ILLEGAL DUMPING VEXING FOR AUTHORITIES

      Illegal dumping is an issue throughout Lane County and the Fern Ridge area is not exempt. Recently, bags of garbage and an old recliner were left near the railroad crossing in Veneta and a boat filled with garbage bags was left at the pullout on Territorial near the Long Tom River.
     County Public Information Officer Devon Ashbridge says there is no lack of work for the two Abatement Officers who work hard to address this issue and will respond to anything left in the country right of way. Because the two officers have such a large area to cover, they rely on people making reports, as happened in the case of the illegal dumping at the railroad tracks. Once they have responded and the mess is cleaned up, Ashbridge says officers will comb through it to look for clues as to who the responsible party is. If they can be identified, they will be hit with a stiff fine as punishment.
     Ashbridge says that illegal dumpers typically look for roads with a pullout or where there is room for a vehicle to pull off the road or turn around. She cites Bolton Hill Road as a place where illegal dumping is common, despite the fact that there is a transfer station at that location. Ashbridge also acknowledges that places such as Highway 126 from Veneta to Eugene are bad for litter, but this roadway falls under the authority of the Oregon Department of Transportation while the County Corps of Engineers were responsible for removing the trash filled boat from the pullout by the Long Tom River.
     Ashbridge asks that people who see illegal dump sites please report it by calling 541-682-4533 or emailing [email protected] or by filling out an online form at lanecountyor./waste.