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EPA To Head Clean Up Efforts At Lawrence Co. Tire Dump

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It's not the image Lawrence County officials hope you associate with rural, southern Ohio.

Finding this tire dump has been like locating a "rubber needle" in a haystack.

"We may never know who did this" says Dan Palmer with Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste. "If convicted, someone could face a fine of up to $25,000 and up to four years in the state penitentiary."

The Solid Waste Office was notified when the inherited land owner contacted them.

She discovered the tires deep within the 30-plus acres, located in Kitts Hill, Ohio, while trying to sell the land.

A two-month investigation determined the landowner was not responsible for the dump site.

There's evidence many of the more than 5,000 tires are 40-years-old.

"We'll, it explains the mosquito problem we have" says neighbor Ralph Nelson. "Every time or warms up, they're everywhere."

The Environmental Protection Agency, based in Logan, has agreed to pay for the cleanup project. Crews will be on site, Wednesday, to start the cleanup, which is expected to last several weeks.