The city of Portsmouth has continued to erroneously state the cost of implementing organic land management practices, as required by the passage of the Non Toxic Resolution last September, will cost $260,000 more in next fiscal year’s budget than this year.
This is just plain wrong and policy makers, the press and the public are being grossly misinformed. The city administration’s $260,000 estimate is actually for two elements – the first is a flawed bid for $160,000 to kill weeds on sidewalks citywide with a product called Finalsan, instead of Rodeo and Roundup, which the city has used for years until September of 2016.
Non Toxic Portsmouth is opposed to the use of Finalsan because it costs way too much, is not great for the environment and there are much cheaper ways to control weeds without pesticides. While from a human health perspective Finalsan is a hundred times better than the glyphosate-based products used by the city for years, it is not necessarily good for the environment.
The EPA labeling requirements for Finalsan states: “This product is hazardous to aquatic invertebrates. To protect the environment, do not allow pesticide to enter or run off in storm drains, drainage ditches, gutters or surface waters.” Well, when it rains where do you think Finalsan ends up? Marine invertebrates are animals like lobsters, mussels, crabs and clams.
Our certified land management experts met with Portsmouth city officials last October after the passage of the Non-Toxic Resolution in September, and recommended the city use horticultural vinegar to kill sidewalk weeds instead of pesticides. Their expert and free advice was ignored. Last year, and in previous years, the city has budgeted $45,000 annually for killing sidewalk weeds with Roundup – this year the city is proposing to use Finalsan at $160,000 per year. However, horticultural vinegar costs a fraction of the expense of Roundup, and a tiny fraction of the cost of Finalsan. So that means the $45,000 budgeted for weed control this fiscal year would actually go down if we used vinegar – not up as the city claims.
So the City Council, let’s save money and use horticultural vinegar next fiscal year for killing weeds, as recommended by our independent certified land management experts. Then let’s transition to even more sustainable ways to maintain our public walkways in future years – like steam.
The second aspect of the city’s $260,000 “estimate” is for the maintenance of our public green spaces – parks, ballfields, cemeteries, etc. The city has traditionally relied on toxic synthetic chemicals to kill crabgrass, dandelions, grubs, etc. The city claims it will cost more to implement an organic land management program to maintain these spaces. Our independent experts have noted the city’s bid is not for an organic land management program, reflecting the fact the city does not have a single staff member or consultant under contract who is certified in organic land management practices to advise it.
We have provided the city and City Council with case studies from Marblehead and Springfield, Massachusetts, which show that within three years of starting an organic land management program, the costs of grounds maintenance are lower than their current costs. So let’s get started on the road to cost reduction right away. Further, we repeat our pledge that if the city commits to a real organic land management program, we and our partners will pay for the cost of creating the plan. Let’s start saving our taxpayers money and start providing our kids, dogs, and all of us with a toxic free and safe environment. Come on City Council – stand up for kids and science! Taxpayers are tired of a lock–step City Council.
Credit: seacoastonline.com
