Here's an exciting summer opportunity that makes an impact: The Department of Ecology's Eastern Regional Office in Spokane plans to hire about 118 teens throughout Eastern Washington this summer to help clean up area roadsides, parks and recreation areas. Ecology Youth Corps (EYC) members also will learn how to better care for the environment.

Youths, ages 14 to 17, who live in Eastern Washington counties, can apply through April 2, 2012, to work with one of Ecology's EYC crews cleaning up litter this summer. Crews will work Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in one of two four-week sessions. Crew locations include Chewelah, Clarkston, Colville, Inchelium, Ephrata, Moses Lake, Othello, Pasco, Pullman, Republic, Ritzville, Spokane, Walla Walla and Wilbur.

Sessions this year run from June 25 through July 20, 2012, and again from July 23 through August 17. Participants will be paid $9.04 an hour.

Funding for the Ecology Youth Corps program comes from a dedicated account called the Waste Reduction, Recycling and Model Litter Control Account. The account is funded by a voter-approved tax on items related to the litter problem.

This year, because of the state's lower revenues, the program was cut back. Over the past several years, Ecology's litter program, which includes the Ecology Youth Corps, has lost about a third of its budget because of the downturn in the economy. This will result in hiring about 100 fewer youths this year statewide.

Applications are available through area school counselors and online. More information is available on the Ecology website at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/eyc/ or by calling Lynette Kuehl in Ecology's Spokane office at (509) 329-3434.

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