Advisory Board Will Ask County to Investigate Artificial Turf

The Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board voted last night to send a letter to the Montgomery County Council asking the county to investigate the safety, health, environmental and financial impacts of artificial turf.

The potential health risks of artificial turf has been a hot topic across the county and the country, with some parents and environmentalists posing concerns about exposure to chemicals, risk of injury and infection and high surface temperatures of the fields. A recently installed artificial turf field at Walter Johnson High School was the source of debate. But schools officials say the fields are safe, and they have been well-recieved because of their ability to stand up to lots of use without the wear and tear and to be used in most weather conditions.

The letter asks the county to partner with groups like the Environmental Protection Agency, Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery County Department of Parks to conduct a "rigorous collection and review of existing scientific data" and other studies to look at health and safety impacts on students and athletes using the fields. The letter also recommends more investigation of stormwater runoff concerns with the fields and an analysis of the long-term costs of maintaining them.

"As the county continues to study the effects of artificial turf fields, we encourage them to keep in mind specific concerns raised by members of the community to the CAB," the letter read.

The council has looked into concerns associated with the fields, according to Neil Greenberger, a spokesman for the Montgomery County Council.

"The council heard from a variety of people. I don't think they heard from anybody that provided any evidence that these fields are a problem," Greenberger said.

Also at Monday night's meeting, the advisory board heard a presentation from Diane Schwartz Jones, assistant chief administrative officer in the office of County Executive Isiah Leggett, who discussed a proposal for a special taxing district in White Flint to help pay for transportation improvements there. The recently adopted White Flint Sector Plan envisions the area along Rockville Pike as a walkable, pedestrian-friendly boulevard with development centered on public transit.

Jones said legislation outlining the proposed taxing district would be presented to members of the Montgomery County Council for review next week. The legislation would propose that existing residences be excluded from the tax, which would be based on property value, Schwartz said.