Gov. Beshear Announces Nearly $924,600 in Grants to 16 Kentucky Counties to Clean Up Illegal Open Dumps

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 8, 2024) – Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky Energy and Environment (EEC) Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman today announced approximately $924,600 in grants for the cleanup of 69 illegal dumps in 16 counties across the commonwealth.

“Kentucky families deserve for their communities to be clean and safe. Illegal dump sites can affect Kentuckians’ quality of life and property values through no fault of their own,” Gov. Beshear said. “Thousands of our people will benefit from this grant program.”

The following counties received grants:  Breathitt, Butler, Clay, Floyd, Green, Harlan, Knott, Lawrence, Lyon, Marion, Martin, McLean, Meade, Pike, Warren and Wolfe.

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

Lawrence County Solid Waste Coordinator Paul Walker said he is grateful for all those involved in the Lawrence County project.

“…On behalf of Lawrence County Judge Executive  Philip Carter and the Lawrence County Solid Waste Office I would like to Thank Lisa G. Evans Environmental Scientist Advisor Kentucky Division of Waste Management, Honorable Ky. Governor Andy Beshear and Ky. Energy Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman for funding and approval of this Open Dump Grant. This grant was requested to address an illegal dump area approximately 9/10 of a mile long located on Donithan Branch Road in Lawrence County. We appreciate the foresight and effort by all to help keep our community and state clean and “Tourism Ready “.

–Lawrence County Solid Waste Coordinator, Paul Walker”

“This grant has funded the cleanup for close to 2,800 dump sites across the state since its creation in 2006,” Secretary Goodman said. “I am encouraged that more communities have been awarded them this year and are taking advantage of this wonderful 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.

For grant amounts, please call your local solid waste coordinator or contact Lisa Evans at 502-782-6355 (office), 502-330-6829 (cell) or lisa.evans@ky.gov.