For Immediate Release: July 9, 2021

Contact:  Erin Hatfield, (405) 702-7119, erin.hatfield@deq.ok.gov

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in partnership with Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB), will recognize Keep McAlester Beautiful (KMB) as an Oklahoma Clean Community during a special ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. on July 14, 2021.  The ceremony will be held at the Kiamichi Technology Center, 301 Kiamichi Drive, McAlester, Oklahoma, 74501.  KMB will be recognized as a Level I, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Oklahoma Clean Community.  This is the highest recognition a community can receive under the Oklahoma Clean Community Program.

In the past year KMB has hosted multiple events that have helped beautify the community and reduce dumping. They collected a little over a million pounds of waste from two collection events, including tires, household hazardous waste, and electronic waste. In 2020 despite restrictions from the pandemic, KMB was able to add tires as play features at a dog park, identify non-working streetlights in need of repair, clean bike lanes, and label storm drains. In 2021 KMB not only hosted multiple litter and collection events but removed graffiti from 13 locations and planted and gave away milkweed at their Monarch Habitat.

Keep McAlester Beautiful supports local enhancement through the creation of five murals in McAlester, with two more currently under construction. They have assisted in renovating Michael Hunter Park, and promote recycling through drop-off locations and outreach and education in their community. As KOB affiliates they have participated in the Great American Cleanup, Fresh Paint Days, and America Recycles Day. KMB organizes volunteers from Adopt A Block and Adopt A Park Programs as part of their continuous commitment to beautifying McAlester.

Residents who support these programs and employees that work hard to provide the services are instrumental in making McAlester a cleaner and greener community.  As a result of their efforts, KMB has reduced many risks to human health and the environment. Keep McAlester Beautiful is now an Oklahoma Clean Community.

DEQ and KOB recognize entities that participate in at least one tire collection event annually, the Great American Cleanup and other environmental service projects. DEQ encourages entities to coordinate a community-wide cleanup of used tires.  DEQ’s Tire Recycling Indemnity Fund will pay to haul off old, unused, or abandoned tires. Tire piles can be an eyesore and attract unwelcome pests, such as mosquitoes and rodents. After cleanup is complete and all criteria for other service projects are met, a community can be recognized as an Oklahoma Clean Community.

More information on the Used Tire Recycling Program is available at http://www.deq.state.ok.us/lpdnew/TireRecyclingPrg.htm or by contacting Ferrella March at ferrella.march@deq.ok.gov  or 405-702-5175.

###