"N.J. Looks To Restrict Fertilizer To Save Barnegat Bay"

"In a move that seems to fly in the face of its moniker -- the Garden State -- New Jersey is getting ready to put the pinch on fertilizer.

Bills that would limit fertilizer's use on lawns -- restricting everything from what kind can be applied, to when and where it can be put down - are before the state Legislature, and are shaping up to be the nation's most restrictive.

Despite some industry opposition, supporters expect to have a final version on the governor's desk by year's end. A major focus is to help turn around troubled Barnegat Bay in Ocean County.

The problem isn't fertilizer per se, but what critics say has amounted to an overenthusiastic use of it."

Sandy Bauers reports for the Philadelphia Inquirer October 4, 2010.