Governor Steve Beshear today announced that approximately $2.1 million in grant funding has been awarded by the Kentucky Pride Fund for cleanup of 172 illegal dumps in 26 counties across the Commonwealth.  Henderson County received a portion of that money.

Henderson County  will receive an Illegal Open Dump Grant in the amount of $2,735.42 for reimbursement for the cleanup of 22 small dumps.

It’s time for the annual cleaning of the Ohio River and your help is needed.   Volunteers are needed for River Sweep 2012 scheduled for Saturday, June 16, along the shoreline of the Ohio River and its many tributaries.

River Sweep is a riverbank cleanup that extends the entire length of the Ohio River and beyond.  More than 3,000 miles of shoreline will be combed for trash and debris.  This is the largest environmental event of its kind and encompasses six states.

“The Ohio River Sweep is very important because for a few hours on one day volunteers can help make a difference in the appearance of this great natural resource,” said Jeanne Ison, Project Director.

Veolia ES Solid Waste, Inc., the solid waste division of Veolia Environmental Services North America (VESNA), has announced the introduction of Indiana’s first fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG) powered refuse trucks to its Evansville service area. A ceremony attended by Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, Veolia executives and members of the Evansville community was held y at the Veolia ES Solid Waste – Evansville location to celebrate the company’s new fleet and CNG fueling station.

Indiana-based manufacturer Autocar built the chassis for 20 of the trucks and Kenworth manufactured eight roll-off trucks for Veolia’s new fleet. All will service over 24,000 residential and commercial customers across Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson, Posey, Spencer and Henderson counties in the greater Evansville area.

According to the company, customers will notice the new trucks run approximately 15 percent (8-10 decibels) quieter than trucks powered with diesel engines.