Louisiana Governor Announces Statewide Recommendations for Litter Abatement and Major Cleanup Project

Governor John Bel Edwards was joined by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, and LSU officials on August 16, 2022, to announce federal and state funding for the first phase of a major cleanup of a borrow pit at Burden Museum and Gardens that had been inadvertently collecting trash from stormwater for decades. Burden is one of the primary demonstration sites for stormwater management programs. Members of the Governor’s Litter Abatement and Beautification Task Force have also submitted their inaugural report, which includes recommendations for developing and maintaining litter prevention activities throughout Louisiana.

“The difference between today and a little more than six months ago when I stood in the exact same spot at the Burden Museum and Gardens is simply astonishing,” said Governor Edwards. “I’m grateful to the federal government, DEQ Sec. Chuck Brown, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, the volunteers, and The Osprey Initiative for making this cleanup happen. Litter is a serious problems in our state and to help communities, I signed Act 228 into law this year which will allow municipalities to fund stormwater management. It provides them a local option to declare stormwater a utility and establish a fee for permanent funding to support programs for flood prevention and litter abatement.”

“I also want to commend members of the task force. They have been diligently working for months and developed a comprehensive plan designed to decrease litter and illegal dumping in Louisiana. It’s focused on education, public awareness, enforcement of laws already on the books and community engagement that can be used to cleanup and keep Louisiana the beautiful sportsman’s paradise that we all love.”

By executive order, Louisiana Governor Edwards established The Governor’s Task Force on Statewide Litter Abatement and Beautification in January of this year. The Keep Louisiana Beautiful program under the Lieutenant Governor’s office has been in charge of it. Members were tasked with developing policy solutions to Louisiana’s litter problem, as well as educating the public and promoting neighborhood trash abatement efforts. The following are their initial recommendations and important priorities:

• Establish Fundamentals to Sustain Litter Prevention and Beautification Efforts
• Raise Public Awareness
• Build Knowledge through Training and Education
• Advance Youth Education to Create a Culture of Cleanliness
• Strengthen Litter and Illegal Dumping Enforcement Efforts
• Improve Waste Disposal Practices and Recycling Opportunities
• Expand Litter Prevention and Removal Initiatives
• Support Beautification and Community Appearance Enhancement

Follow this link to view the Governor’s Task Force On Statewide Litter Abatement And Beautification Report Of Task Force Initial Recommendations And Key Priorities

The cleanup and the stormwater demonstration and education site at Burden will be paid for with both federal and state funds. The LSU AgCenter was given a $500,000 Environmental Protection Agency Trash Free Waters Grant to clean up and implement three litter abatement demonstration sites in Baton Rouge, as well as a community engagement campaign. The Burden Museum and Gardens, the Capital Lakes, and the Bayou Fountain in BREC’s Highland Road Park are among them. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality contributed $400,000 in additional money, while the Lieutenant Governor’s Office contributed $75,000 in additional cash.

“It has been an honor to chair the Governor’s Statewide Litter Abatement and Beautification Task Force. We spent many hours on this report, but this is not the end. I’m very passionate about cleaning up our state and Keeping Louisiana Beautiful so we can Let Louisiana Shine. It is important for our quality of life and the millions of visitors we welcome each year, as well as potential visitors looking for a cleaner destination,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.

The Osprey Initiative began the initial tactical clearance procedure of trash at Burden on July 18, 2022.

The LSU AgCenter is collaborating with the Governor’s Office, the Commissioner’s Office, the City of Baton Rouge, the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Louisiana Stormwater Coalition, and TriCoeur Engineering Services.

Follow this link to view images of the Burden Cleanup Project.

Featured image source: Hannah Kleinpeter / Louisiana Office of the Governor