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Municipal Pesticide Ordinances
A number of Maine towns have adopted local ordinances to control pesticide use. If other municipalities want to consider their own ordinances they must follow the guidelines established by the Legislature found in 22 MRSA Section 1471-U. Below is a list of the municipal ordinances that have been filed with the BPC. A scanned version of the ordinance is available as a PDF.
| Town | Ordinance Summary |
|---|---|
| Allagash (PDF) | Application of herbicides for forestry purposes prohibited |
| Amherst (PDF) | Permit required to apply within shoreland zone |
| Athens (PDF) | Requires notification of landowners when the manager of a utility right-of-way plans to conduct vegetation management activities that involve the use of herbicides |
| Arrowsic (PDF) | Foliar application of herbicides banned for public works use |
| Blue Hill (PDF) | Prohibits application, storage, or sale of synthetic pesticides, with some exemptions |
| Brighton Plantation (PDF) | Application of pesticides to woodlands prohibited |
| Brunswick (PDF) | Prohibits use or storage of most pesticides other than for households and agriculture within the aquifer protection zone Also prohibits aerial applications other than public health applications performed under the auspices of the Town or State Exceptions may be approved by Codes Enforcement Officer |
| To promote use of naturally derived pesticides rather than synthetic based pesticides. | |
| Castine (PDF) | Within the Aquifer Protection Overlay District, storage or manufacturing of pesticides prohibited and application of pesticides requires site plan approval Permit required for non-residential pesticide/fertilizer application and Integrated Pest Management and Nutrient Management plans required, following Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) publication Best Management Practices for the Application of Turf Pesticides and Fertilizers (PDF) . Plans must be reviewed by BPC and Maine Department of Health and Human Services Drinking Water Program and approved by town Planning Board. |
| Coplin Plantation (PDF) | Aerial and/or mechanical application of pesticides prohibited |
| Cranberry Isles (PDF) | Permit required for forest management activities including pesticides |
| Falmouth (PDF) | Any sole proprietor or business must register with the town before making pesticide applications within the town. Any business that receives compensation for making pesticide applications within the town must supply an annual summary report of applications made that year. |
| Harpswell (PDF) amended 3/10/2018 | Prohibits the use of the insect growth regulators (IGRs) diflubenzuron and tebufenozide and the aerial application of all IGRs and any insecticide whose product label indicates that it is harmful to aquatic invertebrates. Restricts the use of neonicotinoid insectides. |
| Lebanon (PDF) | Aerial pesticide application and non-agricultural herbicide use banned |
| Limerick (PDF) | Herbicide application to rights-of-way prohibited |
| Limestone (PDF) | Aerial application of pesticides adjacent to Trafton Lake restricted |
| Manchester (PDF) enacted 6/15/2017 | Prohibits the use of chemical pesticides for all turf, landscape, and outdoor pest management activities on town owned land. |
| Montville (PDF) | Spraying within Town Road ROWs is prohibited; requests the State not spray along State maintained roads |
| Newburgh (PDF) | Herbicide application on roadside rights-of-way prohibited |
| New Gloucester (PDF) | Application must be consistent with Department of Agriculture standards |
| New Sweden (PDF) | Aerial application of pesticides prohibited |
| Ogunquit (PDF) amended 1/1/2015 | Restricts the outdoor application of pesticides on public and private land. Pesticides used must be approved for organic use or exempt from Federal EPA registration. |
| Owl’s Head (PDF) | Herbicide application banned |
| Portland (PDF) enacted 1/3/2018 | Prohibits the use of synthetic substances, non-synthetic substances listed from USDA's List of Allowable and Prohibited Substances, and application of pesticides within 75 feet of a water body or wetland. |
| Rangeley (PDF) | Powered application of pesticides on more than 2 acres restricted |
| Rockland (PDF) | Restricts the outdoor application of pesticides on Town-(owned, leased or managed) land. Pesticides used must be approved for organic use or exempt from Federal EPA registration. |
| South Portland (PDF) amended 9/20/2023 | Curtails the use of pesticides for turf, landscape and outdoor pest management |
| Southport (PDF) | State or commercial application of pesticides prohibited |
| Standish (PDF) | Storage of pesticides within the Shoreland zone prohibited |
| Sweden (PDF) | All forest pesticide application and any aerial application within the aquifer protection district prohibited, powered applications over 1 acre restricted |
| Waterboro (PDF) | Hazardous waste generation permits required |
| Wayne (PDF) | Storage of pesticides within the Shoreland Zone prohibited |
| Wells (PDF) | Restricted use pesticide application within the Resource Protection District around Branch Brook and the Branch Brook Aquifer Protection District requires notice to the Code Enforcement Officer and copy to Town of Kennebunk |