SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Prosecutors announced a joint legislative and law enforcement program Friday called the “Evergreen Initiative,” which aims to keep Suffolk County clean and green by incentivizing citizens to report environmental crimes and raising fines for individuals and companies that pollute.
The agenda is meant to end pollution and dumping in the county’s parks, beaches and forests, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said.
The multi-point plan “to turn the tide on environmental assault” augments the benefit of reporting environmental wrong-doing: Prosecutors are increasing the reward for sending in tips reporting dumping or polluting to 33% of the fines collected by the district attorney.
Prosecutors said that by increasing the fine schedule and raising the reward percentage, tipsters could receive up to $8,250 from fines and $5,000 from Crime Stoppers.
Officials aim to make the reporting process easier by collaborating with Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Parks Watch, and raise awareness about the reward system, which exists under current Suffolk County law, by sharing information about the Evergreen Initiative and posting reward signage at the public entrance of every county park.
The initiative intends to ensure that fines and clean-up money are used locally in Suffolk County, and will invest an additional $10,000 into environmentally-friendly surveillance equipment that will deploy a “trip-alert system throughout county parklands,” prosecutors said.
Relevant surveillance equipment is listed as cameras, drones and license plate readers that will be covertly used in parks to catch those who pollute.
In terms of consequences, the fine schedule is to rise to $15,000 for individuals and up to $25,000 for corporations for polluting or dumping on county land, the district attorney’s office said.
As part of the initiative the county will seize and impound all vehicles that are used to dump or pollute public lands until all fines are paid, including the cost of clean-up.
Prosecutors also aim to use sentencing as a tool to put offenders to work cleaning Suffolk parks and beaches.
The county will encourage municipalities to follow this fine schedule in order to equally protect town and village parks, and prosecutors under this initiative will seek the maximum financial penalties on all environmental cases, the district attorney’s office said.
“I am confident that these measures will make an impact,” District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said. “Our office will continue to seek maximum financial penalties, which will translate to higher rewards for those who report polluters. All local municipal leaders are encouraged to adopt similar local legislation at the town and village level so that our incentives do not redirect the illegal dumping to your parks. We all must work together so that Suffolk’s natural beauty is universally protected.”
Tierney also emphasized that the statute of limitations on certain dumping crimes can go back to 2018.
“Illegal dumping is lazy, illegal and harmful to our environment and our island’s resources,” Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. said. “Make no mistake, if you are dumping illegally in Suffolk County, especially in our pine barrens, we will find you and you will be held accountable.”
The following resources can be used to report dumping or pollution in Suffolk County:
• In an emergency or to report a crime in progress always dial 911
• Suffolk County Parks Watch: RID@SuffolkCountyNY.gov or 631-854-1423
• The Suffolk County Pine Barrens Complaint Line: 877-BARRENS
• Crime Stoppers: 1-800-220-TIPS
• Suffolk County DA: suffolkcountyny.gov/da/contact-us (Report Pollution tab)