Source: https://www.ecode360.com/14140374
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 07:01:43+00:00

Document:
§ 284-1 Findings; legislative intent; title.
§ 284-3 Notification requirements for commercial and residential lawn applications.
§ 284-5 Penalties for offenses.
§ 284-6 When effective; filing.
§ 284-10 Adoption of principle.
§ 284-11 Adoption of policy.
§ 284-12 Advisory Committee on Non-Toxic Pest Management.
Notification of defects — See Ch. 258.
Solid waste — See Ch. 304.
This Legislature finds that individuals and their personal property are, or can be, unwittingly exposed to pesticides applied on their neighbor's property from commercial and residential lawn applications. This Legislature further finds that pesticides may pose health and safety risks to people, particularly children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with infirmities. The intent of this article is to provide information to County residents about certain pesticide applications to which they may be exposed, so that they can take steps to minimize such exposure to themselves, their families, pets, crops, livestock, backyard wildlife and property.
This article shall be known as the "Ulster County Neighbor Notification Law."
Any property which has any boundary or boundary point in common with the property on which the pesticide is to be applied.
Any state agency; municipal corporation; public authority; college, as that term is defined in the Education Law; railroad, as that term is defined in the Railroad Law; or telegraph, telephone, telegraph and telephone, pipeline, gas, electric, or gas and electric corporation, as those terms are defined in the Transportation Corporations Law, which applies pesticides.
A pesticide which does not meet the state criteria for a restricted pesticide as established under the authority of § 33-0303 of the New York Environmental Conservation Law.
The provisions in this section are adopted in their entirety and without exception pursuant to § 33-1004 of the New York Environmental Conservation Law.
Retail consumer information sign. All retail establishments that sell general use pesticides for commercial or residential lawn application shall display a sign meeting standards established by the Commissioner pursuant to Subdivision 1 of § 33-1005 of the Environmental Conservation Law in a conspicuous place, and such sign shall be placed as close as possible to the place where such pesticides are displayed.
Owners, owners' agents, or other persons in a position of authority for all other types of premises that are on abutting property with a boundary that is within 150 feet of the site of such application. Owners or owners' agents of multiple-family dwellings shall supply such written notice to the occupants of such multiple-family dwellings, and for all other types of premises, owners, owners' agents or other persons in a position of authority shall post such written notice in a manner specified by the Commissioner.
An emergency application of a pesticide when necessary to protect against an imminent threat to human health; provided, however, that prior to any such emergency application, the person providing such application shall make a good faith effort to supply the written notice required pursuant to this article. Upon making an emergency application, the person making such application shall notify the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, using a form developed by such Commissioner for such purpose, that shall include minimally the name of the person making such application, the pesticide business registration number or certified applicator number of the person making such application, the location of such application, the date of such application, the product name and United States Environmental Protection Agency registration number of the pesticide applied and the reason for such application.
Pursuant to § 33-1004 of the New York Environmental Conservation Law, the Ulster County Department of Health shall enforce the provisions of this article administratively, provided that all sanctions, which shall be assessed after providing a hearing or opportunity to be heard, shall be as specified in § 284-5 of this article and shall be payable to and deposited with Ulster County.
A person providing a commercial lawn application who violates any provision of this article shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a first violation and not to exceed $10,000 for a subsequent offense.
An owner or owner's agent of a multiple dwelling or owner, owner's agent or a person in a position of authority for all other types of premises who violates any rule or regulation pursuant to § 284-3B of this article (prior notification of commercial lawn applications), and a person who violates any provision of Subsection C of such section (posting of residential lawn applications), shall for a first such violation, in lieu of a penalty, be issued a written warning and shall also be issued educational materials prepared by the Commissioner pursuant to Subdivision 2 of § 33-1005 of the New York Environmental Conservation Law. Such person shall, however, for a second violation, be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $100 and not to exceed $250 for any subsequent violation.
A person who violates the provisions of § 284-3A of this article (retail consumer information sign) shall be issued a warning for the first violation and shall be provided seven days to correct such violation and shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $100 for a second violation and not to exceed $250 for a subsequent violation.
This article shall take effect on the first day of January after it shall have been adopted and filed with the office of the Secretary of State. Within 20 days after adoption of this article, the Clerk of the County Legislature shall forward one certified copy thereof to the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and one to the New York State Attorney General.
This article shall be known as the "Ulster County Non-Toxic Landscape Maintenance Act."
Technique for agricultural disease and pest control in which as many pest control methods as possible are used in an ecologically harmonious manner to keep infestation within manageable limits.
A pesticide that is a naturally occurring substance or microorganism that controls pests in a non-toxic manner or, if approved by the Department of the Environment or the Advisory Committee, the least toxic method possible.
Eliminating pest habitats and conditions supportive of pest population increases.
Any insect, rodent, fungus, weed or any other form of terrestrial or aquatic or animal life or virus, bacteria, or other microorganism (except viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms ordinarily present on or in humans or living animals) which the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation declares to be a pest.
Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest and any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliator or desiccant. It shall include all pesticide products registered as such by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and all products for which experimental use permits and provisional registrations have been granted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Any substance that is harmful to humans. It is recognized that, by their very nature, pesticides and herbicides are toxic to those pests they are designed to eliminate. Obviously, the concern of this article is to limit pesticides' toxicity to humans while preventing pests from multiplying and thereby endangering humans. A pesticide's relative toxicity to humans is the standard that should govern the determination as to which pesticides should be utilized. Measures of relative toxicity have been determined by measuring their effect upon adult humans, who have greater mass and weights than children. Thus, children are at greater risk from exposures to even low levels of pesticides.
The County of Ulster agrees with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that "all pesticides are toxic to some degree...and the commonplace, widespread use of pesticides is both a major environmental problem and a public health issue."
The County of Ulster recognizes that all residents (particularly children), as well as other inhabitants of our natural environment, have a right to protection from exposure to hazardous chemicals and pesticides in particular.
The County of Ulster recognizes that a balanced and healthy ecosystem is vital to the health of the County and its citizens and as such is also in need of protection from exposure to hazardous chemicals and pesticides in particular.
Furthermore, the County of Ulster recognizes that it is in the best interest of public health to eliminate the use of toxic pesticides on County-owned land; to encourage the reduction and elimination of the use of toxic pesticides on private property; and to introduce and promote natural, non-toxic or, as a last resort and with the Advisory Committee's approval, least toxic management practices to prevent and, when necessary, control pest problems on County-owned and -leased land.
Therefore, the County of Ulster seeks to implement non-toxic pest management (NPM) on County-owned and -leased lands.
The County of Ulster hereby adopts the precautionary principle (as defined by the Wingspread statement) as the basis for its non-toxic pest management (NPM) policy. The precautionary principle states: "When an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken, even if some cause and effect relationships are not yet fully established."
The use and application of toxic chemical pesticides, either by County of Ulster employees or by private contractors, for the purpose of turf and landscape maintenance, are prohibited on all lands maintained by the County of Ulster.
If toxic products must be used, based upon a waiver or exemption, then natural, least toxic turf and landscape cultural practices and maintenance shall be the method of choice to understand, prevent, and control potential pest problems.
All control products used under the terms of this policy shall be in keeping with, but not limited to, those products on the approved list of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, Connecticut and Massachusetts Chapters, Organic Land Care Program or approved by the Advisory Committee.
County of Ulster employees who work with turf grass and the landscape receive education and training in natural, least toxic turf and landscape management to be coordinated by the Advisory Committee if, in its opinion and discretion, such training is necessary.
A listing of all County-maintained lands affected by this policy shall be made available to the public by posting a list on the County website.
An Advisory Committee on Non-Toxic Pest Management will be formed with the following members: Commissioner of Public Works or designee, Coordinator of the Department of the Environment or designee, Executive Director of the Soil and Water Conservation District or designee, Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension or designee, and the Chairperson of the Environmental Management Council or designee. The Advisory Committee will oversee and assist in the implementation of the NPM policy, develop an NPM program consistent with this article, and advise the Chairperson of the Ulster County Legislature's committee responsible for environmental issues of any problems encountered or amendments required to achieve the full and successful implementation of this policy.
The Advisory Committee shall seek the participation, advice, and counsel of experts in the fields of non-toxic turf and landscape management and NPM protocol. Broad community participation, including parents, schools, advocates, and local landscaping businesses, shall be encouraged on a nonvoting basis.
Any decision by the Advisory Committee pursuant to this article shall be by majority vote of the entire Committee membership and not merely a majority or those present and voting.
Pesticides or classes of pesticides classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as not requiring regulation under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act under 40 CFR 152.25 and therefore exempt from such regulation when intended for use and used only in the manner specified.
Biological pesticides, such as Bacillus thuringiensis or milky spore, that are not genetically modified.
Pesticides in contained baits for the purpose of rodent control.
Poison ivy and poison oak that constitute a health hazard.
Any property or categories of properties as recommended from time to time by the Ulster County Coordinator of Environmental Resources and approved by the Ulster County Legislature by mere resolution.
Any County agency or contractor may apply to the Advisory Committee for a single-use waiver of the restrictions established pursuant to this article. Such application shall be in a form and manner prescribed by the Advisory Committee and shall contain such information as the Committee deems reasonable and necessary to determine whether such waiver should be granted. The Advisory Committee may grant such waivers by a majority vote of the voting membership, not merely a majority of those present and voting.
In determining whether to grant or deny a request for a waiver, the Advisory Committee shall consider the magnitude of the infestation, whether the pest situation poses an immediate threat to public health, property, or the environment, the availability of effective alternatives consistent with this article, and the likelihood of exposure of humans to the pesticide.
The applicant must submit a plan demonstrating how underlying causes of the pest outbreak will be addressed in a manner consistent with this article to prevent future outbreaks.
If a pest situation poses an immediate threat to human health and warrants the use of pesticides that would otherwise not be permitted under this article, the Ulster County Commissioner of Health or Public Health Director shall have the authority to grant a temporary emergency waiver for a period of 30 days. Notice of the waiver request shall be given to the Advisory Committee for advice on resolving the problem without the use of pesticides. The Commissioner or Public Health Director may extend the waiver for one additional period not to exceed six months. Nothing in this waiver provision prohibits the County of Ulster from adopting additional waivers via resolution for as long as the condition exists. Any County department using a pesticide under such a waiver must comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding pesticide use and Article I, Pesticide Application, of this chapter.

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