Published: July 03, 2007 10:21 pm      

Raleigh resident to serve probation for history of open dump violations

A Raleigh County man will serve two years probation and clean up his property after being convicted of operating an open dump.

Robert Phillips pleaded guilty in Raleigh County Circuit Court after a long history of open dump violations.

In 2001, Phillips pleaded no contest to a willful open dump violation and was ordered by the magistrate court to pay a fine and clean up the dumps on his property.

Phillips failed to comply with the order.

Under the current conviction, Phillips was given a suspended one-year jail sentence and ordered to probation.

Phillips has 120 days to clean up dumps on his property in Bradley, which includes trailer parks, a personal residence and trucking and farming operations.

Since 2005, Department of Environmental Protection inspectors have issued eight notices of violation and numerous warnings to Phillips and his trailer park tenants, with little cooperation.

Creation of and contributing to open dumps is against state law.

To report an area with heavy open

dumping, call REAP 800-322-5530, or go to www.wvdep.org/reportadump.

The REAP program inventories and cleans up open dumps and provides tools to individuals and communities to conduct cleanup events along the state’s highways and streams.

— From Staff Reports