Nantucket School Committee approves synthetic turf and track at Vito Capizzo Stadium with independent PFAS testing

The Nantucket School Committee voted Dec. 16 to amend the Sep. 22 Capizzo Stadium renovation plan to replace the football grass field with synthetic turf and convert the existing asphalt track to a polyurethane gel track, adding a requirement that the specific turf chosen be independently tested for PFAS by an outside laboratory.

The decision followed more than an hour of public comment in which students, parents and community groups pressed the committee to weigh athlete safety, environmental risk and long‑term costs. "My father has a T4 spinal injury... our current facilities prohibit most from attending," said Annie Ard, a high school senior, calling for accessible spectator facilities. Student speakers and parents, including Madison Massey and a high‑school goalie who recounted multiple season‑ending injuries on frozen or worn grass, argued turf would provide a safer, more durable surface.

The superintendent and several committee members acknowledged the competing issues. "We have seen quite specifically that the PFAS issue is not there," Member Vince said, citing his review of available data; other members said long‑term unknowns about microplastics and disposal weighed on them. Member Tim urged caution, saying his family had been harmed by PFAS exposures and questioning end‑of‑life disposal pathways for turf infill and material.

After procedural discussion and a failed attempt to table the matter for more information, the chair moved to amend the renovation plan to include the synthetic turf and polyurethane gel track. Member Chantal successfully sought an amendment to require that "the chosen synthetic turf... be tested for PFAS by an independent company lab," language the chair incorporated before the committee confirmed the motion.

The transcript records the chair stating the motion carries; a partial roll‑call exchange in the public record shows at least two members (Vince and Esmeralda) recorded as voting "yes." The committee did not announce a full numeric roll‑call tally in the excerpted transcript provided.

Supporters said turf would reduce injuries, increase year‑round playability and avoid recurring maintenance disruptions. Opponents and cautious members emphasized potential environmental risks, the challenge of ensuring truly PFAS‑free products, microplastic shedding and uncertainty about end‑of‑life recycling. Several speakers, including RJ Turcotte of the Nantucket Land And Water Council, asked for clearer maintenance plans, usage projections and documentation of how the project would be vetted at town committees and Town Meeting.

Next steps discussed in the meeting include moving the amended plan forward to other municipal review bodies (health and finance committees) and preparing materials for Town Meeting consideration; the committee also said it expected to follow consultant recommendations regarding independent testing of selected turf materials.

The committee took a brief recess after the vote; members said they expected further review by municipal committees before final funding or construction decisions at Town Meeting.