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Community News and Resources | April 2026 A monthly publication funded by the PA Department of Environmental Protection
Litter Hawk Youth Award Program Winners Celebrated
Winning students, their parents, guardians and teachers, and legislators with winners in their district were invited to attend a ceremony honoring the Litter Hawk Youth Award winners and participants. Over 100 people showed up to support and celebrate the winners and their efforts. Shannon Reiter, Executive Director, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Phoebe Wetzel, Chair, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Jessica Shirley, Secretary, PA Department of Environmental Protection; and Kasey Elliot, Digital and Communications Manager, America250PA provided remarks about the importance of educating youth about litter and antilittering behaviors.
The program, funded by the PA Department of Environmental Protection, provides a way for students in prekindergarten through grade 6, including Life Skills, to express their concerns about litter through posters, essays, and videos. Each participant completed a project specific to their grade level. Promotional partners include PA Department of Transportation and PA Turnpike Commission.
Conner (seated), Young Ambassador, class of 2026, addresses the students at Wasson Elementary School.
Young Ambassador Highlight
Connor, a current Ambassador, recently hosted an education session "Our Streets, Our Water". He taught students about the harms of litter on our ecosystem and how trash travels from streets to storm drains and ultimately our shared waterways. He explained how we can all be a part of the solution by reducing consumption, reusing items, and recycling as a last resort. He encouraged students to involve their families in cleaning up litter and to be more conscious of how and what they consume. This event took place at Wasson Elementary School, DuBois Area School District, with the Children's Aid Society, in Clearfield County. Connor will be graduating with the Young Ambassador class of 2026.
Young Ambassadors Wanted
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), is seeking environmentally conscious 10th -12th grade students to help preserve Pennsylvania’s natural resources through the Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania program.
The program, now in its fifth year, empowers young stewards to become environmental ambassadors in their community by building on their leadership and community stewardship skills. Ambassadors in the program train and network with industry leaders, state agencies, local media and the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful network to prepare them to be difference-makers by building their leadership, communication and problem-solving skills. Ambassadors will also complete a community assessment and organize cleanup and education events!
The Noss brothers clean up Everson Exit ramps, Route 119 in Bullskin Township, Fayette County.
Join Pick Up Pennsylvania and the Greatest American Cleanup in Honor of America’s 250th Anniversary
We invite residents across the Commonwealth to help showcase Pennsylvania at its best by registering for Pick Up Pennsylvania.
Registration is open! Events scheduled from March 1 through May 31 receive free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests provided by PA Department of Environmental Protection and PennDOT, as supplies last. Events can include litter and illegal dump cleanups, community greening and beautification, special collections and anti-litter education events. Events must be registered to receive free cleanup supplies.
PA Department of Environmental Protection and Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association are sponsoringtrash disposal, free of charge or at a reduced ratein the month of April at participating landfills. Events must be registered to access this benefit.
As an added incentive, submit your event's before and after photos to Pennsylvania Resources Council’s Lens on Litter for a chance to win $500!Learnhow.
Legislative Update: Litter Law Enforcement Study & Recommendations
HR 352; PN 2490 (Ciresi) passed 121-78 on March 23, 2026, with bipartisan support. This resolution directs the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on litter law enforcement and provide recommendations.
The study aims to analyze current litter The study aims to analyze current litter ordinances, enforcement challenges, and community service penalties related to littering. It also seeks to investigate litter policies in other states and develop strategies to improve law enforcement and litter education and prevention efforts. The commission is instructed to consult with various stakeholders and present its findings to the House of Representatives within 12 months of the resolution's adoption.
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