VALLEY — The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council (SLVEC) and Conejos Clean Water (CCW) are bringing together community, government, and businesses to develop a San Luis Valley Regional Waste Diversion Plan that will divert a large portion of residential and commercial trash from the landfill, instead being composted or recycled. Once developed, implementing this plan will also address illegal dumping behavior and encourage a healthier Valley environment that contributes to overall economic and social wellbeing.

It has been estimated that taxpayers have spent more than $200,000 throughout the San Luis Valley (SLV) so far to clean up dangerous and unhealthy illegal dump sites. A major portion of the money used to clean up these illegal dump sites could have been used to fund youth programs, hiking trails, or even a recycling center. Instead of illegal dumping around waterways and on public lands, proper waste disposal contributes to cleaner, healthier communities in which to live, work, play and learn.

During the last week of June, SLVEC and CCW invite the public to participate in one of three Stakeholder Waste Diversion Meetings. These meetings will give the public the opportunity to learn the latest information and data that has been collected by the Regional Waste Diversion Task Force.

Also, interests and perspectives of public officials, businesses, community leaders, or concerned citizens are essential to the development of this SLV Regional Waste Diversion Plan. The public will have the opportunity to contribute ideas of how to create a Regional Waste Diversion Plan for the SLV, including infrastructure, policy, and programs which support recycling and composting across the region.

These stakeholder meetings will support efforts to: (1) Improve composting and recycling participation across the SLV; (2) Support the SLV Regional Landfill and current waste hauling services; and (3) Address the long-term impacts of illegal dumping which undermines communities, ruins wildlife habitat, and spoils the Valley’s unique vistas.

Please join in one of the following meetings held across the SLV:

• Tuesday, June 27th: San Luis, Public Health Conference Room, 5:30-7:30 p.m., 233 Main Street, Suite C

• Wednesday June 28th: Alamosa, SLV Water Conservancy Board Room, 2–4 p.m., 623 4th Street

• Wednesday 28th: Del Norte, Rio Grande County Annex, 6–8 p.m., 965 6th Street

Meeting participants will leave with the knowledge of how the regional waste system works and how important the SLV Regional Landfill is to the health and safety of everyone who resides here.

For more information, visit www.slvec.org/solid-waste-management/, or call Kristina Crowder at (719) 588-5127.