UPDATED: Anne Arundel County to Provide Dumpsters to Aid in Debris Cleanup

Broadneck residents have been asking for assistance in cleaning up the and now they're going to get it. County Executive John R. Leopold announced Thursday that a $50,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will fund dumpsters for coastal communities to aid in the cleanup of debris.

Chris Trumbauer, West/Rhode riverkeeper and county councilman for District 6, told Patch that he lives in a community where debris washed up on the shore. He said that the county often provides dumpsters for stream cleanup efforts so he hoped that the county could offer some assistance. Trumbauer said he called the county executive after he was contacted by residents in Shore Acres in Arnold and was told the county was looking into solutions.

“We are continuing to provide assistance to our citizens who are still cleaning up from recent storms and have significant amounts of debris that has washed down our waterways onto beaches,” County Executive Leopold said in a media release. “We are grateful for the support from the state of Maryland.”

Trumbauer added that he feels the county supplying dumpsters is an appropriate response to the cleanup effort. Many residents expressed confusion over who was responsible for cleaning up the debris. The state generally has jurisdiction over the waterways but Trumbauer said communities own the land and are therefore responsible for the debris that washes up on the shore.

Dumpsters will be placed and removed in communities by private contractors and may be requested through the Office of Community and Constituent Services by calling 410-222-1795 or sending an email to ccservices@aacounty.org. Note that individual residents are not able to apply and should contact the community association.

Editor's note: This article has been modified from a previous version to include information from Chris Trumbauer.