By Michael Hill
Correspondent
The man on the right doing the heavy lifting of illegally dumped furniture is state DEP Commissioner Bob Martin.
“All citizens of New Jersey should be outraged that this happens,” he said.
Commissioner Martin came to Wharton Start Park in Hammonton to promote the state’s “Don’t Waste Our Open Space” crackdown and to report since it began in March, 20 men and women have been caught, charged and now face fines up to $25,000.
“If you decide to dump in one of our parks in New Jersey, we’re going to get you,” Martin said.
The DEP has motion-sensor cameras deployed in some parks and it says for the first time, one of those cameras caught someone in the act at the Duck Island section of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park.
“The camera doesn’t lie,” said State Park Police Detective Timothy Kasony.
Kasony followed the trail to a Trenton man.
“He admitted to it. I told him we had the date and time. I asked him if he had the truck that was on camera and I explained to him that we had him on camera and he said yeah that was him and he apologized,” Kasony said.
But the man faces a $15,000 fine.
In this case at Wharton State Forest, Kasony says the illegal dumper left a traceable trail that would rival Hansel and Gretel’s. He left a Social Security card behind.
When asked if it’s cheaper in the long run to be licensed and permitted to dump, Martin said, “A lot of towns will collect for a small fee. People illegal dump to save a few bucks and in the long run it costs a lot of money.” When asked if illegal dumpers leave evidence, Martin said, “They leave a very clear trail. They leave mail, addresses, phone numbers. So we appreciate that information.”
Commissioner Martin says in this age of everyone owning a camera, snap a shot of if you see someone illegally dumping in New Jersey.