BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Hopkinton resident Derek Owen wasn’t happy when National Grid power company started spraying herbicides under power lines near his home 36 years ago, from 1971 to 1973, and he is again taking issue with the company’s spraying this spring.

“Before (1971), you would hear them coming through with chain saws every year, cutting the young saplings and stuff that would be a threat to maintaining power, but they didn’t take down the blueberries or anything like that. When they started spraying, they just ran through there with disregard to everything that grew,” said Owen, who once chased sprayers off his property with a shotgun.

“After that we just decided we didn’t want them to spray anymore.”

In 1973, residents in Hopkinton passed a petitioned warrant article, initiated by Owen, banning the use of herbicides on private property without the consent of the property owners.

This year, with National Grid power company prepared to begin spraying, some locals shared their concerns with selectmen at a recent meeting.

Though it was discussed by board members, including the possibility of filing a cease and desist order or creating an updated warrant article, Selectman Don Lane says the board likely won’t take action.

“I think (National Grid) will operate under the guidelines of that article, which says you better check with the property owner before you do it, which is what they’re doing, so it’s basically a non-issue,” said Lane.

“Besides, they do it very rarely. It’s not an annual event and I’d be willing to bet they haven’t done it three times since the town passed that article.”

The only point where it would become an issue for selectmen to intervene, said Lane, is should those spraying ignore their responsibility of obtaining approval from property owners.

Though Lane noted one resident suggested banning herbicides altogether, he said it would be devastating to local industries involving farming and agriculture.

“We had a meeting with farmers and they say the stuff is pretty benign and only goes after species that can grow tall enough to get in the way of the power lines,” said Lane.

Still, Owen said National Grid doesn’t need to use herbicides anymore because the initial treatments were effective in preventing future growth to this day.

He added that National Grid need to do a better job of notifying residents than simply printing an announcement in the newspaper.

Representatives from National Grid were unavailable for comment.