Victory: Citizens Restrict Pesticide Use In Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Cape Elizebeth, Maine – On February 2023, a small group of community members in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, successfully gathered enough signatures to petition the town to restrict the use of pesticides for cosmetic landscaping on private property. The proposed pesticide ordinance was modeled very closely on similar pesticide ordinances in Portland, Maine, and South Portland.
The Town Council decided to send the Citizen Petition to a vote that November. From February to November, the Town Council developed the ordinance with the feedback of experts and community members. A small group of dedicated Cape Elizabeth residents, with help from Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and Community Action Works members, wrote letters to the Town Council and attended these Ordinance Committee meetings to advocate for the strongest possible pesticide restrictions.
The same group of local citizens ran a large ad in the local town paper encouraging a “yes” vote in the upcoming referendum. The ordinance went to the ballot in November and passed with 61% of the vote, going into effect on December 12, 2023. The ordinance has since been amended for both clarity and strictness, demonstrating the ongoing nature of most environmental fights.