LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO JOIN FORCES DURING "ZERO TOLERANCE FOR
LITTER!" WEEKEND MARCH 4-6
2/24/2005
Louisiana’s first "Zero Tolerance for Litter!" campaign will kick off with a
statewide public awareness weekend set for March 4 through 6. Colonel Winton
Vidrine, chief of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Law
Enforcement Division, announced the agency’s participation today.
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.
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 four to 100 hours of
community service, suspension of their driver’s license for one year, and
possible jail time of up to 30 days.
"We will be focusing our efforts in areas used by boaters, fishermen and
wildlife management area users," added Vidrine. "And any instances where
large items such as old appliances and furniture are dumped on wildlife
management areas and state refuges, will be investigated." Vidrine added.
LDWF is asking citizens to help assist in this effort. If you see someone
littering, please call 1-888-LITRBUG (1-888-548-7284). Callers do not have
to leave their names. This 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.
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 website at 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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