Maryland Court Strikes Down County Pesticide Ban

Chris Beytes

In 2014, Montgomery County, Maryland, narrowly passed an ordinance banning the use of lawn and garden pesticides on private property. Now that ban has been lifted, thanks to a decision by the County’s Circuit Court, which ruled that the ban was unlawful and preempted by Maryland state law. That means folks can go back to treating their lawns for weeds and grubs and such.
 
Spearheading the legal challenge against the ban was RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) along with seven residents, six local businesses and CropLife America. They filed suit in November 2016 with the support of a grassroots coalition of more than 400 residents, homeowners and licensed professionals who worked together to oppose the ban. They succeeded in laying the groundwork for a successful legal challenge to a contentious and complex ordinance that left Montgomery County residents uncertain about how to protect their lawns from weeds and pests.
 
Said RISE President Aaron Hobbs, “We are gratified that the Court agreed that the County’s ban on the use of State- and EPA-approved pesticides on private land is preempted by Maryland state law, which already provides uniform and comprehensive regulation of pesticide use across the state.”
 
Located in Washington, D.C., RISE is the national trade association representing manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other industry leaders engaged with specialty pesticides and fertilizers used by consumers and
professionals. GT