FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear and Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman today announced approximately $955,000 in grant funding has been awarded for the cleanup of 121 illegal dumps in 21 counties across the Commonwealth.
“Illegal dump sites are a blight on this beautiful state of ours,” Gov. Beshear said. “Cleaning these will not only restore properties but will provide a healthier environment for Kentuckians.”
The following counties received grants: Breathitt, Butler, Calloway, Estill, Green, Hart, Henderson, Johnson, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Lincoln, Logan, Magoffin, Marion, Mercer, Metcalfe, Owsley, Pike, Warren, and Wolfe.
As part of the grant funding, counties must agree to provide a 25% match of the grant amount. The Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) may waive the 25% match on any individual illegal open dump where cleanup costs exceed $50,000.
“This grant program has helped clean up over 2,000 dump sites across the state since its creation in 2006,” Secretary Goodman said. “I encourage all counties to continue to take advantage of this program.”
Grants for the Illegal Open Dump Grant program comes from the Kentucky Pride Fund, which 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.
Kentucky has made significant progress in addressing the illegal dump issue thanks to this funding, along with statewide cleanup and educational campaigns by local, state and federal agencies.
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