The State of New Hampshire just passed a law restricting the use of certain types of fertilizers in turf applications. We're going to help you understand what that means for NH residents, and how Lawnbright's product lineup complies with this law.
Background:
NH House Bill 1293 was introduced in early 2024. The bill was designed to prevent the buildup of toxic cyanobacteria blooms which have occurred over the past several years in various bodies of water. These blooms have been linked to, in part, the use of high rates of Nitrogen and high Phosphorus fertilizers applied within the proximity of watersheds. These blooms not only negatively impact property values and businesses, they have a significant impact on the regional watershed. The bacteria blooms are hazardous to people, pets, and wildlife in the area, who are often made sick when swimming and recreating in the water. As a result, warnings are issued to residents in the affected areas.
In many ways, the lakes region of New Hampshire is the economic engine of the state, so there is intense focus on keeping this preserved from many disparate stakeholders.
The bill was vetoed by Governor Sununo on July 19, 2024, though over-ridden by the house and senate chambers in October of the same year. It is scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2025.
What it means for NH residents:
Practically speaking, it restricts the amount of Nitrogen and Phosphorus that can be applied on residential lawns in the state. It also restricts the application of all fertilizers within 25 feet of any body of water or storm drains.
Additionally, it puts the onus on both retailers and residents to educate property owners of the risks, and ensure they're complying with the lawns, respectively.
How Lawnbright complies with HB1293:
To see how Lawnbright can help you comply with the law let's dig into the actual rates allowed:
Nitrogen, allowed Application Rates:
- For soluble nitrogen, do not exceed 0.7 pounds per 1,000 square feet per application.
- For total nitrogen, do not exceed 0.9 pounds per 1,000 square feet per application.
- Annually, the total nitrogen should not exceed 3.25 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
How Lawnbright complies:
Lawnbright's liquid applications have a fraction of this Nitrogen in each application. Our highest Nitrogen product is 22% Nitrogen. In our standard 2lb liquid container, which is rated for 3,200 square feet, you'll put out approximately .125 lbs per thousand square feet. Even if you were to use the entire bottle on a small area of 1,000 square feet, it would only amount to .4 pounds, well under the limit.
Phosphorus, allowed Application Rates:
- No fertilizer intended for turf should exceed 0.5% available phosphate unless it's specifically labeled for establishing new lawns, or if a soil test indicates a phosphorus deficiency.
How Lawnbright complies:
This limits the amount of Phosphorus to effectively zero. To start, Lawnbright will not ship any phosphorus in our subscription plans until the soil test results show a phosphorus deficiency. This has been a standard practice for all customers dating back several years.
Additionally, we sparingly use phosphorus in our starter fertilizers, which are natural and organic sources of Phosphorus. Even under this new law, Natural and Organic fertilizers are effectively exempt from regulation - allowing homeowners to apply up to 1lb per thousand square feet. Even with organic fertilizers, this is a significant amount that we would like to see reduced in future iterations of this law.
Invested in the future:
At Lawnbright, we're committed to safe and healthy watersheds not only across the State of New Hampshire, but across the country. We fully understand that the damage we're doing to the environment today will be inherited by future generations. To that end, we're deeply invested in educating homeowners to the risks of high rate applications of fertilizers, and donate to non-profits like the New Hampshire Lakes organization. If you'd like to learn more and get involved yourself, we encourage you to check out their website
If you'd like to sign up for one of our subscription lawn plans, we're now accepting new 2025 season subscriptions! Check out more info on our website
The NH law goes into effect on January 1st 2025, which should give you plenty of time to re-evaluate your lawn care needs.