Photo of Torchlight dump to be cleaned up courtesy Paul Walker
LOUISA, Ky. — Lawrence County Solid Waste Manager Paul Walker announced Friday the whereabouts of the dump area he has designated as the target for more than $12,700 in state funding from the Ky. Illegal Open Dump program.
Here is the press release:
“…The Honorable Judge Phillip L. Carter and Solid Waste Coordinator Paul Walker would like to thank Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) Secretary Rebecca Goodman along with Lisa Evans Environmental Scientist Consultant with Ky. Division of waste Management for the continuing support of the illegal open dump program.
Specifically, Lawrence County has been approved to receive funding from the Illegal Open Dump Grant Program for the following dumpsites:
Specifically, Lawrence County has been approved to receive funding from the Illegal Open Dump Grant Program for the following dumpsites:
AI#
184612 Right Fork of Yellow Creek $6,885.07,
184613 Torchlight Road Property $5,863.01
Approval of the 2025 IllegalOpen Dump Grant application from Lawrence County totaling $12,748.08″
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Here is the announcement from Governor Beshear.
Gov. Beshear Awards $932,000 To Clean Up Illegal Open Dumps and Support Healthy Communities
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 13, 2024) – Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) Secretary Rebecca Goodman today announced more than $932,000 to clean up 85 illegal dumps in 17 counties and support healthy communities across the commonwealth.
“We are proud to support our local communities in making sure all our families have a safe and clean place to call home,” Gov. Beshear said. “And we’re putting in the work to make sure each corner of the commonwealth is ready to welcome more businesses and visitors to our new Kentucky home.”
The following counties received grants: Breathitt, Butler, Crittenden, Estill, Floyd, Green, Johnson, LaRue, Lawrence, Martin, Mason, Meade, Perry, Robertson, Taylor, Warren and Wolfe. In 2024, Illegal Open Dump grants dispersed by the Beshear Administration totaled nearly $25.3 million to 16 counties, including Warren County.
“Warren County is dedicated to keeping our community clean and safe, and the recent illegal dump grant awarded last year allowed us to address this environmental challenge and remove a significant amount of trash that had been illegally dumped,” Warren County Judge/Executive Doug Gorman said. “With strong participation in our waste collection program, and the opportunity to work alongside local and state offices to identify and resolve illegal dumpsites, we are able ensure a cleaner future for Warren County.”
As part of the grant, counties agree to provide a 25 percent match which may be waived for dumps where cleanup costs exceed $50,000. “Close to 3,000 dump sites have been removed since this grant was created,” Secretary Goodman said. “These cleanup measures strengthen our communities and protect one of our most precious resources, our families.”
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.
Authorized by the 2002 General Assembly, this “tipping fee” was used 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 continues to make significant progress in improving communities and removing illegal dump sites due to this funding along with statewide cleanup and educational campaigns by local, state and federal agencies.
For additional information, your local solid waste coordinator or Lisa Evans at 502-782-6355 (office), 502-330-6829 (cell) or lisa.evans@ky.gov.
