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Select Board recommends citizen petition banning second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides for town action; vote split recorded
Summary
The Select Board voted to recommend affirmative action on a citizen petition asking the town to seek a home-rule petition banning second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (‘‘SCARs’’); the board vote recorded affirmative, with some members opposing or abstaining while staff noted outreach to farms, businesses and ag stakeholders was ongoing.
The Select Board on May 5 voted to recommend Town Meeting support a citizen petition that would seek a home-rule petition to prohibit the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (commonly called SCARs) in Concord.
The petition-driven article would ask the town to request enabling legislation from the state to ban certain rodenticide products locally. The petition sponsors and town staff said they have been reaching out to the agricultural community, restaurants and other businesses and have recorded interest from conservation groups; staff said they emailed every farm in Concord and invited businesses and permittees to Zoom outreach sessions.
Advocates presented data during the hearing (and Mass Audubon representatives detailed research results) showing widespread exposure of predatory birds and wildlife to these rodenticides. Mass Audubon’s Heather Packard summarized studies showing high rates of exposure in birds of prey and reported veterinary cases and human-exposure incidents reported to state authorities.
Some Select Board members said they wanted more direct feedback from agricultural and business stakeholders and more data on alternatives before supporting a broad local ban; others said the environmental exposure data warranted a proactive approach. The board voted to recommend affirmative action on the article; the voice vote included recorded opposition and at least one abstention. The board noted that a home-rule petition, if advanced by the legislature, returns to town meeting for final action and can be amended before final adoption.
Select Board members asked that staff continue outreach, including engagement with the Economic Vitality Committee and direct contact with restaurants and farms to document alternatives and impacts. The board’s recommendation will appear in the briefing book; the article’s future depends on the state’s home-rule process and any amendments the legislature or town meeting may require.
