Code of Massachusetts Regulations
333 CMR - PESTICIDE BOARD
Title 333 CMR 11.00 - Rights Of Way Management
Section 11.04 - Sensitive Area Restrictions

(a) No more than the minimum labeled rate of herbicide for the appropriate site, pest, and application method shall be applied.

(b) Herbicides shall only be applied selectively by low pressure, using foliar techniques or basal or cut-stump applications, or other method approved for use by the Department.

(c) No person shall apply herbicides for the purpose of clearing or maintaining a right-of-way in such a manner that results in drift to any area within ten feet of standing or flowing water in a wetland; or area within 400 feet of a public drinking water supply well; or area within 100 feet of any Class A surface water used as a public water supply; or area within 50 feet of a Private Well.

(d) Only herbicides specified by the Department as acceptable for use in sensitive areas pursuant to the Cooperative Agreement executed between the Department of Agricultural Resources and the Department of Environmental Protection on July 1 and 2, 1987, or future amendments thereto, shall be used in sensitive areas. Applicants proposing to use an herbicide which has been registered for use on rights-of-way but has not yet been evaluated pursuant to the provisions of the Cooperative Agreement may request that such herbicides be evaluated pursuant to said provisions. For an herbicide that has been evaluated pursuant to the provisions of the Cooperative Agreement, applicants proposing to use such herbicide in a manner inconsistent with the terms and conditions of use imposed in the guidelines may request a modification or waiver of such terms or conditions. A request for such modification or waiver shall provide a detailed rationale for use, with all relevant data including but not limited to environmental fate, efficacy and human health effects of the proposed herbicide. Such herbicides and/or uses shall be subject to the evaluation standards adopted by the Departments of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Protection in the Cooperative Agreement.

Commentary. Applicants not eligible for the public utilities exemption from the Wetlands Protection Act outlined at 310 CMR 10.03(6)(a), who wish to apply pesticides registered for use in Massachusetts to rights-of-way, may choose to apply herbicides determined to be suitable for use in sensitive areas in accordance with the provisions of the Cooperative Agreement mentioned above or, alternatively, such applicants may proceed pursuant to the provisions of 310 CMR 10.00 as authorized by M.G.L. c. 131, § 40.

(e) The Department may impose such additional restrictions or conditions on the use of herbicides within or adjacent to sensitive areas as it determines necessary to protect human health or the environment. Such changes may be proposed by a municipal agency or individual during the public comment period.

(f) In the event of a question or dispute as to which setback applies to a sensitive area, the most restrictive setback shall apply.

(a) Public Ground Water Sources.

(b) Class A Public Surface Water Sources, Associated Surface Water Bodies, Tributaries and Class B Drinking Water Intakes.

(c) Private Wells.

(a) Any person proposing to apply an herbicide within any State-listed Species Habitat who does not have a current Yearly Operational Plan approved in writing by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife pursuant to 321 CMR 10.14(12), shall submit all necessary materials required for review pursuant to 321 CMR 10.18.

(b) The management of vegetation within existing utility rights-of-way shall be exempt from the requirements of 321 CMR 10.18 through 10.23, provided that the management is carried out in accordance with a Yearly Operational Plan approved in writing by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, pursuant to 321 CMR 10.14(12).

(c) No person shall apply an herbicide within State-listed Species Habitat unless the application is approved by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife pursuant to 333 CMR 11.04(3)(a) and (3)(b), and such approval is submitted to the Department.

(a) No herbicide shall be applied on or within ten feet of a Wetland or Water Over a Wetland, within ten feet of the mean annual high-water line of any River, or within ten feet of any Certified Vernal Pool.

(b) No herbicide shall be applied on or within a distance of between ten feet and 100 feet of any Wetland or Water Over a Wetland, within a distance of ten feet from the mean annual high-water line of any River and the outer boundary of any Riverfront Area, or within a distance of ten feet from any Certified Vernal Pool and the outer boundary of any Certified Vernal Pool Habitat unless:

(c) Notwithstanding 333 CMR 11.04(4)(a) and (b), public utilities providing electric, gas, water, telephone, telegraph and other telecommunication services (and other applicants, if consistent with all relevant provisions of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and its regulations in effect at the time of application) may apply herbicides on or within ten feet of a Wetland in accordance with the following conditions:

(a) A minimum of 12 months has elapsed since the last application to the site; and

(b) Herbicides are applied selectively by low pressure, using foliar techniques or basal or cut-stump applications.