District: Headquarters
Contact: Tamie McGowen
Phone: (916) 956-0633
SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is showing the progress of the newly established Clean California program in tackling California’s trash problem in its latest video. Using before-and-after footage from Clean California events throughout the state, Caltrans highlights how picking up trash, removing graffiti and clearing overgrown vegetation is helping to beautify roadsides.
Part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s California Comeback Plan, Clean California is a sweeping $1.1 billion, multiyear cleanup effort to remove trash, create thousands of jobs and engage communities to transform roadsides and restore pride in public spaces.
“Since Governor Newsom announced this groundbreaking Clean California effort in May, Caltrans has cleared more than 2,700 tons of trash and made more than 450 conditional job offers. Through long-term partnerships and ongoing education, Californians will see long-lasting benefits from this program.”
The Clean California Program
- Aims to remove an additional 21,000 tons of trash per year from the state transportation system alone: That is the equivalent of 3,000 miles of trash bags – enough to cross the U.S. from coast to coast. Caltrans collected 270,000 cubic yards of trash in 2020 — enough to load 18,000 garbage trucks.
- Engages communities to create shared responsibility in beautification projects: litter prevention education campaigns will help pave the way for continued roadway cleanliness.
- Creates career opportunities: Caltrans estimates Clean California will generate 11,000 jobs over three years for veterans, students, people experiencing homelessness, and those re-entering society from incarceration. Caltrans has held 10 hiring events with more scheduled. View Clean California job postings via the https://www.jobs.ca.gov/CalHRPublic/Search/JobSearchResults.aspx#depid=141CalCareers website.
- Supports equity: roughly half of the nearly $300 million Local Grant Program will benefit, or be located in, underserved communities.
Upcoming Clean California events
- August 31 - Hiring Event: Caltrans will offer new career opportunities to qualified candidates at Laney College in Oakland.
- September 1 - Local Grants Program Workshop #1: local and regional public agencies, tribal governments and transit agencies will collaborate on the development of the program’s implementation guidelines.
- September 4 - “Touch A Truck” event for kids: Caltrans is inviting children and families to see a new trash compactor truck and will provide educational materials and orange trash bags in the city of Redlands.
- September 11 - Free Dump Day: Caltrans will host free trash disposal events in Inyo, Kern and Mono counties.
- September 18 - Ventura River Community Cleanup Day: Caltrans will join partners from the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, Ventura County and the community to remove litter and debris from this waterway area.
- September 18 - Coastal Cleanup Day: Caltrans will remove litter to beautify Grover Beach (San Luis Obispo County).
- September 18 - Annual Arrowhead CHP Open House: Caltrans will provide educational materials and orange trash bags.
- October 7 - Stakeholder Guidelines Workshop #2: builds on the progress made at the September 1 Workshop.
- October - San Luis Obispo Farmer’s Market: Caltrans will provide educational materials at a Clean California information booth.
Caltrans is putting Clean California funds to work, which thus far total more than $1.45 million. Visit the program website to learn more about how Clean California is transforming communities.