Fwd: L.A. PUBLIC OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE “DON'T DUMP ON LA” CAMPAIGN IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES AND WILMINGTON
Tamiko Nakamoto
From: Richard Lee <Richa...@lacity.org>
Date: Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 6:16 PM
Subject: L.A. PUBLIC OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE "DON'T DUMP ON LA" CAMPAIGN IN
SOUTH LOS ANGELES AND WILMINGTON
To: Richard Lee <Richa...@lacity.org>
Contact: Richard E. Lee
(213) 978-0333
(213) 978-0324
Email: richa...@lacity.org
or
Frank Mateljan
Press Deputy
City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo
(213) 978-8340
LOS ANGELES (November 20, 2008) - City of Los Angeles public officials
today introduced "Don't Dump on LA," a new prevention campaign
targeting South Los Angeles and Wilmington, stressing the City's
$1,000 reward for citizens who report information that leads to the
arrest and conviction of illegal dumping violators.
Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo joined Council members
Janice Hahn, Council District 15, and Jan Perry, Council District 9, and
other public officials to announce the campaign in a news conference at
the intersection of Lanzit Avenue and 112th Street, one of the most
heavily impacted thoroughfares in South Los Angeles.
"Illegal dumping continues to plague and degrade quality of life in
many of our neighborhoods, including South Los Angeles," said City
Attorney Delgadillo. "Together with our Department of Public Works
partners, we will continue to target some of the worst areas in our city
for illegal dumping and increase awareness of this serious problem so
that all of our residents can live in a safe and clean environment."
In addition to Department of Public Works Board members and the Bureaus
of Street Services and Sanitation, representatives of the Los Angeles
Police Department, EnvironmentLA (the Environmental Affairs Department),
and the California Integrated Waste Management Board joined the elected
officials at today's news conference. The campaign will target
severely impacted sections of Council Districts 8, 9, and 15 in South
Los Angeles and Wilmington.
"For years, I have worked closely with the community to find ways to
keep people from dumping in our neighborhoods. We have installed cameras
in alleyways, we have changed the law so that we can impound the cars of
people who dump, but the missing piece has been surveillance and
enforcement of our laws--which is why today's announcement is so
welcomed," said Councilwoman Janice Hahn. "With the grant we have
received for the "Don't Dump on LA" campaign, we will soon see
increased surveillance and enforcement. We need to make some arrests
and set some examples."
EnvironmentLA was awarded a $500,000 California Integrated Waste
Management Board grant on behalf of the City to combat illegal dumping
and fund the campaign. Cleanup of chronic, illegal dumping sites;
additional surveillance of known illegal dumping problem areas; and
community outreach for prevention and proactive approaches are
components. It will serve as a pilot for the development of an effective
incentive and enforcement strategy citywide.
Radio ads on selected stations, in both English and Spanish language,
will begin airing as early as late December and early January.
Associated websites and radio talk shows will feature the campaign, as
well. In-theater ads on illegal dumping prevention also will start to
appear at Magic Johnson Theaters in the Crenshaw district during the
same time period.
Illegal dumping cleanup efforts cost the City about $12 million
annually. "By conducting this campaign, we hope to encourage citizens
to report illegal dumping when they see it occurring to help keep our
city clean and beautiful and we remind them to call the city's
non-emergency hotline 3-1-1, to report violators," said Board of
Public Works President Cynthia M. Ruiz. "All calls are strictly
confidential," she added, "and convicted offenders can receive both
misdemeanor and felony sentences."
Citizens also can report illegal dumping online at the following
website: http://www.lacity.org/boss/StreetUseInspection/form.htm.
The "Don't Dump on LA," campaign will support efforts of the South
Los Angeles Illegal Dumping Prevention Collaborative which was founded
by the City Attorney's Office in 2005 to develop prevention strategies
to combat the problem and prioritize impacted locations. Members
include the Public Works Bureau of Street Services, the Neighborhood
Prosecutor Program, LAPD South Los Angeles Area Senior Lead Officers,
the Departments of Building and Safety, Transportation, Housing, and
Water and Power.
For more information, contact Richard E. Lee, Public Information
Officer of the Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation Public
Affairs Office at (213) 978-0324, or Frank Mateljan, Press Deputy,
Office of the City Attorney at (213) 978-8340.
###
REL 11-20-08