Leaf-blower ban proposed in California - The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals

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Leaf-blower ban proposed in California

A divided Sonoma, California, City Council voted 3–2 on February 17 to direct city staff to create an ordinance that will ban gas-powered leaf blowers within the city limits.

The city also debated whether to completely prohibit any type of leaf blower use, but in the end reached a compromise that will allow use of other electric leaf blowers Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The issue has been a focus of discussion in Sonoma for more than three years. A number of communities in California have implemented similar bans with mixed results, and there are several instances in the state where city bans were repealed because they were not effective.

A handful of other cities including Washington, D.C., Miami Beach, Florida, and Brookline, Massachusetts, have already or will soon consider similar restrictions on leaf blower use.

NALP and our industry allies will continue to work in collaboration to oppose measures that call for limitations on the use of power tools that are used by landscape professionals when providing service.