Carbon County officials are disgusted by the lack of respect out-of-area visitors have for Beltzville State Park and the impacts it is having on the county.

On Thursday, the board of commissioners voted to send a letter in support of state Rep. Doyle Heffley’s recent plea to the state about limiting Beltzville to state residents for the time being.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the total lack of respect for the beauty of the park, the residents who live around the area and everyone’s safety has been an increasing problem over the years, but the pandemic has led to an increase of problems because of the need to limit the number of people allowed in the park at one time.

“I know it’s a very difficult job for the police departments (to enforce) and the local volunteers who have to clean up after these people who make such a mess,” Nothstein said.

He pointed out the problems in recent weeks, which include people leaving their trash everywhere, not following the rules and swimming where there is no swimming and parking in areas outside the designated spots, which then require companies to tow the offenders’ vehicles.

“People have been taking total disregard for their own safety, let alone the safety and the environment or others around them,” he said.

He said with the letter, he would like to include an invitation to Gov. Tom Wolf to visit Beltzville on a weekend to see just what Carbon County is dealing with.

“It is really disgusting,” Nothstein said.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner commended the small group of volunteers who help with maintaining the beauty of Beltzville with dealing with the trash over recent weeks, but said it is unfair to them to have to do this time and time again.

Two weeks ago, Ahner said the group filled two dumpsters with trash that visitors dumped at the park over that weekend.

“Something has to be done about this,” Ahner said. “I think we have to protect not just our area, but the state.”

On Monday, Heffley sent a letter to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources regarding the recent activity at the park asking that the state limit the main day use areas at Beltzville to in state residents only until the COVID-19 pandemic emergency declaration is lifted.

In the letter, he said, “It’s just simply too crowded in those areas and there is no social distancing going on. I don’t want to see a spike in Carbon County’s COVID numbers because of the situation there. It makes no sense to restrict businesses from safely reopening across the Commonwealth only to allow this lawlessness on our state-owned properties.”

Heffley said the limitation would apply to the swimming area, day use recreation area and hiking trails. Boating and fishing access would be permitted in designated areas provided that all CDC guidelines and state license and permitting regulations are followed.