Flint Township View

Township seeks cleanup grant for scrap tires





FLINT TWP. — For anyone tired of seeing piles of old tires lying around, the township board may soon have a solution.

The board voted unanimously last week to seek funding under the Scrap Tire Cleanup Grant Program. Administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the grant is open to property owners, end users and local governments seeking to get rid of abandoned scrap tires or collection sites.

Applications are due by Oct. 25 for 2014 funding.

“The DEQ will be accepting applications for scrap tire clean up at no cost to the township or required matching funds,” said Belenda Parker, who brought the idea to the board’s attention.

Under the grant, the township would be reimbursed a set amount for every tire turned in by township residents, with a maximum limit of seven, she said.

Trustee George Menoutes asked if residents would be asked to bring the tires to a drop-off site or place them in the front yard for pickup.

Parker said they would probably set up a drop-off site at the township hall.

Supervisor Karyn Miller said more details would be made available when the grant is in place. Notices will be announced at the board meeting and placed on the township website, she said.

Funding priority is given to scrap tire accumulations that predate Jan. 1 1991 and to sites posing a threat to public safety, health or the environment. Recovery must be provided by a Michigan-based scrap tire processor in accordance with state guidelines.

Parker said two of three processors are local who would be contacted in competitive bidding for the haul away and disposal work.

The grant application stipulates that no work take place or resident drop off days be scheduled until the grant has been rewarded. Many other eligibility criteria are spelled out in the application.

No cleanup days will be scheduled before April 1 2014 and the township is eligible for a grant up to $3000 to sponsor a cleanup day or resident drop-off. Commercial businesses are not eligible to participate.

The township would have one week to dispose of the collected scrap tires via the contracted scrap tire processor. The township would also be required to keep track of the number of tires collected and submit documentation to the DEQ for reimbursement.


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