Stamford Bans Use Of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers For Most Of Year

STAMFORD, CT — The Stamford Board of Representatives last week voted to pass an ordinance that bans the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers in the city, except in the months of October, November and December. The ordinance passed with 23 in favor, 10 opposed and three abstentions.

The ordinance, which will go into effect in three years, applies to all private individuals, property owners, tenants and commercial landscaping companies.

Previously, except for between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, gas-powered leaf blowers were only allowed to be used between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.

All city departments must now retire gas-powered landscaping equipment and switch to electric-powered alternatives by the end of the "compliance period."

Except in an emergency situation as determined by the city's director of operations, Stamford is not permitted to purchase new gasoline-powered landscaping equipment, the ordinance explains.

Those who violate the ordinance for the first time will receive a written warning. A second violation comes with a $50 penalty, and any subsequent violations will cost $100.

Collected fines will be deposited into a dedicated sustainability fund for programs and initiatives that support sustainability and environmental mitigation efforts in Stamford, "including but not limited to community education, electric landscaping rebate programs, tree planting, workforce training, outreach to disadvantaged Operators, and public engagement campaigns," the ordinance says.

Additionally, there is a section of the ordinance that calls for electric battery education and community outreach.

Several representatives spoke about the ordinance before a vote was taken.

Rep. Don Mays (D-19) said the ordinance was "well thought out and sets a strong plan forward for dealing with the scourge of gasoline leaf blowers."

"These machines disturb the peace from morning until the evening. The larger the property, the longer the time these machines are running, and in most cases, several gasoline leaf blowers are used on a single property at the same time, exacerbating the problem," Mays said, noting the ordinance protects constituents, landscape workers and the environment.

"Strong restrictions on gasoline leaf blowers is not government overreach. It's responsible, progressive legislation," he added. "We can't continue to turn our back on issues that affect the quality of life, our environment and the poor workers who are subject to the hazards of these machines."

Rep. David Watkins (R-1) shared that he was previously concerned electric leaf blowers "were not up to task," but after doing some research, he found they are "nearly as powerful" as their gas-powered counterparts.

Watkins said he was still concerned about safety when it comes to charging electric batteries.

"Charging the batteries is a dangerous process. We know that from fires that occur with E-bikes," Watkins said. "Let's be clear, our landscapers generally do not have the luxury of a separate garage for their equipment. It's not clear how they're going to charge it. I think that's a problem."

Watkins voted in favor of the ordinance.

Another member, Rep. Jeffrey Stella (D-9), said he, too, was concerned about battery charging and potential fires.

"Anyone that sees any of these videos regarding fires when it comes to these batteries, these batteries go from zero to 60 in a couple of seconds," he said. "There's no indicators. When they blow, it's like a projectile - almost like a grenade. There's no warning like a regular fire when this happens."

Stella voted against the ordinance, as did Rep. Jennifer Matheny (D-19).

"The noise isn't going to stop. People aren't going to stop blowing in the spring and summer," Matheny said. "It may be a little bit quieter. I don't understand that people think maybe this is a silver bullet where everything will stop except for October, November and December," she said.

Matheny also said the ordinance will be costly for residents who take care of their own lawns, and she criticized electric batteries.

"The battery technology is not there yet, and hoping that it may be there in three years, I'm not taking that bet," she said.

The full ordinance can be found here.