GUEST COMMENTARY
JUDY ORCUTT
On Tuesday, August 20th at 9am, the Indian River County Commissioners will hold their 3rd public discussion about the adoption of a residential fertilizer ordinance.
Our Indian River Lagoon has polluted water. It is polluted with nitrogen that comes from fertilizer and sewage. To clean up the lagoon, we need to drastically reduce the amount of nitrogen or move this polluted water away from the lagoon. The cheapest and quickest way to clean up the lagoon is to stop putting so much nitrogen on our yards in the forms of fertilizer. The purpose of the residential fertilizer ordinance is to lessen the amount of fertilizer washing into the lagoon.
The County is required to pass the minimum state model fertilizer ordinance or they can add modifications to make the ordinance work better. There are four modifications that have been consistently added to the ordinances of about 50 other municipalities around the state – mostly on the west coast where red tide and other health hazards triggered action. We are now experiencing similar health hazards and we need to implement these same modifications to our residential fertilizer ordinance:
* Restrict the use of residential fertilizer during our rainy season from June 1st through September 30th to prevent fertilizers from washing into the lagoon
Outside of the rainy season:
* Require the use of 50% slow release nitrogen fertilizer
* Require the use of 0 phosphorus fertilizer without a soil test indicating a need for P
* Require a fertilizer free zone 10 feet around all water bodies
The Commissioners are currently considering adopting an ordinance that exempts the landscape professionals from complying with the modifications. We need every residence in Indian River County to reduce the amount of fertilizer application regardless of who is applying it.
Please consider attending Tuesday’s meeting to let your commissioners know that you care about the health of the Indian River Lagoon. Thank you.
Indian River Guardian 
Passing this ordinance WITHOUT AN EXEMPTION FOR LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS is critical for the health of our lagoon. Thank you, Judy, for your comments.