STMA UPDATE
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Begin Applying for Awards, Scholarships and Grants
Proposed Legislation to Watch
The
STMA awards program, scholarship and grants programs are open and the submission deadline is October 15, 2020. There are six specific programs: Field of the Year – Awarded to natural grass fields that exhibit excellent playability and safety and whose managers utilize innovative solutions, effectively use their budgets, and have implemented a comprehensive agronomic program. Fields may be entered for the sports of baseball, softball, football, soccer, and sporting grounds (non-mainstream sports such as lacrosse, rugby, horse racing tracks, etc.) These awards are given in three categories: schools/parks, colleges and universities and professional stadiums. Sponsored by Carolina Green Corp., Precision Laboratories, World Class Athletic Surfaces and John Deere SAFE Turfgrass Scholarships – Awards are given to students who are pursuing turfgrass management or post-graduate research. Several of these are named in Dr. James Watson’s name and are completely funded by The Toro Company
SAFE non-Turfgrass Scholarship: The Darian Daily Legacy Scholarship – Named in honor of a legendary supporter of STMA and SAFE and a family man, this scholarship is awarded to dependents of members who are pursuing a field of academic study outside of the turfgrass industry. Leo Goertz Membership Grant – Multiple grants are awarded to sports field managers or crew members who are not members of STMA. This grant is generously supported by Pioneer Athletics. Gary Vanden Berg Internship Grant – Named in honor of Gary Vanden Berg, CSFM, for his contributions to the industry in promoting internships, students who have interned are eligible to submit post-internship to augment their internship wages. Terry Mellor Continuing Education Grant – This named grant provides funding for a STMA chapter member to attend the STMA annual conference. This grant is made possible through the support of Turface Athletics.
For more information on STMA’s scholarship, awards, and grants programs, go to STMA.org 6 • New England BLADE • September 2020
As
By Bob Mann
we go to press in late August, Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and co-sponsor Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) together with Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO) in the House introduced legislation that would remove entire classes of pesticides currently used by lawn, landscape and sports turf professionals and would significantly change the way that pesticides are regulated in the United States. Senate Bill 4406 and House Bill 7940, titled the “Protect America’s Children From Toxic Pesticides Act of 2020” (PACTPA) would remove the organophosphate and neonicotinoid insecticides along with the agricultural herbicide paraquat. Additionally, the bill would allow ordinary citizens to petition the EPA to remove pesticides from the market, remove special use permits that are often used for local pest infestations, and tie those pesticides that are banned in the European Union and Canada such that those pesticides would be banned in the United States as well. The EU and the USA have diametrically opposing approaches to the evaluation of pesticides, the EU using a hazard-based approach while the EPA uses a risk assessment approach. The problem with the EU system is that it is based in the precautionary principle which states that unless you cannot definitively prove that a substance is not a hazard it should not be allowed on the market. As you cannot ever prove a negative, any substance could in theory fall victim to this approach. The bills would remove all state preemption of pesticides as well, meaning that localities would be free to regulate as they saw fit. If what’s past is prologue, what we witnessed in South Portland and Portland, Maine in the past couple of years would quickly become the norm as decisions based in emotion overtake those based in science, causing a confusing quagmire of regulations that differ from town to town. And these are just the lowlights – you can read an overview of the legislation posted by one of the supporting organizations at this link: http://www.panna.org/blog/pactpa-puttingpeople-pesticides As we understand it today, the bill may get a hearing in the Democrat House but has little to no chance of a hearing in the Republican Senate. With the election just a few weeks away and uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the legislative races, we will have to monitor this bill closely and engage with our elected officials at the proper time to ensure they understand the severe ramifications that would result if this legislation were to ever become law. Bob Mann is the Director of State and Local Government Relations for the National Association of Landscape Professionals in Fairfax, VA. Connect with Bob via email at Bob@LandscapeProfessionals.org.
