Environmental Forum: April 1998

Senate Bill 1886, which has resided in the Massachusetts Senate’s Ways and Means Committee since last July, calls for universal 48-hour prenotification of abutters of homes scheduled to be treated with pesticides and onerous application record keeping requirements.

Modeled after a bill passed in New York state that was forced through with the assistance of the breast cancer lobby, the data collected through this record keeping would be used to determine whether pesticide use levels coincide with cancer "hot spots" throughout the state, according to Fred Langley, manager, state government relations, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment, Washington, D.C.

The bill itself supports Langley’s claim about the record keeping aspect of the proposed legislation. "Current Massachusetts law requires licensed and certified pesticide applicators to maintain records of pesticide applications, but does not provide for systematic collection, centralization or organization of this information into an accessible format," the bill states. "Comprehensive, accurate, computerized data on pesticide use will provide invaluable information to the public and will assist in efforts to assess the impacts of pesticides on human health and the environment, such as the potential links between pesticides and breast cancer."

Richard Berman, technical manager, Waltham Chemical, Waltham, Mass., is one of a group of industry leaders from the pest control, lawn care, agriculture and railroad industries attempting to change the bill or convince legislators to let it die in committee. It is a highly controversial bill that has generated an exceptional level of interest among the industry and anti-pesticide factions, Berman noted.

And the debate is heated. For example, representatives of the industry visited the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee three days after the same chairman held audience with an anti-pesticide group. The activists had erroneously reported to the chairman that state farmers backed the bill, which had industry representatives fuming.

To add fuel to the fire, Massachsetts Democratic state Senator Lois Pines, sponsor of the bill, is running for state attorney general this year. In addition, her home district is considered one of the cancer "hot spots" in Massachusetts.

Presently, the bill is sitting in committee, and Langley said there have been indications that Pines may be considering rewriting the bill. At this point, however, the bill remains in committee limbo - where industry representatives hope it will stay.

BAN FEVER. Not unlike the situation in Los Angeles where city officials’ attempts to ban gas-powered, backpack blowers sparked a rash of legislation from surrounding communities, so too has San Francisco’s ban on pesticide use on city property. Langley noted that the city of Santa Cruz and San Bernadino County are considering similar bans, despite the fact that the San Francisco ordinance is full of holes.

"There are many exceptions, but essentially the rule allows the application of pesticides when there is no viable alternative," said Langley. "Consequently, you can get around it."

LOVE THOSE LAWNS. The Professional Lawn Care Association of America is again celebrating the benefits of a healthy lawn during its promotion, "April is Lawn Care Month." Promotional materials and ready-for-print articles promoting lawn care have been sent to thousands of consumer print, radio and television media to balance some of the negative media attacks levied against the industry every spring. For more information, call PLCAA at 800/458-3466.