COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

HOUSE OF DELEGATES
RICHMOND UGO

SCOTT A. SUROVELL
PO BOX 289 MOUNT VERNON, VIRGINIA 22121 FORTY-FOURTH DISTRICT

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS: CITIES, COUNTIES & TOWNS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY MILITIA, POLICE & PUBLIC SAFETY

*****FORIMMEDIATERELEASE*****
May29,2012

Moreinformation: LegislativeAide,MeganHoward, 571.248.4484

DELEGATESUROVELLLEADSCLEANUPOFOVERTWOTONSOFTRASHFROM LITTLEHUNTINGCREEK
Mt.Vernon,Virginia.OverMemorialDayWeekend,DelegateScottSurovellledhissecond cleanupofthenorthernbranchofLittleHuntingCreeknearSequoyahCondominiumsandJannaLee ApartmentsintheHyblaValleysectionofFairfaxCounty. LittleHuntingCreekbisectsthe44thDelegateDistrict.ItsheadwatersreachintoHuntley MeadowsParkandBeaconHill,anditemptiesintothePotomacRiverjustnorthofGeorge WashingtonsMt.Vernon.In2005,thecreekwasdubbedtheTrashiestStreaminFairfaxCountyina CountypressreleaseforwhatwasdubbedoneofthetougheststreamcleanupsinCountyhistory. Everyyear,VirginiasDepartmentofEnvironmentalQualityalsodubsLittleHuntingCreekasimpaired duetoecolibacterialimpairmentsandpolychlorinatedbiphenyls(PCBs). OnSaturday,twentysixvolunteershelpedcleanuptrash.Thevolunteersincluded10children fromWaynewood,StratfordandMt.VernonWoodsElementarySchools,oneelementaryschool teacher,twoofficersoftheSequoyahCondominiumOwnersAssociationandothers. AlthoughDelegateSurovellssponsoredacleanupinApril,thatnettedoveratonoftrash,this monthscleanupnettedanothertonoftrash,includingthefollowing: 40Bagsoftrash Owlstatue 30balls(soccer,football,baseball,etc.) Stereo 25shoppingcarts Barbells 5tires Bowlingball 4childrensbicycles Hotwatertank AHotWheelsscooter Lighters Amattress Vacuumhose Bedpillows

DISTRICT: (571) 249-4484 RICHMOND: (804) 698-1044 EMAIL: delSSurovell@house.virginia.gov

Theshoppingcartswerefromthefollowingretailers:Walmart(10),HomeDepot(7),Marshalls(5),A.J. Wright(1),andtwocouldnotbedetermined.Thecleanupalsonettedthousandsofbottles,cansand plasticbags. Lastmonth,DelegateSurovellledateamthatrecovered49shoppingcarts.AWalmart contractorrecoveredover20cartstwoweeksago.Today,haulbringsthenumberofshoppingcarts removedfromLittleHuntingCreekinthepast60daystoatotalof94.Therearestillatleastadozen cartsremainingintheupper,lessaccessiblereachesofthecreek. ThetrashinLittleHuntingCreekisabillboardforcorporateAmerica,saidDelegateSurovell, youdthinkthecreekissponsoredbyPepsi,Coke,DeerPark,711,andWalmart.Takingresponsibility foryourproductsalsoincludesensuringthatyourproductsdonotendupaspollution.Thiscreekhas becomearetailtrashdump. Evenafterremovalofthelargerlittersuchasbottlesandcans,thecreekwaspollutedwitha mixofmedicinebottles,smallenergydrinkbottles,lighters,andgranulatedpolystyrenefromtogo foodcontainersanddisposablebeveragecoolers.Itwasamazingthatwesawanythingaliveinthis creek,saidDelegateSurovell.Therewerenoinsects,crawfish,minnows,turtles,oranythingliving betweenHuntleyMeadowsParkandtheJannaLeeBridge,saidDelegateSurovell. AttheJannaLeeBridge,atreecapturedthreeshoppingcartswhichcapturedbags,leavesand stickstoformamassiveobstructionwhichreroutedthechannelofthecreekandformedand obstructionformigratingfish.Anothernestofshoppingcartscausedameandertoreroute, underminingcreekbanksandcausingevenmoretreestofallintothecreek. Theremovalofshoppingcartscouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutthedonationoftime, expertiseandingenuityofRobertOHanlonofOHanlonsTreeService.Mr.OHanlonschainwinchand experiencemovinglargetreeswasessentialinminimizingtimetoremoveshoppingcartsmostofwhich wereembeddedintothecreekbedandinsomecasesincorporatedintotherootsystemsoftrees.The FriendsofLittleHuntingCreeksPresident,BetsyMartin,alsosuppliedgloves,bagsandsupplies essentialforequippingvolunteers. Picturescanbeseenatthefollowinglink: www.bit.ly/LHC512Cleanup Videowasalsocapturedwhichwillbepostedonlineafterithasbeenassembled.