The county government is promising to use low-phosphorus fertilizer to green up its parks, golf courses and ballfields - a move aimed at reducing pollution to the Chesapeake Bay.

County workers also plan to conduct more soil tests to help determine how much fertilizer to use, something that was done only sporadically before.

"We're looking at all available options to reduce our impact on the Chesapeake Bay," said Mark Garrity, the county parks administrator.

The move isn't being made without prompting, however. Starting on April 1, 2011, a new state law limiting phosphorus content in fertilizer goes...