The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward in the next step toward banning the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers in unincorporated parts of the county.
The motion, originally drafted last year by Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger who represents the Santa Clarita Valley, along with fellow Supervisor Janice Hahn, is calling for a feasibility study to examine the economic impact of phasing out gas-powered leaf blowers in LA County, a move that aims to protect the environment, improve public health and eliminate noise pollution, according to county officials.
“Passing this motion establishes a clear plan of action for our county to protect our unincorporated neighborhoods and help small businesses comply with new state rules,” Barger said. “I am all about helping small business owners switch to more environmentally friendly landscaping equipment. Change is difficult and inflation is exorbitant – everyone feels rushed. I hope county-sponsored grants and other incentives will accelerate change and make a difference.
While transitioning from gas-powered tools to relatively quieter zero-emissions tools can be costly, supervisors are ready to make a difference by supporting the area’s small business by offsetting the cost of new equipment, officials say. county.
“Gasoline leaf blowers are noisy and pollute more than many cars,” Hahn said. “We need to phase them out, but switching to zero-emission tools is expensive. We should support these small businesses and individual gardeners and help offset the costs of replacing their equipment. »
Tuesday’s motion calls for a feasibility study led by the county’s director of sustainability, in conjunction with subject matter experts from several other county departments, including the Departments of Economic Opportunity, Consumer and Business, public health, public works and the office of immigration affairs. .
A report of the feasibility study is expected by October 2022.
AB 1346
Introduced by Assemblyman Marc Berman, (D-Menlo Park), AB 1346 is set to demand that the state’s Air Resources Board (ARB) pass cost-effective regulations to ban gas engine exhaust for all off-road engines and is expected to come into force. January 1, 2024, according to an announcement by Berman’s office.
“The legislature finds and declares that: Small Off-Road Engines (SORE), which are primarily used in lawn and garden equipment, emit high levels of air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx ), reactive organic gases (ROG), and particulate matter (PM),” reads the text of AB 1346.
This bill comes after a new report found that SORE was emitting more air toxins than light cars, according to state officials.
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