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UPDATE: DEP Cleans Springfork Drive Dumps

By: Katelyn Sykes Email
Updated: Tue 12:01 AM, Mar 27, 2012

UPDATE 3/26/12 @ 8:45 p.m.
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Just three days after we showed you a dump along Springfork Drive in Campbell's Creek, the DEP was out cleaning it up Monday.

It's all part of the DEP's REAP Program, or Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan, and they're cleaning up tons of trash across the state every year.

A mess was dumped along Springfork Drive in Campbell's Creek on Friday. There was enough junk in the neighborhood to leave neighbors in disgust.

"Let the picture tell the tale," said Sherri Perry on Friday. "I mean, look at it. It's horrible.It's really sad."

But fast forward to Monday and a much cleaner and greener story -- one that became a top priority.

"It's been on our list to, but I guess when you all did a story last week, we just decided we'd go ahead and finish it up today since it's been on the list," said Greg Rote, DEP REAP Program Manager.

As part of the Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan, or REAP, the DEP is pitching in to pick up six tons of trash.

"If it comes out of a house, chances are you're going to find it here some place," Rote said.

And this crew has seen it all. Workers even found meth waste.

Every year they're out cleaning up this spot and they're trying to spot whomever is doing the dirty dumping -- something that left them fed up and frustrated.

"It's bad," Rote said. "We try to run cameras. We try to catch people. We try to take names and stuff out of the dumps, and we'll try to get everybody that we can prosecuted for doing this."

And buried in that trash are some clues that could lead them to potential suspects.

For now, the DEP is blocking the road to make it tougher for dumpers to make a mess.

With it clean now, neighbors want everyone to know they're watching to keep their neighborhood free of debris.



ORIGINAL STORY 3/23/12
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Folks living in a Campbell's Creek neighborhood are fed up by loads of trash. Now they're speaking out, saying enough is enough.

They're referring to trash dumped along the side of Springfork Drive in Campbell's Creek.

"Let the picture tell the tale," said Sherri Perry, neighbor. "I mean, look at it. It's horrible. It's really sad."

Perry said this has been going on for several years. Someone is driving into their neighborhood and dumping their garbage.

"Here recently it's gotten really bad," she said. "This used to be a road that everybody took to go on top of the mountain. And there's absolutely no way that anybody can get back through there now."

Vanesse Myers is just as frustrated.

"We don't take our trash and dump it in their backyard," Myers said. "I mean, there's places for this."

Both women said this isn't even the worst of it.

"If you go on the mountain, over the hillside, people just pull up and dump everything they have over there," Myers said. "There's tires, refrigerators, garbage bags. And, look people, if you're going to put your trash in garbage bags, toss them in somebody's dumpster. This is, it's sickening."

Myers and Perry said they've tried to get help. So far, though, they say they haven't gotten anywhere.

"It's sad," Myers said. "And we need help."

Until then, they said they're keeping a close eye on who's coming in and out of their neighborhood until this dumping comes to an end.

Neighbors also have started a Facebook page in hopes of getting some help.

WSAZ.com also tried talking to the DEP about the dump but hadn't heard back as of late Friday.


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