LACEY — For the first time since 2008, Ecology Youth Corps will have teen summer litter crews based in Kitsap County.

While employment numbers specific to the county weren’t immediately known, Washington Department of Ecology’s spokesman Larry Altose said that more than 300 teenagers working on 30 crews throughout Washington state will be hired to clean up litter on state highways.

Last summer, Ecology Youth Corps (EYC) crews cleaned up more than 5,000 miles of roads and picked up more than 1.1 million pounds of litter, said Andrew Wineke, communications specialist with the state Department of Ecology.

Just under 200,000 pounds of material picked up is recycled.

Applications are now being taken for summer youth crew members between the ages of 14-17.

The application forms, including references, must be returned by April 17, Altose said.

If hired, crew members will be able to begin and end their day at a location near their home.

Those hired will work during one of two four-week sessions: July 2 to July 26 or July 30 to Aug. 23.

Crew members earn $11.50 per hour and work 32 hours a week, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Crews will take off July 4 and will instead work July 6.

In addition to work crews based in Kitsap County, others will be headquartered in King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties.

“The Ecology Youth Corps is a terrific first job for young people, and it’s a way they can give back by protecting the environment in their communities,” said Peter Christiansen, who oversees EYC for the state Department of Ecology.

Young people interested in applying should go online at www.ecology.wa.gov/eyc. They also can find schedules, crew locations and other information about the program.

Applications are due by early April, Christiansen said.

Altose said that area middle schools and high schools in the county may have printed EYC applications or instruction sheets for applying online.