Lisa Cooper of Cabot Station Recycling Center and her team recently traveled to Oglebay in Wheeling, West Virginia to attend the REAP – WV Department of Environmental Litter Control Conference where Calhoun was recognized for the participation in the River Clean up pilot Program.
Tanya Cunningham, Cabot Station Recycling Assistant attended the solid waste management board meeting along with Carol Sloane, Vice President and were allowed to vote on the election of officers, while Lisa and Brenda Bush attended the litter control officer meeting.
REAP is wanting each county to have their own Litter Control officer, however Calhoun currently does not have one. An online training is available as well as an in person class in Flatwoods, WV and the possibility of a litter control grant for helping to pay the wages. While at the conference Calhoun’s team had the opportunity to spend time with Roane County’s Litter Control Officer who will be a guest speaker at the next Boot Strap meeting in November.
Brenda Bush won the first prize at the conference where Calhoun’s river clean up made the pilot program.
The clean up efforts of the Cabot Station Recycling Center have made an enormous difference in the appearance of our Community and Rivers.
The WV Adopt-A-Stream program has been able to partner with the DEP’s Stream Partners and Save Our Streams Programs. Through this partnership, Adopt-A-Stream will be able to offer opportunities such as:
- Educational programs dealing with issues such as water quality, aquatic insect/fish identification and habitat restoration.
- Training of volunteers on how to monitor their stream.
- Assistance in developing a watershed organization
- Possible grant funding for watershed projects.
Programs such as those at Cabot Station Recycling Center received
- River/Stream cleanup planning assistance
- Cleanup supplies (bags/gloves)
- Hauling of waste/tires
- Waste/Tire disposal fees
- Public relations, print media and social media assistance
- Technical assistance/education regarding water quality and stream habitat provided by the DEP’s Stream Partners and Save Our Streams Programs.
An online application is available through the WV Adopt-A-Stream website. Groups wishing to adopt a section of stream may also download a hard copy application from the website and submit it via mail or email. Applications are revised by the State coordinator and are then passed on to the appropriate PPOD Project Managers for a secondary review. If the application meets all requirements, the adoption is approved and the group is notified. WV Adopt a Stream reserves the right to deny an application should it be determined that the stream in question is unsafe.
Groups must notify the Adopt-A-Stream Program at least two weeks prior to each clean up and conduct at least one each year. Following the event a report must be submitted.
