Washington state Democrat bill would jail people for violating ban on gas leaf blowers
Legislation introduced in Washington state claims gas-powered leaf blowers and other lawn equipment contribute to climate change and cause health problems
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Washington state Democrats are proposing to outlaw new gas-powered lawn equipment, like leaf blowers, with legislation that could land violators in jail.
A bill pre-filed by state Rep. Amy Walen, D-Kirkland, would amend the state's Clean Air Act to ban new "gasoline-powered and diesel-powered landscaping and other outdoor power equipment." The bill states that gas-powered lawn equipment contributes to climate change and claims such tools cause a range of health problems, including asthma, hearing loss and other issues, KTTH's Jason Rantz reported.
Under the proposed law, the Washington state Department of Ecology would have a Jan. 1, 2026, deadline to "adopt rules to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new outdoor power equipment." The bill carries limited exemptions for gas-powered equipment used by government agencies and for commercial or residential use when there is no "suitable zero emissions outdoor power equipment technology" available.
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Violations of the law would constitute a gross misdemeanor under Washington state penal code and carry fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment of up to 364 days per instance.
To ease the transition away from fossil-fuel powered equipment, the bill would temporarily lift state sales and use taxes on "zero emissions landscaping equipment," which includes battery-powered or plug-in lawn equipment, as well as "lawn mowers powered solely by human effort."
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Similar efforts to ban small gas-powered equipment have been introduced in California and Minnesota as Democratic lawmakers seek to curb carbon emissions. These bans typically target new gas-powered equipment, permitting people to keep and use tools they already own.
In 2021, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a ban on selling gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers, starting in 2024. The California Air Resources Board also decided that all new vehicles in the state will run on electric batteries by 2035.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a ban on selling gas-powered lawn care machinery, such as mowers and leaf blowers, in 2021. (Mario Tama/Getty Images / Getty Images)
However, critics say that when the time comes to buy new equipment, consumer choices will be limited and may be prohibitively expensive. Landscaping businesses face a steep upfront cost to transition to battery-powered equipment. A commercial electric backpack leaf blower may cost $100 or more than a comparable gas version, the Orange County Register reported. And a 52-inch-wide ride-on electric mower manufactured by Mean Green Mowers starts at almost $30,000, which is more than three times as expensive as a comparable gas-powered machine, NPR reported.
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The tax incentives offered in Walen's bill are intended to offset these costs, but only temporarily. They would expire on Jan. 1, 2030.
Walen's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.