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Nantucket parks officials, residents press Board of Health to weigh evidence before any synthetic turf ban
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Summary
The Parks and Recreation Commission and members of the community urged careful review after opponents brought forward a possible ban on synthetic turf; commissioners and public commenters stressed the field’s role in youth sports and raised questions about testing, water use and jurisdiction.
The Parks and Recreation Commission debated community impacts of a potential ban on synthetic turf as the Board of Health schedules an information session and possible subsequent public hearing.
Charlie, parks staff, told the commission the school committee has advanced a stadium renovation that includes synthetic turf. He said the Board of Health is planning an information session with experts from both sides and indicated no decision will be made at that session; a later public hearing could lead to a ban that would not require a town‑meeting vote.
The commission’s members and public commenters emphasized the practical consequences of removing or prohibiting turf. “If we were to lose our turf field ... it would push our hours of use numbers kind of over the edge,” Charlie said, describing how the synthetic surface absorbs heavy year‑round demand and allows grass fields time to recover. Commissioner Nikki called a ban “insanity” given program growth and the community’s need for recreation.
Parents, coaches and youth‑sports organizers said a ban could force cancellations or cuts. Graham, a public commenter, said turf keeps practices from being canceled and “means practice doesn't get canceled, and the kids are playing regularly.” Elizabeth Weber, who identified herself as a Nantucket Public School teacher and volunteer assistant varsity field hockey coach, said she is concerned about PFAS but urged accuracy in how the issue is discussed and requested that experts be vetted so the public receives reliable information.
Commissioner Jesse described the process that led to the Board of Health review and said the school hired independent engineers (Weston & Sampson were named) and plans to have sealed factory samples of the actual turf rolls tested by a third party. “They’ve agreed to independent third‑party testing of the actual carpet fiber that would come to Nantucket,” he said, adding that on‑site field testing can be difficult to interpret because local contaminants can affect results.
Speakers also highlighted other tradeoffs: maintaining grass fields requires substantial water and chemical inputs. Charlie estimated irrigation volumes in a rough calculation and warned that replacing turf could require adding multiple grass fields to meet demand. The commission and commenters urged that the Board of Health’s information session present balanced, evidence‑based testimony so public officials can weigh health concerns against recreational and operational effects.
The panel did not take a formal vote on the matter during the meeting. Chair Mike Kozort said the commission is “unanimously behind using turf that has been researched, and that we know to be as safe as it can be,” but he repeatedly framed the topic as one that requires careful review of evolving technology and the Board of Health’s forthcoming expert presentations. The information session being scheduled by the Board of Health will precede any public hearing or vote.
