Punish litter bugs

A Spectrum, by R.K. Butts

Regarding the article "Not in my backyard," by Rindi White published on Dec. 15, the article stated that if the offender is identified, the borough gives them the "option" of cleaning up the mess.

That is part of the problem -- weak enforcement.

A judge can direct the

offender to remove the trash or vehicle as part of the

sentence.

The article states that an offender can be fined up to $360 for violation of borough ordinance.

Again, this is part of the problem -- under A.S. 46.06.080, a person convicted of littering can be fined up to $1,000, in addition to being directed to pick up litter. (And a 3,000-pound car is a lot of litter.)

In addition, dumping a vehicle on public property is a violation of A.S. 28.11.010 and A.S.28.11.020. A.S.28.11.010 specifically states that the violator is liable for the cost of removal and disposition.

If the trash (or vehicle that was dumped) contains hazardous materials, then the Department of Environment Conservation can get involved and add their charges. Vehicles containing antifreeze, or a battery, pollute ground water. The DEC frowns on this!

As for the problem with target shooting, the Frontiersman, the assembly, the borough and our local "legislators" are all part to blame.

Back in '96, when the Hay Flats Refuge management plan was being reviewed, the need for public shooting ranges was made known. In the Mat-Su planning survey, (Oct. 2000) more than 2,300 people expressed a desire for a shooting range, and when asked [by the survey] how to pay for a range, more than 5,000 people responded.

Has the borough responded to the need expressed in the survey? No. Has the assembly pursued the issue? No. Has the Frontiersman put the heat on the borough, or the assembly, or our legislators to address the need? No.

It is interesting that both Fairbanks and Anchorage have state-built ranges, built with federal tax dollars on guns and ammunition, (Pittman-Robertson Act, 1937), but we have nothing.

Anyone can make excuses, it takes somebody to make things happen.

RK Butts is a Wasilla resident.