Proposal adds teeth to bear-can law

The Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Department and the St. Mary Parish Government Black Bear Office of Conflict are proposing parish and local ordinances to protect wildlife.
The purpose is to protect the public health and welfare by prohibiting the feeding of wildlife to minimize the risk of potentially dangerous interactions between humans and wildlife in areas where bear-proof garbage cans have been issued.
Louisiana law makes it illegal to feed black bears, but doesn’t define “feeding,” said St. Mary Parish Black Bear Conflict Officer Catherine Siracusa .
“This ordinance would constitute in St. Mary Parish the definition of feeding,” Siracusa said. “It gives teeth to this law in this parish.”
The current draft will hold anyone accountable for violating the law. No person shall intentionally or unintentionally feed or provide food for bears on public or private property.
Examples of prohibited feeding:
— Failure to lock a bear -proof garbage can.
— Failure to use bear-proof containers in designated areas.
—Leaving or storing any garbage or food product that attracts bears.
Residents will be required to secure the latches on bear proof containers on days when their garbage isn’t being picked up.
According to the paperwork included with Pelican Waste & Debris’ delivery of new bear-proof trash cans, “Please keep the lid locked at all times to prevent bears from getting into the carts.”
Trash pick-up crews manually unlock the latches and dispose of trash from containers. Bear-proof cans are no longer emptied by an automated arm on the garbage truck.
Pelican Waste & Debris issued the bear-proof trash containers only south of U.S. 90. Approximately 900 containers were distributed.
“The most bear activity is here in Patterson,” said Patterson Mayor Rodney Grogan.
“We have the largest population with families being south of the railroad track,” Grogan said. “We have the largest areas of population with the feeding problem, so a lot of it (proposed ordinance) would be specific to this area.
“We’re going to have to look at what they’re proposing to individualize it.”
Residents with curbside pickup will be required place their locked bear-proof cans at the curb at or after 6 a.m. of the morning of the pickup. After trash pick-up, containers must be removed from the curb and securely latched before the end of the day.
Proposed penalties for violating the rules:
—First violation is a warning.
—Second violation or failure to comply with the designated compliance schedule associated with the first violation is fine of $150-$250.
—Successive violations or failure to comply with the designated compliance schedule associated with the second or subsequent violation can draw a $250-$1,000 fine.
In addition, the parish may seek an injunction or other appropriate civil relief to enforce the ordinance provisions.
“We need to beef up our ordinance on garbage because there are a lot of people that don’t care how they put their garbage and trash out,” said Steve Bierhorst , Patterson public works director. “We’re going to have to start enforcing.
“I don’t think those violations are too excessive. It’s really a shame how we’re not doing enough to keep litter off the street.
“And this is what this is all about.”
Bierhorst is also St. Mary Parish Councilman At-Large for District 10.
Patterson Councilman John Rentrop said he experienced first-hand an encounter in North Carolina with an aggressive black bear during his high school years.
“I’m not saying I know full well how they act and everything,” Rentrop said. “But I do know the reaction they’ll cause other people to have . …
“At this time… we’re all aware (of the proposed ordinance) because it was brought up at the city council meeting last Tuesday night,” Rentrop said. “But until the Wildlife & Fisheries drafts some legal, acceptable policies we’re going to have to wait and see what they’re going to do.
“We have tried numerous times over the past years to try to protect our citizens from harm they could do to themselves with the black bears.”
“We are certainly looking at it and making comments on it, even adding to it but I’m definitely in favor of some sort of ordinance,” said Bierhorst.
Some are for the ordinance and some are not as far as putting the trash out, Bierhorst said.
“We’re going to have to take some initiative with this ordinance, Bierhorst said.
“True in fact, the black bears are here. We need to protect them as well as protect our own selves. …
“People are putting their litter to where animals can get to it and spread it everywhere.”
There are areas in Patterson where bears drag trash all over the place.
“It’s real pathetic,” Bierhorst said. “The bears can’t pick up their own trash.”
Other locations Pelican distributed bear-proof containers in St. Mary Parish were Ricohoc, Cabot Road and Bayou Sale along La. 317, Cypremort Point, Louisa, Gibbs Lane and Freetown Road.
For Siracusa, this ordinance is “ultimately for the safety of all people in St. Mary Parish.”