Bills to limit phosphorous in lawn fertilizer have industry group hopping mad and waterway guardians trying to weed out misinformation.
UPDATE February 16: SB 6289, the state senate bill to control phosphorous in lawn fertilizer, passed the senate on Friday evening on a 36 to 11 vote.
In the latest illustration of how nothing comes easy in the battle to remove algal scum from the Spokane River and other Washington waterways, backers of legislation that would limit phosphorous in lawn fertilizer are coming under sharp attack from the lawn service industry.
In a recent letter to his customers, Chris Senske the President of Spokane’s Senske Lawn and Tree Care company warns of dire consequences if the state legislature passes the “foolish” fertilizer/phosphorous legislation.
“Even while Washington is in desperate financial condition,” Senske wrote, “your legislature is spending time trying to control your life even more and cost you money while ignoring scientific facts.”
Senske asks for help killing the legislation “that keep you from having a healthy lawn, trees and yard.” Among other things, he asserts that phosphorous “is critical to keeping the devastating Necrotic Ring Spot disease out of your lawn.”
“Your lawn is approximately 30% P [phosphorous],” Senske adds, “It needs some P periodically because you remove it in clippings. We monitor that need for you. The scientific research shows that P applied as lawn fertilizer actually reduces the amount of runoff and infiltration through soil protecting our water.”
Senske is trying to direct his fire at Spokane state Sen. Chris Marr, one of the sponsors of the Senate Bill.
Proponents of the bill, including Spokane Riverkeeper Rick Eichstaedt, are fighting back, contending that the lawn care industry revolt against the bill is spreading misinformation and playing on peoples’ fears of big government.
“What’s funny,” Eichstaedt says, “is that this bill is actually very reasonable because its purpose is to prevent the application of excess phosphorous that runs off into streams and rivers. Maybe we’re asking too much for the lawn service folks to understand just how damaging and expensive excess phosphorous is to our waterways. But they should know better than to gas up peoples’ fears that their lawns are somehow going to be destroyed because of these bills. That’s ridiculous.”
Among other things, Eichstaedt point to provisions in the bills that would allow additional phosphorous to be applied when lawn test results show that the P levels are too low to support healthy turf growth.
“It’s terrific that Senske reminds his customers that his company monitors phosphorous levels in yards,” Eichstaedt says. “And what the bills provide is that if those monitored levels show additional phosphorous is necessary, then they can add it, but not in excessive amounts that will run off into our streams.”
Eichstaedt is encouraging Spokane River supporters and others working to clean up state waterways to contact Sen. Marr, and/or the state senators and representatives from their districts and encourage them to back the legislation, (House Bill 2744 and Senate Bill 6289)
A fact sheet responding to criticism to the bill has been prepared by Eichstaedt with help from the Washington Lake Protection Association. Among other things, Eichstaedt cites a recent study from Michigan that found a 28% decrease in the phosphorous content of stormwater as a result of a measure similar to that of the proposed Washington legislation. You can download a pdf version of it here P Fact Sheet.
–CFJ
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