Bill > S473

This bill directs the Massachusetts Pesticide Board, working with the State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board, to create new regulations allowing private property owners to opt out of widespread pesticide and mosquito control applications without needing to send a certified letter to their town clerk. These new methods would include allowing towns to add an "opt out" option to their annual census forms, and permitting residents to submit a hand-delivered letter to the municipal clerk that includes their contact information, the property address, and the specific types of pesticide applications they wish to be excluded from. These changes to the existing regulations, known as 333 CMR 13.03, must be in place at least 90 days before the start of the 2016 pesticide spraying season.