DEP's Illegal Dumping 'Don't Waste Our Space' Initiative Is Paying Off

Thinking about dumping that old couch, or the television that doesn't work anymore somewhere in the woods?

Don't.

The state Department of Environmental Protection, with the help of state Park Police, have arrested more than 130 culprits since the DEP launched “Don’t Waste Our Open Space” three years ago, due to reports of increased dumping. Depending on what was dumped, those discovered can face civil and/or criminal penalties, Commissioner Bob Martin said.

Penalties for illegal dumping in state parks and in wildlife management areas will include criminal fines of up to $5,000 per violation and civil penalties of up to $1,500 per violation. “Protecting our pristine lands and recreational properties from illegal dumping remains a major priority for the Christie Administration,” Martin said. “We will continue to commit resources to this program, prosecute violators to the fullest extent of the law, and educate the public about the consequences of illegal dumping.”

The “Don’t Waste Our Open Space” campaign is a joint effort of the DEP’s Division of Parks and Forestry, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Compliance and Enforcement program, Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste, Water Resources Management program and the Natural Lands Trust.

The campaign stresses strict enforcement of illegal dumping laws while raising awareness of the problem through outreach and education.

“The men and women of the State Park Police work each day to ensure the safety of visitors to our parks and preservation of the places that attract them there,” said State Park Police Chief Terri Genardi. “We welcome the additional eyes, ears and voices that our visitors provide to assist us in this important endeavor.”

State Park Police and Conservation Officers use strategically placed motion-sensor cameras in select state parks and wildlife management areas to capture incidents of illegal dumping.

“Maintaining our open spaces and protecting and preserving the unique ecology of our state is one of the highest priorities for our division,” said Chief Matt Brown of the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Bureau of Law Enforcement. “Ensuring that the public has multiple ways to report illegal dumping and misuse of public lands has been a tremendous help in protecting our lands and the species that call it home.”

Recent State Park Police and State Conservation Police enforcement and court actions related to the crackdown of illegal dumping include:

Randall Hutchinson, Jr., 29, of Mine Hill, Morris County, was ordered by to pay $1,098 in fees, work 300 hours of community service and serve three years of probation for extensive illegal dumping in October 2015 at Stokes State Forest in Sussex County. Hutchinson Jr. also will undergo random drug tests. He faces a minimum 90-day jail sentence, and additional fines and fees if any of the court’s requirements are not met.·

Gilmer Castillo, 28, of Hamilton, Mercer County, is charged with illegal dumping of hazardous chemicals after four barrels containing tetrachloroethylene (TCE), a chemical used in dry cleaning, were discovered on the Delaware & Raritan Canal tow path on Duck Island in Hamilton Township, Mercer County. He faces fines exceeding $25,000, and other penalties. The case is pending.

Timothy Liesch, 29, of Readington Township, Hunterdon County, pleaded guilty to dumping debris from a remodeling project at the South Branch Wildlife Management Area in Hunterdon County in July 2016. He paid a $1,500 fine and $1,064 restitution for debris removal.

Joseph Lewis, 43, of Monroe Township, Gloucester County, was charged with dumping refuse on a wildlife management area, damage to vegetation, and two additional counts of dumping sold waste on state property and private property after conservation officers found a trash pile in the Winslow Wildlife Management Area that had originated at a federal park site in Philadelphia. The case is pending.

Thomas M. Smith, 20, of Stillwater Township, Sussex County, pleaded guilty to dumping a boat and trailer on the Paulinskill River Wildlife Management Area in Hampton Township, Sussex County, in August 2016. He paid a $1,500 fine and $500 restitution for removal and disposal of the boat and trailer.

Reginald Casterlin, 47, of Hardyston, Sussex County, pleaded guilty to illegal dumping in connection with the disposal of household trash on Goodale Road in Andover, also in Sussex County. He was ordered to pay $3,099 in fines and court fees.

Emmanuel Rodriguez, 22, of Clementon, Camden County, was fined $1,000 plus court courts after admitting he dumped a pile of debris that stood four feet tall and was spread over 12 feet in southern New Jersey’s Wharton State Forest. The incident occurred in January 2016.

Joseph Lane, 28, of Pemberton, Burlington County, was charged with illegally dumping a pop-up camper off Mount Misery Road in Brendan Byrne State Forest in May 2016. State Park Police traced the camper to its previous owner in Brick, who told detectives he sold the camper to Lane. Lane admitted owning the camper. The case is pending.

Randall Hutchinson, Jr., 29, of Mine Hill, Morris County, was ordered by Superior Court to pay $1,098 in fees, work 300 hours of community service and serve three years of probation for extensive illegal dumping in October 2015 at Stokes State Forest in Sussex County. Hutchinson Jr. also will undergo random drug tests. He faces a minimum 90-day jail sentence, and additional fines and fees if any of the court’s requirements are not met.

The DEP owns and manages more than 170 state parks, state forests, wildlife management areas and other natural lands and preserves that encompass some 813,000 acres of open space, including woodlands, grasslands, freshwater and saltwater marshes, and mountainous areas.

To learn more about the “Don’t Waste Our Open Space” campaign and how to combat illegal dumping, visit:www.stopdumping.nj.gov/

For more information on State Parks and Forests, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/

For more information on State Park Police, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/njstateparkpolice/index.htm

For more information on Solid Waste Compliance and Enforcement, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/sw.html

For more information on DEP Natural Lands Management, visit: www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/natural/index.html

Image: State Department of Environmental Protection