LIVINGSTON PARISH - The tally is at $7 million dollars for debris clean up fees in Livingston Parish more than a month after severe flooding caused widespread damage across the parish. 

The Livingston Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness says they are only a third of the way through the debris cleanup process and they anticipate it will last through the end of the year. During Thursday's council meeting, Parish-President Layton Ricks and OEP Director Mark Harrell, told council members the cleanup could result in unexpected fees for the parish.

DOTD says crews will only make one pass through the parish, and it will be only on the state roads. Officials say they will not go off of the right of way to handle the private property clean up. That means if debris is partially on private property off a state roadway, DOTD will not pick it up.
 
Now, the parish will have to step in and pay for that debris pick up, however homeowners may have to move their debris out of the state right of way, since the parish is not allowed to clean up DOTD's designated area.

"If anyone is bringing anything out make sure they do not put it on state right of way," said Harrell. "Put it on the side of their driveway."

Council members were surprised by the news, since they were informing residents to put the debris as close to the road as possible for collection. Now, residents will have to put what is not picked up back onto their property so the parish can legally go and collected it for them.

The parish can go a maximum of 60 feet onto personal property. Harrell saying there are limits to what they are- and aren't- allowed to touch.

"If there is a 20 foot area and then there is a sidewalk and the pile continues (they) cannot touch the part behind the sidewalk, it's got to be a continuous pile," Said Harrell. 

Cleanup costs are expected to be between $21M - $22M. The parish expects to cover about $2.1M.