An Act regulating the use of fertilizer in the town of Wellfleet
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| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 6/18/2026 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 07/01/2026 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM in B-1 |
| 5/19/2026 | Senate | Senate concurred |
| 5/18/2026 | House | Referred to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources |
No additional cosponsors.
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J21 | Accompanied | — |
There is sound scientific evidence to conclude that nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizers are contaminants that negatively affect fresh and salt waters when present in excessive amounts. These excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus contribute to undesirable algae and aquatic plant growth within all Wellfleet water bodies. This undesirable algae and aquatic plant growth has an adverse effect on public health through the degradation of waters used for drinking water, shell fishing, and recreational swimming and boating.
It is necessary to prohibit the application of fertilizer that contains phosphorus and nitrogen so as to improve the water quality of the Town of Wellfleet. The soils of Wellfleet are unique insofar as Wellfleet has significant amounts of course, sandy soils that are subject to rapid water infiltration, percolation and leaching of nutrients, and such unique local conditions require that Wellfleet prohibit the application of nitrogen and phosphorus added to soils through the application of fertilizers. This Act should help Wellfleet to achieve compliance with the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) prescribed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for nitrogen and phosphorus in its waters.
Notwithstanding any General or Special law to the contrary, including but not limited to any General or Special law conferring exclusive authority upon the Department of Agriculture to regulate and control the application of fertilizers elsewhere in the Commonwealth, the application of fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus, or any other pollutants in the Town of Wellfleet is prohibited, except for the purposes of commercial agricultural and the residential use of organic fertilizer with low nitrogen and phosphorus for the use in growing fruits and vegetables.
SECTION 1. There is sound scientific evidence to conclude that nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizers are contaminants that negatively affect fresh and salt waters when present in excessive amounts. These excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus contribute to undesirable algae and aquatic plant growth within all Wellfleet water bodies. This undesirable algae and aquatic plant growth has an adverse effect on public health through the degradation of waters used for drinking water, shell fishing, and recreational swimming and boating. SECTION 2. It is necessary to prohibit the application of fertilizer that contains phosphorus and nitrogen so as to improve the water quality of the Town of Wellfleet. The soils of Wellfleet are unique insofar as Wellfleet has significant amounts of course, sandy soils that are subject to rapid water infiltration, percolation and leaching of nutrients, and such unique local conditions require that Wellfleet prohibit the application of nitrogen and phosphorus added to soils through the application of fertilizers. This Act should help Wellfleet to achieve compliance with the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) prescribed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for nitrogen and phosphorus in its waters. SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any General or Special law to the contrary, including but not limited to any General or Special law conferring exclusive authority upon the Department of Agriculture to regulate and control the application of fertilizers elsewhere in the Commonwealth, the application of fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus, or any other pollutants in the Town of Wellfleet is prohibited, except for the purposes of commercial agricultural and the residential use of organic fertilizer with low nitrogen and phosphorus for the use in growing fruits and vegetables.