Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Montgomery County can’t stop people from using pesticides on their lawns according to a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge. Judge Terrence McGann ruled Thursday that the pesticide ban the county council passed in 2015 is not in line with state regulations. He said since state law allows pesticide use on private property, and county law cannot contradict state law.
“I’m very disappointed in the judge’s ruling. Our lawyers advised us that we not preempted and that we had the right to protect our residents from toxic chemicals that are harmful to our waterways and to adults, children and pets,” said council member George Leventhal who voted in favor of the ban.
Leventhal is not sure whether the county will appeal the judge’s decision.
Despite the ruling, Leventhal said this has started a dialogue and made people aware that there are organic alternatives to pesticides that are just as effective.
The county’s law was set to go into effect in 2018.
The county’s prohibition of pesticides on some of its own properties was not part of the lawsuit.
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