell, 509-290-0685; e-mail, ccoc461@ecy.wa.gov
Jani Gilbert, 509-329-3495; cell, 509-990-9177; e-mail, jagi461@ecy.wa.gov
For more information:
Ecology Youth Corps: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/eyc/
Litter: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/litter
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
