Dumping mars Conservancy

MATT HUGHES

mhughes@timesleader.com

HANOVER TWP. – Township police are investigating the illegal dumping of roughly 20 cubic yards of trash discovered Tuesday on Earth Conservancy land near South Preston Drive in the Preston section of the township.

Earth Conservancy spokeswoman Jacqueline Dickman said the scene appeared “like someone backed up a dump truck and just dumped” the pile of trash, which included food and other household garbage as well as broken furniture and children’s toys. Some mail containing names and addresses was discovered in the pile and turned over to township police, Dickman said.

South Preston Drive runs from Hazle Street to the Greater Hanover Area Recreation Park. The trash was found just beyond the Interstate 81 overpass, Dickman said. The Earth Conservancy spokeswoman said the dump site is too small to ask for volunteers to help, and that conservancy workers would clean it up.

“It’s too small to bring in volunteers and contractors to clean it up, but we try to bring it to the public’s attention because it’s an ongoing problem,” she said, adding that Earth Conservancy frequently contends with illegal dumping on the lands it manages.

Dickman said Earth Conservancy will offer a reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who dumped the trash, but the organization has not yet determined an amount. Anyone with information regarding the illegal dumping is asked to contact Hanover Township police at 825-1254.