Grant applications for two of Team Kentucky’s signature cleanup programs – illegal open dumping and litter along public roads – are now open to the state’s municipalities.
Counties that are in compliance with their five-year solid waste management plans can now apply for funds to clean up illegal dumps. In the event that sufficient funds are not available to award every request, grant awards may be prioritized on several factors — including location of the dump relative to sensitive receptors or protected areas, the relative hazard posed by the contents of the dumps and the size of the dump.
Applications must be received by Lisa Evans at the Division of Waste Management no later than 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 1. The completed application, signed original agreement and any supporting documentation must be submitted by email in order for the request to be considered complete.
Funding for this comes from the Kentucky Pride Fund, which is supported by a $1.75 per ton fee on municipal solid waste disposal in Kentucky’s contained landfills, and each dumpsite under $50,000 requires a 25% local match.
Grant application packets are being sent by email to county judge/executives and solid waste coordinators. For more information, contact Evans by calling (502) 782-6355 or emailing lisa.evans@ky.gov.
Since 2020, the state has allocated more than $4.1 million toward these efforts.
Meanwhile, litter cleanup grants are awarded based on a formula that considers road miles, total population and rural population in each county. For illegal open dump cleanup grants, counties request specific amounts based on estimated dump costs.
Grant requests for litter cleanup will be accepted from counties in compliance with their five-year solid waste management plans and from incorporated cities, which by solid waste ordinance or other means, provide municipal solid waste collection service.
The Litter Abatement Grant program is supported by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Road Fund and Highway Construction Contingency Fund. Since 2003, state and local governments have cleaned nearly 3.62 million miles of roadways with help from these grants.
Evans is also the contact point here.
