Grant funds will help clean more dump sites

Clinton County will see more illegal open dump sites cleaned up in 2017 thanks to another grant from the Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Department of Environmental Protection–Division of Waste Management. A total of six illegal dumps will be cleaned up, either by contract or by the county, according to Clinton County Solid Waste Coordinator Rick Stearns.

The county was informed on December 29, 2016 that the Division of Waste Management has approved $246,921 in total 2017 funding under the Illegal Dump Grant Program. The county had originally applied for $258,397. However, according to Stearns, all smaller dumps that will cost less than $50,000 to be cleaned has a minus 20 percent of funding for each dump, with the county to make up the difference.

The county will be responsible for a little less than $12,000 of its share representing the twenty percent, but can be funded through “in-kind” services such as use of county equipment and employees.

The county will have through February of 2018 to expend the funds and have the dump sites cleaned and a total of six dumps were included in the grant request, ranging from as little as around $4,000 in projected cost upwards to $150,000. Five of the sites are considered minor sites, or under the $50,000 limit for full funding.

Any dump that costs more than $50,000 to clean is 100 percent funded under the program, according to Stearns.

The following illegal dump site locations were approved for funding, which includes the amount estimated, compared to the actual grant amount received, minus 20 percent for smaller dump sites:

* Bell Camp dump #2 cost projected is $4,146 with actual funds received from the state, $3,316.80.

* KY 350 dump (Old Monticello Road area), projected cost to clean is $8,672 with actual funding amount minus 20 percent at $6,937.60.

* Bald Rock Road dump cost projection to clean is $9,942 with actual funding of $7,953.60.

* Wells Bottom #5 dump, estimated cost to clean is $34,617 with actual state funding of $27,693.60.

The following two larger dump sites will receive 100 percent funding for clean-up with no local in-kind cost, including:

* Stinson Road dump, $50,680.

* KY 696 dump (near the Albany fire tower) $150,340.

Stearns noted that in 2016, Clinton County was awarded around $240,000 to help clean up five total dump sites, with the largest last year being the Bell Camp #1 site.

With this year’s round of grantmoney, it will bring a total of 11 illegal open dumps cleaned, including three major sites.

The Solid Waste Coordinator noted that the larger dumps will be bid out due to the county not having large enough equipment to clean the sites, but added it is possible the county may be able to clean the Stinson Road site, but that decision would be determined later this year.

He estimated work on the dumps would likely begin sometime in the spring when the weather is suitable for the work to be done, but said all the sites would be complete by next year’s February deadline.

“We may bid as soon as possible, to give potential contractors time to prepare to do the work,” Stearns said.

In addition to the illegal dump grants, Waste Management also awarded the county $19,444 in Litter Abatements. These funds are used to fund county roadside trash pick-up throughout the year.

The grand total of funding received for the 2017 year under the state grant program will amount to approximately $265,000 for Clinton County.