Cumberland County Improvement Authority

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2007

IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY ANNOUNCES FIRST PUBLIC LANDS CLEAN-UP OF 2007

MILLVILLE, NJ: Saturday, March 24 has been selected as the date for the first Public Lands Clean-Up of 2007 sponsored by the Cumberland County Clean Communities Program. The March Trash Hunt of our wooded areas will be followed by a Waterways Clean-Up, which will be held on September 29. The Clean Communities Program is administered by the Cumberland County Improvement Authority.

“ This is the 16th consecutive year in which the Improvement Authority has sponsored the Public Lands Clean-Up,” said Cumberland County Recycling Coordinator Dennis DeMatte, Jr. “We are very proud of the volunteers who come together year after year for this event to help clean the County’s lakes, shores, protected woodlands, and rivers. These areas provide many recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy, and are important to maintaining our precious ecosystem.”

“ Over 713 tons of trash, including 12,964 tires, have been collected from the 75,000 acres of Cumberland County’s waterways and protected woodlands since the program started in 1992,” DeMatte continued. “The integrity of Cumberland County’s natural landscape and its overall appearance reflects the positive impact of the clean-up initiative. These are enormous campaigns involving hundreds of volunteers and participating organizations. The volunteers who give their time to this effort year after year deserve a lot of credit.”

“ The 2007 Trash Hunt again welcomes the participation of The Federation of Sportsmen, under the leadership of President Bob Russell, and Lee Widjeskog of the New Jersey Department of Fish and Game,” DeMatte continued. “Also taking part in the event will be the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, Municipal Clean Communities Coordinators, The Nature Conservancy, and Natural Land Trusts. Waste Management, Cifaloglio, Inc., and Giordano’s Recycling will once again be placing roll-off containers in selected locations for volunteers to place trash in as part of their involvement.”

“ In addition, the Clean Communities Program will give out gloves, bags, and hats to each Trash Hunt volunteer. We are working with the local hunting groups to identify which areas will be selected for clean-up and where containers will be located. Any individual or organization interested in being a part of the Public Lands Clean-Up should contact the Cumberland County Improvement Authority at 856-825-3700, or visit the Improvement Authority Web site at www.ccia-net.com,” DeMatte concluded.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For more information about this press release, please contact Dennis DeMatte at 856-825-3700.