Gov. Nikki Haley, Cabinet Officials Announce Collaborative Effort to Address Litter on S.C. Interstates
February 18, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – Governor Nikki Haley was joined by Director of the Department of Corrections Bryan Stirling, Director of the Department of Public Safety Leroy Smith, Director of the Department of Natural Resources Alvin Taylor, and the Director of Palmetto Pride, Sarah Lyles, to announce a collaborative effort to address litter on South Carolina interstates.
“We have talked the last four years about changing the culture and the image of South Carolina and we see how we’ve brought jobs in and how tourism is up 35%,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. “We are more on the map than we have ever been, but if you look at what our state looks like, there is a lot of litter on our roads – more than we have ever seen before. So we need to get the attention of the public to remind them to take care of the place where we live. This is our state and it’s one that we are proud of, and it’s up to all of us who live here to keep it beautiful.”
Secretary of Transportation Janet Oakley, Director Stirling and Director Smith each signed a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes ways to improve communication and coordination between their agencies for recognizing litter “Hot Spots” along the highway and cleaning up those areas in a timely manner. Palmetto Pride and the Department of Natural Resources will continue supporting the effort to clean up South Carolina’s litter in many ways, including the Trash Tracker app and the Litter Buster Hotline (877-7LITTER).
“Our troopers and officers are on our interstates every day. They are in a prime position to spot and report litter,” said SCDPS Director Leroy Smith.
“The governor asked us to look at litter and how we picked it up,” said Director of the Department of Corrections Bryan Stirling. “We decided to partner with DOT to make sure that when they cut, we knew before they cut so we could go pick up the trash before it was multiplied. We decided to work with the Department of Public Safety to get notifications of hot spots from Palmetto Pride and DNR, so we would know where the litter was.”
“Under Governor Haley’s leadership, South Carolina’s economy is growing every day. The state’s highway system serves as the infrastructure for economic development,” said Secretary of Transportation Janet Oakley. “SCDOT recognizes the role our roadways play as gateways and how we attract businesses and industry to our state. SCDOT is proud to partner with other state agencies to support the Governor’s anti-litter campaign.”
“We all have a role in keeping our state clean, and with the agencies taking care of our highways and interstates, it will make a big difference,” said Sarah Lyle, Director of Palmetto Pride. “We commend Governor Haley and the Departments of Transportation, Natural Resources, Public Safety, and Corrections for making litter removal a priority in South Carolina.”
