Illegal dumping of garbage, old appliances, and abandoned vehicles is a serious problem throughout Trinity County, so much so that an ad hoc committee of concerned citizens, agency representatives and land managers has been formed to deal with this issue. Not only do these sites detract from the natural beauty and tranquility of the woods, they pose severe hazards to humans and wildlife. Seepage from garbage leaches into the soil and runs into the creeks and waterways. Residents downstream are exposed to human waste and toxic chemicals that can make its way into drinking water from wells and streams. Trinity County RCD and the Watershed Research and Training Center in Hayfork partnered to apply for funds to clean up identified sites through the California Integrated Waste Management Board’s Farm and Ranch Illegal Dumpsite Cleanup and Abatement Program on both public and private lands.
A county-wide map (2.4Mb PDF) has also
been produced showing the locations of the illegal dump sites that have been identified
in Phases I-III of this project.
Trinity County Illegal Dumping Ad Hoc Committee
Trinity County Board of Supervisors authorized the Illegal Dumping Ad Hoc Committee in August 2005 which is made up of representatives from many different agencies and organizations. This committee was charged with developing a set of recommendations to ultimately reduce the incidence of illegal dumping which. This committee has brainstormed the root causes of the illegal dumping problem along with solutions that might prevail in our war against trash. To date the Ad Hoc Committee has:
- Created a “Keep Trinity County Beautiful” Campaign to help prevent illegal dumping.
- Set up a toll free hotline—1-888-NO DUMPN with funds from a matching grant for residents to call in illegal sites.
- Published two articles in local newspapers about the illegal dumping issue.
- Created an amendment to the County Ordinance regarding vehicle abatement, and a Memorandum of Understanding that can be used for partnerships with private landowners that have found illegally-dumped abandoned vehicles on their land.
- Promoted increased investigation and prosecution of guilty parties with a “short form” that reduces law enforcement officers’ time in filling out the initial reports to begin a prosecution.
- Partnered with the local Channel 22 TV station to cover the issue.
- Investigated the surveillance equipment options that will help in future prosecution of illegal dump cases.
- Submitted three proposals to the California Integrated Waste Management Board to clean up illegal dump sites on forest lands and been awarded $179,480 for addressing 46 sites throughout Trinity County.
The ad-hoc committee continues to work on other available options to stop the illegal dumping. We are drafting a Round IV grant proposal that will continue our countywide effort to Keep Trinity County Beautiful. Thank you for your support of our efforts.
How do I report illegal dumping?
A Trinity County Illegal Dumping Hotline has been set up to receive calls about illegal dumping. Staff will record your complaint and direct it to the appropriate agency for follow-up action. Please call 888-No-Dumpn (1-888-663-8676).
Ad Hoc Committee representatives include:
- Trinity County Board of Supervisors
- Trinity County Departments
- Solid Waste
- Building Services
- Airports
- Health and Human Services
- Vehicle Abatement
- US Forest Service
- South Fork Management Unit
- Trinity River Management Unit
- Trinity National Recreation Area
- Mad River Ranger District
- Lower Trinity Ranger District
- Shasta Trinity National Forest Law Enforcement
- Bureau of Land Management
- Shasta County District Attorney
- Environmental Prosecution Office
- Trinity County Resource Conservation District
- Watershed Research and Training Center
- Sierra Pacific Industries
- Trinity Business Incubator
For more information see:
