The Quarry Road tire dumpsite in Lanesboro was the focus of a restoration project on Friday, May 4th, as several organizations worked together to "put a dent" in the tire pile that has been accumulating for years.

The project was led by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), whose Community Illegal Dumpsite Cleanup Program is responsible for the cleanup of more than 200 dumpsites just like the Quarry Road location. Since the start of the program in 2007, the PEC has had a hand in removing more than 400 tons of tires that have been illegally dumped in the environment.

According to PEC, people do not understand the negative impact illegal dumping of waste has on the environment and local communities.

"It is cheaper and more convenient to dump than to dispose of the tires properly," Program Coordinator Palmira Miller said. "That is why you find so many of these types of illegal dumpsites spread out in rural locations."

Volunteers and employees of DTE Energy pose to commemorate the $30,000 donation from DTE toward the project

The tires were located in a ravine above a tributary whose waters eventually flow into the Starrucca Creek. In order to clean it, volunteers had to scale the side of the hill as they worked. Without the employee volunteers and funding from DTE Energy, the pile of tires would likely have remained and continued to accumulate in this area of the Lanesboro community.

"This kind of collaborative restoration is much needed for many rural municipalities who often do not have a budget that can afford to dispose of this magnitude of waste buildup," said Miller. "For this project alone, DTE Energy Foundation has donated $30,000 toward the effort to secure the right supplies and services to properly and safely dispose of the tires."

Miller said she was pleased with the restoration of the site and hopes to collaborate with organizations like DTE Energy for future restoration projects.

Governor Tom Wolf and PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards announced the approval of funding for 82 projects to improve transportation alternatives and enhance mobility and public accessibility across the commonwealth.

Lanesboro Borough received $1,358,920 for improvements, including drainage, resurfacing and access control, along a 5.5-mile section of the D&H Rail Trail from Brandt to the New York border.

"Building for the future includes improving access to a variety of transportation options and these investments will promote safety and mobility for communities across Pennsylvania," Governor Wolf said.

The administration awarded $66.8 million through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program Set-Aside or Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside. The TA Set-Aside provides funding for projects and activities defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities, and environmental mitigation, trails that serve a transportation purpose, and safe routes to school projects.

"Our citizens are taking advantage of an array of trails and improvements that enhance the state's quality of life, and these new investments will build on our successes in making Pennsylvania an attractive place to live and work," Richards added.

PennDOT evaluated the applications and made selections based on such criteria as safety benefits, reasonableness of cost, readiness for implementation, statewide or regional significance, integration of land use and transportation decision making, collaboration with stakeholders, and leverage of other projects or funding.