WASHINGTON — A deep divide remains over how far restrictions on pesticides and lawn care chemicals should go in Montgomery County.
After a work session by the Montgomery County council’s Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee, Council member Roger Berliner said he still prefers to see a phase-out of pesticides rather than a ban.
“Good government actually moves people forward before you use a heavy-handed regulatory approach,” Berliner said.
George Leventhal, the sponsor of the ban, says the bill has strong support from “hundreds and hundreds” of constitutents.
In a briefing with reporters after the meeting, Leventhal said, “There’s strong interest in legislating in this area, there’s strong interest in going beyond the relatively bare bones protections offered by the EPA.”
“I’m comfortable with moving forward and I think we should move forward.” Leventhal said.
Dozens of supporters turned out for the Monday morning work session with signs urging passage of the bill. Members of lawn care companies also turned out, taking note of how the bill could affect their businesses. There is the possibility that even if the county moves ahead with a ban, it could be pre-empted by state law. Leventhal is undeterred.
“If we’re sued, then it would be a valuable test not only for Montgomery County but across the United States” Leventhal said.
A proposed ban on some lawn care chemicals in Montgomery County would dump references to international standards and substitute those with a list generated by the council and staff. At the third in a series of work sessions on bill 52-14, Paul Chrostowski, an environmental chemist, testified on how a list of products that are suspected carcinogens could be compiled.
Council President George Leventhal, the sponsor of the bill, said he was “entirely comfortable” with removing references in the bill to banned substances in the European Union and the Canadian provincial government.
More work sessions, and amendments to the bill, are expected in September.
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
