BRANFORD, CT – A recent proposal in Branford, CT to ban gas-powered leaf blowers was largely dismissed at a recent town committee meeting, and will likely die before the towns full legislature, but there are towns around the country that are taking steps to limit their usage.
Many such proposals are made by residents who are opposed to the noise such equipment causes, and work to propose bans at certain times of day or in condo associations. When the efforts are rebuffed, they turn to the environmental impacts and work to get legislation to support their cause.
But while some towns have passed bans in various forms, they differ greatly, and such bans can cause significant financial hardships on homeowners and contractors, notably landscapers.
In California, a ban has been made on the sale of gas power leaf blowers, but not on their usage themselves. Over time, as equipment fails, buyers will have no choice but to switch to electric, but that could take years, even decades.
The District of Columbia has a ban that took effect in 2002 that is far more strict, with violations coming with a significant fine.
In Branford, the new law would have limited the time of day gas powered leaf blowers can be used, leading up to a complete ban starting May 1, 2025.
The argument for a ban along environmental lines is that small engines that power leaf blowers do not have the environmental safeguards that engines for vehicles have, thus releasing a surprising amount of pollution.
And while the primary impetus for many of the bans is the noise, like in countless areas, proponents use the environment as their cause de jour, something the Connecticut shoreline has seen in recent years as resident fight airport expansion and the noise it may cause by claiming environmental impacts, and residents fight retail and its traffic, like a Costco, by claiming environmental concerns.
In some towns, like in Larchmont NY, the law also limits the time of day and time of years electric leaf blowers can be used.
But bans are receiving pushback by landscape contractors and homeowners, who claim it will take far longer to get jobs done and incur significant costs if mandated to transition to electric equipment.
The skyrocketing cost of electricity in Connecticut, which already boasts the highest energy costs in the nation, have also been cited.
Branford Rules and Ordinances Committee voted to take no action, a move that would prohibit the issue from returning this legislative session, which ends this year.
Where do you stand? Would you support a local ban on gas powered leaf blowers?
No need to power the blowers with combustion engines. Need to account for transition time and create incentives to “make the switch” to electric.
Strangely, the health impacts are serious for this type of two-stroke noise. Increase in heart attacks and other non-obvious health benefits of making the switch to all electric lawn equipment. Getting cheaper too!