Rangers target littering on the Spur
Fines for littering and driving with an uncovered road start at $50, but ultimately it’s up to a judge to decide how much you may have to pay.
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The Spur is known as one of the dirtiest roads in Sevier County, but often it’s the first experience nearly 13 million people see when visiting the Great Smoky Mountains.
This year, despite several clean-up days by Keep Sevier Beautiful and the National Park Service, litter has become a growing problem.
Rangers are now out issuing citations to drivers caught littering or not having a load covered. They’ve also put up new message boards to warn drivers about littering on the road.
“Roadside litter is a punishable offense, and having an uncovered load is also against Tennessee State law and a federal offense, so we are able to enforce those regulations, and we’ve been doing some targeted enforcement,” said Dana Soehn, Spokesperson for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Littering is a federal offense and rangers have been out with a targeted effort to catch people who don’t cover their loads or litter. They say litter is not only an eyesore but a danger to wildlife.
“Often one bag can fly out and as soon as it hits the pavement and explodes, it just gets carried all along the roadside, and again that brings bears and other wildlife closer to the roadsides and putting themselves in risk,” said Soehn. Litter among those roadsides is an eyesore, but it’s also a place that brings our wildlife closer to the roads and puts them at harm’s way.”
Soehn says they’re working on an education effort to stop the littering problem.
Fines for littering and driving with an uncovered road start at $50, but ultimately it’s up to a judge to decide how much you may have to pay.
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