Board member urges Belchertown to pursue restrictions on pesticides for municipal land and schools

Belchertown Board of Health member David Gottsegen on May 22 proposed the Board begin work to limit pesticide and herbicide use on municipal property and schools and to expand public education about nonchemical land management.

Gottsegen cited studies he said associate products such as glyphosate (commercially known as Roundup) and other home turf pesticides with elevated risks of Parkinson’s disease, certain cancers, pregnancy complications and developmental effects in children, and he emphasized threats to pollinators. "Roundup...is heavily associated with Parkinson's," Gottsegen said, and he urged the Board to partner with organizations such as the New England Organic Farming Institute and to consult state guidance.

Gail Gramarossa, participating remotely, asked for samples of bylaws and cautioned the Board to consider enforcement capacity. "With any regulation, education is obviously a huge part of it, but then we have to think about the capacity needed for monitoring and enforcement," she said.

Gottsegen noted several Massachusetts communities with related policies (Andover, Chatham, South Hadley, Falmouth, Reading) and proposed the Board contact South Hadley to learn how their bylaw was adopted. He also suggested coordinating with the conservation commission for wetland buffers and partnering with the water department to protect drinking‑water sources.

The Board did not vote to adopt any restriction. Instead, members asked staff to collect examples of municipal language, links, and fact sheets, and to invite outside organizations to present at a future meeting. The Board also noted that state law (M.G.L. c.132B, §1) governs distribution and application of pesticides, which may limit local authority and requires careful review.

Next steps identified at the meeting included staff research on other towns’ ordinances and the preparation of educational materials for residents and town departments.