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An Act To Prohibit Aerial Spraying of Pesticides near Buildings, Roads and Bodies of Water
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1471-Y  is enacted to read:
§ 1471-Y.  Prohibition on aerial spraying in certain areas
In addition to requirements for forest insect aerial spray projects under section 1471-R, the buffers established under this section apply to all applications of pesticides from aircraft.
 
1.  Buffer for buildings.     A person may not apply a pesticide within 300 feet of a school, hospital, nursing home, church, residence or any building occupied by humans at the time of the application.
 
2.  Buffer for public roads.     A person may not apply a pesticide within 25 feet of the right-of-way of a public road. For the purposes of this section, "public road" has the same meaning as “public way” as defined in Title 29-A, section 101, subsection 59.
 
3.  Buffer for bodies of water.     A person may not apply a pesticide over a body of water or within the shoreland area of a body of water as defined in rules adopted to regulate timber harvesting activities under Title 12, section 8867-B.
 
SUMMARY
This bill establishes buffers where aerial spraying of pesticides is prohibited.