A Soil Debate: Should Putnam's Government Regulate Fertilizer?

Across the United States and Canada, local governments are passing laws banning the use of fertilizers that contain phosphorus. Recently, the Westchester County legislature banned the use of such fertilizers. Putnam County, particularly the Town of Putnam Valley, would greatly benefit from a similar ban, and I urge the Putnam County legislature to pass such a law. These bans are imposed in areas where phosphorus-laden stormwater runoff can find its way into lakes, reservoirs, streams, and rivers.

On a lawn, phosphorus is not necessarily a bad thing. It helps grass to grow. However, when it rains, the phosphorus runs off with the rain and eventually gets deposited into lakes, estuaries, and streams. Even in small amounts it causes tremendous damage to water bodies.

The problem is that the fertilizers containing phosphorus contribute to excessive growth of not only grass, but algae and other aquatic plants. It's kind of like steroids for plants. The algae "blooms," i.e., it grows--and it grows fast and furious. Think of "The Blob," only it's floating near the surface of a lake. These blooms become large mats of floating, jelly-like, green algae colonies which cover very large areas of a lake or pond. Smaller ponds can have their entire water surface area covered: one pound of fertilizer run off can result in 500 pounds of algae.

When the algae and the plants eventually die, they are then decomposed by bacteria. The bacteria use the dissolved oxygen in the water. When the oxygen concentrations drop, there is not enough oxygen for fish to breathe, leading to their death in abnormally large quantities. The process repeats itself--and the lake eventually becomes so polluted from decomposing organic matter and a lack of oxygen--that most of the life in the lake dies. This entire process is called "eutrophication."

Eutrophication of a lake has very real and immediate tax and revenue consequences. What remains after total eutrophication is a green, foulsmelling body of water. Property values plummet, tax revenue is lost--and government is to blame for not taking action to preserve a natural asset.

While there are several methods employed to help prevent or halt eutrophication, one excellent and easy method is to ban the sale and use of all fertilizers containing phosphorus. Putnam Valley's Lake Oscawana is particularly affected by phosphorus overload. It has been listed as "impaired for phosphorus" by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Other lakes in the county will suffer the same fate if our legislature does not take swift and decisive action. There is still time to save the lake, though time is running out.

In the event the county does not wish to move on this, the Town of Putnam Valley will move to pass its own ban on fertilizers containing phosphates. Nevertheless, I urge the county to move swiftly in this regard. A law such as this would be stronger and more effective if every property owner, landscaper, and lawn maintenance supplier had to comply.

Mr. Tendy is Supervisor of the Town of Putnam Valley.