State lawmakers may soon change how you fertilize your lawn.
Bills under consideration in the General Assembly would limit the nitrogen and phosphorus content of fertilizers, as well as establishing signage and education requirements.
The goal is to cut down on overapplication of fertilizer on residential lawns, golf courses and other areas, which sends harmful nutrients flowing into creeks, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.
When it comes to bay-harming pollution, turf grass is one source that hasn't been addressed in a major fashion.
"It's not the key source, but it is a contributing factor," said Jenn Aiosa, a Chesapeake Bay Foundation scientist who testified in favor of three fertilizer bills yesterday before the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.
The legislation that appears the most likely to pass is a wide-ranging bill developed by the Chesapeake Bay Commission, which has lawmakers from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The bay commission negotiated for months with fertilizer manufacturers, lawn care companies, landscapers, golf course managers and others.
As a result, few people came forward yesterday in opposition to the fertilizer bills. Some testified against the other bills only because they liked the comprehensive Chesapeake Bay Commission bill better.
That bill would:
* Limit the amount of nitrogen in fertilizer that's sold at retail stores and require a certain percent of nitrogen to be in a slow-release form.
* Ban phosphorus in fertilizer that's sold at retail stores, except for blends used on new grass or if a soil test indicates a need for phosphorus.
* Limit when and how companies can apply fertilizer on residential lawns.
* Require the state to certify professional fertilizer applicators.
* Require the state and the University of Maryland to launch a fertilizer education program for homeowners.
* Ban fertilizer from being labeled for use as a de-icer.
According to proponents of the bill, there are an estimated 1.1 million acres of turf grass in Maryland, including residential lawns, golf courses and other grassy areas. That's more land than is devoted to corn production.
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