KENNEBEC JOURNAL • February 5, 2023
A proposed ordinance that would restrict the use of synthetic pesticides on private property and all pesticides within 75 feet of any body of water is drawing mixed reactions. Anyone in violation would be contacted by the city’s code enforcement officer and then a third party would provide education and guidance about organic alternatives. More than 30 municipalities in Maine have enacted pesticide ordinances; however, many of the cities or towns do not restrict use on private property. Danielle Obery, who serves as chair of the Hallowell Planning Board and works for the Maine DEP, sent a letter to the city in late 2022 expressing opposition to the proposed ordinance. She cited concerns with enforcing the 11-page ordinance, writing that it would primarily rely on “neighbors tattling on neighbors to the City for enforcement.”