The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has begun its National Public Lands activities September 8-12 with litter clean-ups in each of the state’s 46 counties.
South Carolina Secretary of Transportation H.B. “Buck” Limehouse Jr. gave an overview of the activities during a news conference in West Columbia on Monday, Sept. 8.
Each September, SCDOT’s statewide maintenance forces demonstrate the agency’s support of National Public Lands Day by scheduling a week of litter pick-up work along selected highways.
“Our statewide maintenance forces, by scheduling a week of litter pick-up along selected highways, will demonstrate our agency’s commitment to keeping South Carolina’s roads clean and beautiful,” Limehouse said. “This is just one of many ways that we are showing concern for our environment and doing all that we can to preserve and protect it.”
Limehouse said he anticipates over 1,700 employees will participate in this year’s effort to clean-up and beautify South Carolina. Additionally, Adopt-A-Highway Groups in several counties will pick up litter from their adopted sections in September.
“Safety, of course, is a major concern, and we want to remind motorists to watch out for our maintenance crews this week as they clean up other people’s trash and litter from our highways. Work zones are hazardous places,” Limehouse said.
SCDOT coordinates numerous cleanup activities throughout the year, including the Public Lands Fall Cleanup and the annual Carolina Spring Clean in April. SCDOT also works with Keep America Beautiful affiliates and the Palmetto Prideways program.
“We will use every opportunity to call attention to critical environmental and natural resources issues, and we call on all South Carolinians to join us in our ongoing efforts to enhance and restore the public lands surrounding our highways for all to enjoy,” Limehouse said.
SCDOT has been a part of National Public Lands Day since its inception in 1994, when it began with 700 volunteers. Last year, the National Public Lands Day event inspired over 110,000 public volunteers to work in 1,300 locations in every state. This year 120,000 volunteers are expected to take part in this effort at 1,500 sites across the nation.
SCDOT Commission Chairman F. Hugh Atkins said, “The highways belong to all of us. Just as homeowners must take care of the upkeep of their homes, all of us have a stake in taking care of the roads. Please help us keep South Carolina clean and slow down in all work zones.”
Commission Chairman F. Hugh Atkins
Commissioner Henry H. Taylor, representing the 2nd Congressional District, said he is proud to be part of a state agency that is “committed to a clean environment and the effort that is necessary to make it happen.”
“Keeping our state and nation clean is everyone’s responsibility,” Taylor said.
Commissioner Marvin Stevenson, representing the 6th Congressional District, said: “We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful state. It is a pity we have so many people who do not appreciate it. They show their lack of appreciation by trashing and littering our highways.”
Stevenson continued, “SCDOT’s National Public Lands activity will involve the clean-up of highways in each of the state’s 46 counties. This is a tremendous undertaking and I applaud the agency and its employees for supporting this very worthwhile endeavor.”
Secretary of Transportation H.B. "Buck" Limehouse Jr.
PHOTO INFORMATION: High resolution photographs of the news conference and litter pickup will be available at the following directory. Cutline information is embedded:
http://www.scdot-transfer.org/scdotphotos/PublicLands/
####
