Caltrans Marks Coastal Cleanup Month

State of California • Department of Transportation

NEWS RELEASE

Stockton

Caltrans Marks Coastal Cleanup Month with Litter
Pickup along Local Waterway

Stockton - The California Department of Transportation invites local volunteers to participate in helping clean up and beautify our waterways, contributing to healthier, cleaner communities as part of the 40th Annual Coastal Cleanup Month.

To bring attention to Coastal Cleanup Month, Caltrans is partnering with the California Coastal Commission to celebrate four decades of cleaning the state's rivers, streams, and coastlines. District 10 employees mark the event by removing litter along State Route 12, Thursday, September 19th.

Volunteer groups and individuals interested in preserving our environment and making a difference in their neighborhoods are invited to register for a local cleanup event at CoastalCleanupDay.org.

Coastal Cleanup Month events are designed to rid the natural environment of unsightly litter and harmful debris as well as help Californians better understand their impact on community waterways, such as lakes, rivers, creeks, and the ocean. Increasing awareness and changing behaviors related to waterway preservation aligns with Governor Gavin Newsom's $1.2 billion Clean California initiative, a sweeping three-year, statewide litter reduction and beatification program.

Litter, pet waste and other refuse can pose significant risks and negative impacts to waterways when they aren't disposed of properly. Even garbage discarded far from rivers and the ocean can make its way there by traveling down storm ways, underscoring the need to keep these valuable natural resources free of pollutants.

Trash accumulates during the drier months when Californians travel, recreate and spend more time outdoors. The first heavy rains of the season often wash untreated waste and debris into waterways and the ocean. Coastal Cleanup Month aims to generate urgent community action before the winter season to mitigate the potential impacts of these contaminants.

About Clean California and the Caltrans Stormwater Public Education Campaign:
Both programs are administered by Caltrans. Clean California is Governor Newsom's sweeping, $1.2 billion, multiyear cleanup effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs, and join with communities throughout the state to reclaim, transform and beautify public spaces. The Caltrans Stormwater Public Education Campaign complements this endeavor by working to increase understanding of the sources and pathways of stormwater pollution across California.

Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans and its local partners have picked up more than 2.6 million cubic yards of litter-enough to cover nine lanes of Interstate 5 from San Diego to the Canadian border. Caltrans has hosted more than 500 free dump days in communities throughout the state-resulting in the collection of more than 12,000-plus mattresses and 50,000 tires. For more information, visit CleanCA.com and CleanWaterCA.com.

About the California Coastal Commission:
The California Coastal Commission is committed to protecting and enhancing California's coast and ocean for present and future generations. It does so through careful planning and regulation of environmentally sustainable development, strong public participation, education, and effective intergovernmental coordination. The Coastal Cleanup Day Program is part of its effort to raise public awareness of marine and coastal resources and promote coastal stewardship. For more information, visit Coastal.CA.gov.

Motorists should expect 5-to-10-minute delays and use alternate routes whenever possible. This work is scheduled to occur as listed but is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment/materials, and construction-related issues.

For the safety of workers and other motorists, please Be Work Zone Alert. For the latest highway conditions, visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov