Law
Enforcement Agencies to Join Forces During "Zero Tolerance
for Litter!" Weekend March 4-6
Posted:
2/23/05
Louisiana's
first "Zero Tolerance for Litter!" campaign will
kick off with a statewide public awareness weekend March 4-6.
The event, coordinated by Keep Louisiana Beautiful Inc., will
bring together law enforcement agencies and concerned citizens
in an effort to keep Louisiana beautiful and litter free.
"We will be
focusing our efforts in areas used by boaters, fishermen and
wildlife management area users," said Col. Winton Vidrine,
chief of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Law Enforcement Division. "And any instances where large
items such as old appliances and furniture are dumped on wildlife
management areas and state refuges, will be investigated."
he added.
LDWF is asking
citizens to help assist in the effort. Persons seeing someone
litter are asked to call 1-888-LITRBUG (1-888-548-7284). Callers
do not have to leave their names. The toll-free hotline operates
24 hours a day.
Callers will be
asked the time, date and location of the littering, and also
the license plate number, color, make, model and year of the
vehicle involved. The offender will then receive a letter
from the Department of Environmental Quality reminding them
that littering is illegal and asking for their help in keeping
Louisiana beautiful. Depending on the incident, a criminal
investigation may also be launched.
Trash ends up
on both our roads and in our waters in various ways. Small
loose objects can fly from boats or the beds of pickup trucks,
adding to the state's litter problem, sometimes unintentionally.
In addition to
being unsightly, litter can be dangerous to boaters, drivers
and to the environment. Massive amounts of rain from thunderstorms,
tropical depressions and hurricanes can lead to flooding conditions,
made even more severe by trash thrown onto our roadways that
ends up in ditches, creeks and bayous, blocking water flow.
Littering also damages our coastal habitat, affecting the
ecosystem of numerous species.
"Not only
is littering ugly and harmful to our environment, it is also
against the law," said Col. Vidrine. "Wildlife and
Fisheries agents will continue to take a strong stance against
littering."
Louisiana law (R.S.
30:2531-R.S. 2531.3) provides for fines from $50 to $5,000
for violators. Those who litter also can expect anywhere between
4 to 100 hours of community service, suspension of their driver's
license for one year, and possible jail time of up to 30 days.
LDWF, Louisiana
State Police, the Department of Corrections, the Department
of Transportation and Development, and Keep Louisiana Beautiful
sponsor "Zero Tolerance for Litter Weekend".
People interested
in volunteering in the state's anti-litter initiatives can
join various efforts by Keep Louisiana Beautiful and its affiliates.
Louisiana's Adopt-A-Road program also is an excellent way
to actively participate in the upkeep and beautification of
Louisiana's highways.
For more
information on this program, call the DEQ at 1-225-379-1346
or visit their Web site at http://www.deq.state.la.us.
To find out more
about "Zero Tolerance for Litter Weekend," contact
Major Jeff Mayne at (225) 765-2980 or jmayne@wlf.louisiana.gov.
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