Conroy hails vote on aggressive bamboo

HARTFORD - State Rep. Theresa Conroy, D-Seymour, hailed House and Senate passage of legislation that will regulate the planting and sale of an extremely aggressively growing species of bamboo (bamboo in the genus Phyllostachys, including yellow-groove bamboo).

Running bamboo grows quickly; choking out other plants and spreading beyond property lines.

“This is a plant that dominates the environment,” Conroy said. “In almost no time, a property can be covered with running bamboo – it will grow under driveways and concrete slabs. It will devastate a property if left untended.”

Conroy was alerted to the issues of running bamboo by Seymour resident Caryn Rickel. 
Conroy proposed legislation and met with House Chair of the Environment Committee Linda Gentile of Ansonia whose committee drafted Senate Bill 1016.

In her testimony before the Environment Committee, Rickel said, “Yellow groove bamboo is like cancer to land. Being invaded by yellow groove bamboo is the worst continual nuisance I can imagine anyone inflicting on his neighbor as yellow groove destroys land and everything in its path.”

Beginning Oct. 1, 2013, the bill makes people who plant running bamboo liable for any damage the bamboo causes to neighboring properties. It also requires anyone planting running bamboo to maintain a 100 foot setback from their property lines.

The legislation also requires anyone selling running bamboo to educate customers on its aggressive growth and their potential liability in planting it on their property.

The legislation heads to the governor’s desk.


This post is taken from a press release from Conroy's office.