Home » Grants to clean up illegal open dumps in 20 counties announced

Grants to clean up illegal open dumps in 20 counties announced

FRANKFORT, Ky.  Approximately $1.15 million in grant funding has been awarded for the cleanup of 77 illegal dumps in 20 counties across the commonwealth, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Charles Snavely announced Monday.

“This grant program has significantly reduced the number of illegal open dumps across the commonwealth,” Snavely said.  “I encourage all counties to consider using this grant to keep our beautiful Kentucky communities clean and attractive.”

The following counties received grants:  Breathitt, Bullitt, Butler, Calloway, Cumberland, Green, Hardin, Harlan, Hart, Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government, LaRue, Lawrence, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Pike, Russell, Warren, Whitley and Wolfe.

As part of the grant funding, counties must agree to provide a 25-percent match of the grant amount.  The Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) may waive the 25 percent match on any illegal open dump where cleanup costs exceed $50,000.

Funding for the Illegal Open Dump Grant program comes from the Kentucky Pride Fund. The Kentucky Pride Fund is generated through a $1.75 environmental remediation fee for each ton of garbage dumped at Kentucky municipal solid waste landfills.  This “tipping fee” was first authorized by the 2002 General Assembly under House Bill 174, for use in a dump cleanup reimbursement program, and for the remediation of historic landfills. In 2006, Senate Bill 50 changed the reimbursement program to a grant program, and expanded the scope of the fund to address household hazardous waste collection and recycling infrastructure.

For grant amounts or other questions, please call your local solid waste coordinator or Lisa Evans at (502) 782-6355 or [email protected]