PA CleanWays of Blair County and Antis Township will be working together to clean up the environment in the near future in an effort to maintain the beauty of our area.
The beginning stages of cleaning up Antis Township will begin with work along River Road, down by the PPG plant, where the industrial park is located. There has been a dumpsite in the area for a few years for many people who illegally dump items of trash.
The greatest hazard of illegal dumping is the harm it does to our environment. As rain-water filters down through trash, it percolates into our ground water, polluting our watershed, causing potential harm or health problems to all living things. Over half of illegal dumps are directly in or within fifty feet of a body of water.
Illegal dumping decreases property value of land, attracts crime and discourages newcomers, both residential and business, from settling in the area. It decreases community self-worth and drains municipal resources.
PA CleanWays is a nonprofit organization that fights illegal dumping and littering. With the support of local government, business and community sponsors and local people, they help to organize cleanups of dumped areas, restore their beauty and keep them trash-free.
CleanWays coordinate and facilitate the adoption of non-state maintained roads, parks, streams, trails and other areas. They promote recycling and find affordable convenient alternatives for the disposal of problem items like large appliances, tires, batteries and electronics.
Dave Thomas, Executive Director of PA CleanWays of Blair County, stated, “PA CleanWays has learned that by forming partnerships with local governments, civil groups and businesses, we can significantly reduce the negative impact littering and illegal dumping has on the environment.”
“Antis Township has partnered with our Chapter by supporting local road and stream adoption, as well as helping with illegal dumping within the township,” said Thomas.
CleanWays also work to increase public awareness through educational publications, displays and presentations.
Antis Township Supervisor and Road Manager, Ray Amato, is elated about the up and coming cleanup in the township. “CleanWays had called me and asked if Antis Township would be interested in helping them out and donating volunteers, who as of now include Bob Srock, Bud Grassmyer and myself.”
“The people who have been dumping along River Road have accumulated tons and tons of junk,” said Amato. “There’s about two to three large truck loads of tires, shingles, refrigerators, stoves and everything else back in there.”
Antis Township has agreed to donate a truck and their payloader to assist CleanWays in their efforts to clean all the garbage out of the area. Altoona Enterprises and Marty Marasco has given the township permission to put a gate up in that area, which has already been done, and is locked up where nobody can get in unless the Utilities people need access.
The cleanup will eventually be done in all of Antis Township, but the worst is on River Road.
Amato added, “That area was like a little hideout for a lot of people who dump, and we ran across it and got in touch with the CleanWays people, and they were just tickled pink to help us.”
The cleanup has no official date set presently, but Amato says it will take place in the latter part of October or early November. The public will be informed of the official date slated for the cleanup when it is decided upon.
“CleanWays is really a nice group of people,” said Amato. “They’re really cleaning up the whole township and Blair County. This cleanup is great for Antis Township. We only have one little world here and we have to keep it clean. Maybe we can educate the younger people on not dumping and to keep our environment safe and clean.”
Amato added, “It would be wonderful if the officials in Bellwood-Antis and Tyrone municipalities would get together with CleanWays and do a sweep through the whole area. Maybe we can make it work somehow – it would just be great.”
Anyone who wishes to help in the cleanup, please contact Ray Amato at 742-7396, or contact PA CleanWays of Blair County at 946-0484. PA CleanWays also has a website to visit at www.pacleanways.org/blair.
