I’m writing regarding Clark County’s Environmental Services Director Don Benton’s quoted comments in the July 9 story “County raises stormwater fees, adds surcharge,” regarding a proposed litter fee for newspapers. Benton stated, “We use common sense. … If it’s clogging the system, then it costs more money to pull it out. I don’t need a study to show me something is clogging the system.”
I’ve seen and even cleaned off a lot of clogged stormwater grates over the years. All I’ve ever cleaned off of a clogged grate are leaves and pine needles, with a few candy and granola bar wrappers and cigarette butts mixed in. I don’t need a study to show me that tree leaves and pine needles are the biggest cause of clogged storm drains.
That’s common sense.
Maybe we need a special tree litter fee. That makes no sense.
Jim Hanlon
Vancouver
