Dutchess County to Celebrate Earth Day
Clean-up events, information session among planned activities
Poughkeepsie … As Dutchess County marks the 52nd annual Earth Day celebration on Friday, April 22nd, County Executive Marc Molinaro has announced various Dutchess County Government departments are marking the global observance by beautifying local roadways, assisting residents in recycling furniture and answering residents’ questions regarding recycling.
County Executive Molinaro said, “Preserving the planet for future generations is a shared responsibility in which we can all play a role, and Dutchess County Government is proud to take an active part in ensuring our community remains clean and green for years to come – not just on Earth Day, but year-round. This weekend, residents will not only see our County staff making a difference for our environment, but will be able to join us in helping cleaning up their homes and their community.”
The County’s Department of Public Works (DPW) Highway Construction and Maintenance Division will again dedicate several days to highway clean-up as part of ongoing efforts to maintain the County’s roadway system. From Wednesday, April 20th, through Friday, April 22nd, and then again April 25-26, DPW Highway crews will focus on litter disposal along some of the County’s most highly trafficked roadways in more than a dozen municipalities throughout Dutchess County; the Division maintains nearly 400 centerline miles of County roads annually.
To assist residents’ questions about proper recycling and disposal of household items, the County’s Division of Solid Waste Management will host a virtual information session on Friday, April 22nd from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., providing guidance and information. Residents can access this free forum, available via Microsoft Teams, at https://bit.ly/
On Saturday, April 23rd from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dutchess Stadium, located at 1500 Route 9D, Wappingers Falls, DPW staff will assist Habitat for Humanity of Dutchess County with its second annual Countywide Donation Day. This County park will be one of several collection sites throughout Dutchess County where residents can donate gently used furniture and household goods, including appliances, kitchenware, lighting and exterior or interior doors. These donated items will be taken to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore location in Wappingers Falls, which sells such high-quality items at discounted prices, with all proceeds helping Habitat Dutchess’ mission of affordable homeownership. Additional information is available at http://www.habitatdutchess.org
Organizations and residents interested in helping keep Dutchess County’s roadways clean and scenic throughout the year can participate in the County’s Adopt-A-Highway program. Organizations are encouraged to apply by calling (845) 486-2925. The New York State Department of Transportation and several local municipalities also offer Adopt-A-Road programs for state and local roadways.
Dutchess County Commissioner of Public Works Robert Balkind said, “Our DPW Highway Crews work to ensure our roads are safe and beautiful. We appreciate residents’ and volunteers’ efforts to help us keep Dutchess County clean and green. Please remember to dispose of trash properly and take the time to pick up litter, when necessary.”
# # #
County roads scheduled for the four-day cleanup include:
• South Quaker Lane (CR 16) in Hyde Park
• Cream Street (CR 39) in Poughkeepsie/Hyde Park
• Overlook Road (CR 46) in Pleasant Valley
• Slate Quarry Road (CR 19) in Rhinebeck
• Kerley Corners Road (CR 78) in Red Hook
• River Road (CR 103) in Red Hook/Rhinebeck
• North Clove Road (CR 9) in Union Vale
• Halls Corners Road (CR 24) in Union Vale/Dover
• Chestnut Ridge Road (CR 23) in Union Vale/Washington
• Clinton Corners Road (CR 13) in Pleasant Valley/Clinton
• Old Route 22 (CR 6) in Dover
• Sharon Road (CR 62) in North East
• Sinpatch Road (CR 105) in Amenia
• Greenhaven Road (CR 8) in Beekman
• Sylvan Lake Road (CR 10) in Beekman
• Bruzgul Road (CR 21) in Union Vale/Dover
• Carpenter Road (CR 29) in East Fishkill
• Old Hopewell Road (CR 28) in Wappinger/East Fishkill
• Noxon Road/East Noxon Road (CR 21)
• Amenia Pine Plains Road (CR 83) in Pine Plains/North East
• Mount Ross Road (CR 50) Pine Plains
