If Martha's Vineyard Regional High School is considering a complete renovation of its campus in Oak Bluffs, it will have one less option when it comes to athletic fields.
The Oak Bluffs Board of Health on Tuesday banned the installation of artificial turf playing surfaces in town, quietly closing the door on one of the island's most divisive issues. The board has been considering suspending the use of artificial stadiums for nearly two years, but said the decision was made to protect water quality from harmful, long-lasting chemicals known as PFAS.
“It was basically all about water quality,” said board member Tom Zinno.
The ban applies to all artificial turf fields of all sizes in town, but could be lifted if a reasonable alternative to products containing PFAS is approved by the Board of Health.
Back in 2016, area high schools were talking about renovating their athletic facilities, including new athletic fields and artificial turf fields. Plans for the field were approved by the Martha's Vineyard Commission in 2021, but later rejected by the Oak Bluffs Planning Commission.
The planning commission cited concerns that chemicals from the plastics sector could contaminate the island's main aquifer.
The local high school board challenged the planning commission's denial in state land court, but a judge threw out the board late last year for overstepping its authority.
The ruling appeared poised to allow construction on the fields, and the district at one point began applying for permits to begin construction. However, the school board ultimately decided to put this area on hold as it considers plans for a new high school.
Health Committee Chairman William White stressed that the decision was made with public health, not politics, in mind.
“The Board of Health's core principle is public health,” said Board Chairman William White. “It is our responsibility as three separate commissioners to make such statements…Politics has nothing to do with my decision.”
Health agent Garrett Albiston said the board changed its mind from a previously proposed moratorium on artificial playing fields for a period of time because it determined natural grass could be used as an alternative to turf. Stated.
Albiston said the commission decided not to outlaw running tracks that use PFAS because there are no PFAS-free tracks available.
“There is no reasonable alternative to rail at this time,” he said. “The technology, the way things are made, just doesn't exist. If there was a reasonable alternative to any other truck, that would be banned too.”
As controversial as the turf field was, Tuesday's 10 a.m. meeting was sparsely attended and lasted less than 20 minutes. Oak Bluffs resident Maura McGroarty was the only person in attendance.
She felt that placing a ban on certain projects was misguided.
“That doesn’t seem right,” she said. “It seems like the debate is more grass vs. plastics politics than PFAS science.”
Martha's Vineyard Area High School Board Member Michael Watts said he was not aware of the meeting, but said the school will continue to develop plans for campus renewal.
“I think this will give direction to the construction project and the school board as to where to go next,” he said. “I would be happy if you could see it in writing.”
School officials were meeting Tuesday morning with an architect who will work with the district's owner's project manager to explore options for the school going forward.
During Tuesday's discussion, the Board of Health raised new federal standards for PFAS contamination in drinking water and said more efforts are needed to protect the island.
“There are so many facets to the PFAS issue, contamination of aquifers that goes beyond just grass fields,” said board member James Butterick. “All of that is remarkable.”
