ASSIGN-A-HIGHWAY PROGRAM This presentation is made possible by a grant from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Litter Control and Recycling Fund Advisory Board, and the Virginia Department of Transportation.

About Assign-A-Highway Program The Program utilizes criminal probationers assigned to pick up litter along certain sections assigned to pick up litter along certain sections of roads and streams. of roads and streams.  Assignments are written in court documents as a condition of probation  Judges determine terms and conditions  Substitution of jail sentence

The Program & Its History  Buchanan County first in Virginia to implement  Many other Southwest Virginia counties have implemented with similar results  Effective litter reduction tool  Roadsides are cleaner  Virginia DEQ Grant to UTRR

Cooperative Organizations  Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, Inc  VA Department of Environmental Quality  VA Department of Transportation

Assign-A-Highway Coordinator  Technical Advisor and Spokesperson  Develop website and Implementation Manual  Technical Advisor and Spokesperson  Develop website and  Implementation Manual

Why is the Program Needed? A Clean and Litter Free Area Brings Many Benefits:  Creates Economic and Industrial Development Opportunities  Promotes Tourism  Enhances Quality of Life & Deters Future Littering  Reduces Clean up Costs

Step 1 Garner Support from the Circuit Court Judge & the Governing Body The Judge must be on board with the Program or it simply will not succeed. Local governing bodies/local officials must be supportive to implement the Program.

Step 2 Governing Body Hires a Litter Officer Experiences show that the program is more effective if a Litter Control Officer is hired. A Litter Control Officer is specialized and does not have the responsibilities that a Sheriff’s Deputy or Animal Control Officer would.

Assign-A-Highway Chart Litter Control Officer VDOT Probationers Probation Officers Judge

Step 3 Produce a Map of the City or County Produce a Map of the City or County Roads and Highways Roads and Highways A Map is needed so that Litter Control Officers can assign probationers to sections of roads and highways and track their performance.

Sample County Map Dickenson County, VA

Sample City Map City of Norton, VA

Steps Litter Control Officer now begins to work with the Probation Office and VDOT LCO receives list of probationers from the Probation Office and then the LCO works with VDOT to acquire clean up materials and to find assignable sections of highway. LCO receives list of probationers from the Probation Office and then the LCO works with VDOT to acquire clean up materials and to find assignable sections of highway.

Steps 7 and 8 Probationers Report to the Litter Control Officer for assignment. The LCO will inform the probationer of his or her responsibilities and what to be cautious of during cleanups. The probationer then cleans their section of highway that is assigned to them.

The Code of Virginia All officials and private volunteers involved in this process enjoy immunity from civil liabilities. This immunity is granted through Section in the Code of Virginia. All officials and private volunteers involved in this process enjoy immunity from civil liabilities. This immunity is granted through Section in the Code of Virginia.

Steps 9 and 10 The Litter Control Officer keeps track of bags collected by the Probationer. Once the number of bags are collected by the Litter Control Officer, then the LCO reports performance to the Probation Office. Keeping track of the bags picked up by the probationers is the best reporting tool for the community to see the success of the program.

Variations There are many different “spin offs” of the Program you may wish to add: There are many different “spin offs” of the Program you may wish to add:  Streams  Dumpsites  Landfills  Recycling Centers

Current Program Participants  Accomack County  Amherst County  Augusta County  Bland County  Brunswick County  Buchanan County  Caroline County  Carroll County  Dickenson County  Giles County  Hanover County  Henry County  Lancaster County  Lee County  Northampton County  Northumberland County  Richmond County  Russell County  Scott County  Smyth County  Southampton County  Spotsylvania County  Tazewell County  Washington County  Westmoreland County  Wise County  City of Norton  Towns of St. Paul and Wise

Contact: Bobby L. Justus Jr. Regional & State Coordinator, Assign-A-Highway Program Upper Tennessee River Roundtable Telephone (276) Fax (276)