Office of Public Affairs
For Immediate Release: February 1, 2018
News Release #2018-03
Media Contact: Christina Files
SACRAMENTO – The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has awarded $100,000 to clean up illegal dumpsites in Contra Costa and Fresno counties. Once restored, the two sites will be suitable for use as farm and ranch land again. One site will also host a new agricultural learning center for high school students.
“These cleanup grants help restore agricultural lands to their proper use and protect them from repeat dumping in the future for the protection of public health and safety,” CalRecycle Director Scott Smithline said.
CalRecycle’s Farm and Ranch Solid Waste Cleanup and Abatement Grant Program helps fund the removal and proper disposal of solid waste. Recipients can also use grant funds for fencing and other site security measures to prevent future dumping once a cleanup is completed. In addition to allowing farming operations to resume, cleaning up illegal dump sites eliminates a safety hazard and removes substances that could contaminate the soil and groundwater.
Contra Costa Resource Conservation District
A $50,000 grant has been awarded to the Contra Costa Resource and Conservation District to clear 10.57 acres of farm land that includes a creek, a 2-acre reservoir, a dam, and a spillway.
The district will use grant funds to clear concrete, household waste, automotive parts and other metal, construction debris, tires, and appliances that were illegally dumped in and around the property. The Bull Valley Agricultural Center is actively using a portion of the land with a long-term goal of establishing an agriculture- and ecology-based learning center for high school students. The increased presence of students, instructors, and farmers will help deter future dumping.
Fresno County
A $50,000 grant has been awarded to Fresno County as reimbursement for the cleanup of farmland that became overrun as an illegal a homeless encampment. Westlands Water District owns the property, which is hear the City of Mendota… The encampment cleanup, conducted from October 2015 to January 2016 consisted of clearing, cleaning, and removal of 68 tons of trash, structures, and debris.
CalRecycle’s Farm and Ranch Solid Waste Cleanup and Abatement Grant Program provides up to $1 million annually in grants for the cleanup of illegal solid waste sites on farm or ranch property. A site may be eligible for funding if the parcel is zoned for agricultural use, unauthorized solid waste disposal has occurred, and the site is in need of cleanup to abate a nuisance or public health and safety threat or a threat to the environment. Sites are not eligible for funding if the site is located on property where the owner or local agency is responsible for the illegal disposal of solid waste.
For more information contact, the Office of Public Affairs, opa@calrecycle.ca.gov
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CalRecycle's mission is to protect California's environment and climate for the health and prosperity of future generations through the reduction, reuse and recycling of California resources, environmental education, disaster recovery, and the transition from a disposable to a fully circular economy.