http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/litterersi_177.mp3
Those who might consider littering now have one more reason for not dumping trash where it doesn't belong. They could have their hunting and fishing privileges revoked. KSMU's Michele Skalicky reports.
THE MISSOURI CONSERVATION COMMISSION RECENTLY ESTABLISHED A POLICY LINKING LITTERING WITH HUNTING AND FISHING PRIVILEGES. LARRY YAMNITZ IS UNIT CHIEF OF THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION'S PROTECTION DIVISION. HE SAYS THE COMMISSION HAS PARTNERED WITH THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON THE "NO MO' TRASH" CAMPAIGN FOR SOME TIME, AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS LONG CRACKED DOWN ON THOSE WHO LITTER
CONSERVATION AGENTS ARE JUST ONE OF MANY OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE WHO ENFORCE ANTI-LITTERING LAWS. BUT ACCORDING TO YAMNITZ, THOSE AGENTS WRITE MORE TICKETS FOR LITTERING THAN DO OFFICERS WITH OTHER AGENCIES.
HE SAYS SINCE THE NEW POLICY WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION, THERE HAVE BEEN VIOLATORS WHO ARE NOW UNABLE TO FISH OR HUNT
YAMNITZ SAYS PERPETRATORS ARE USUALLY CAUGHT IN THE ACT. IF IT'S A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF TRASH, THOUGH, OFFICERS WILL WORK TO DETERMINE WHO DUMPED IT
LARRY YAMNITZ IS OPTIMISTIC THE NEW POLICY WILL HELP CUT DOWN ON THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT'S DUMPED ILLEGALLY IN MISSOURI
STEPPING ACROSS THE MISSOURI BORDER TO HUNT WON'T BE AN OPTION FOR THOSE WHO VIOLATE MISSOURI'S LITTER LAWS AND HAVE THEIR HUNTING AND FISHING PRIVILEGES REVOKED. MISSOURI IS PART OF THE INTERSTATE WILDLIFE VIOLATOR COMPACT, WHICH MEANS SUSPENSION IN MISSOURI MEANS LOSS OF PRIVILEGES IN 21 OTHER STATES, INCLUDING KANSAS AND IOWA.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE POLICY, VISIT www.mdc.mo.gov/