Landscaper optimistic about equipment ban
California recently passed a bill that will outlaw the sale of new gas-powered equipment including lawnmowers, leaf blowers and chainsaws by 2024.
Assembly Bill 1346 would require the state board to adopt cost-effective and technologically feasible regulations to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new small off-road engines (SOREs), which can be found on gas-powered equipment utilized by many landscaping companies.
Angel Montoy, owner of Montoy’s Landscaping in Woodland, said he’s looking at this bill as a positive because it’s important to think about the environment.
“Personally, I think it’s a good thing,” Montoy emphasized. “I know a lot of landscapers don’t like it but I think it’s because they’re used to working in the same way and now they have to change the way they work.”
The ban will effectively require landscaping companies like Montoy’s to switch over to battery-powered leaf blowers and lawnmowers, which can be a steep investment if still relying heavily or solely on gas-powered equipment.
“People are scared of changes because they don’t know if what’s coming of it is a bad thing or not, but I think this change is a good thing,” he added.
The bill was approved by Gov. Gavin Newson in October with the intention of reducing the state’s emissions as part of the governor’s goal of achieving 100% zero emissions from off-road equipment by 2035, according to the bill.
Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, and Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, authored the bill and argue that
the purpose of the bill is to look beyond transportation to achieve the emissions reductions needed to fight climate change and improve air quality and health in California communities.
“Today, operating the best-selling gas-powered commercial leaf blower for one hour emits air pollutants comparable to driving a 2017 Toyota Camry from Los Angeles to Denver,” they emphasized in the bill. “Smog-forming emissions from small engines will surpass those from passenger vehicles this year.”
Berman and Gonzalez also noted that the bill requires the California Air Resources Board (CARB) make funding available to help landscaping businesses transition to zeroemission equipment.
Opponents of the bill, including the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, argue that banning most SORE equipment starting in just over two years poses numerous technology feasibility, economic and implementation challenges for industry stakeholders.
“Collectively, these challenges are insurmountable and will result in significant hardships for manufacturers, retailers and end-users, culminating in an early market shortfall of products with high consumer need and demand,” the institute argued.
However, Montoy believes that the change is doable and likened the transition to one that the landscaping industry faced before; the transition from wired electric tools to battery-operated ones.
“I remember 20 years ago all the hand tools like drills and saws used to be electric,” he explained. “We used to have a bunch of extension cords going everywhere and when the battery-operated drills came out, some people didn’t like that.”
Some complained about having to recharge batteries and that they didn’t last very long, but everyone has now realized how well they work, according to Montoy.
The transition wasn’t an easy one for Montoy to make at the time with batteries costing upwards of $200.
“They’re not cheap and we have to have more than one,” he added. “Each of my trucks has at least four or five batteries because we’re usually using two at a time and then we need to have the other two charging.”
However, the benefits have paid off because the batteries take up less space, eliminate noise and allow them to work without the risk of tripping on long extension cords.
“All we have to do is readapt and learn how to work a little different,” he highlighted. “Instead of carrying a couple of gas cans in the back of our trucks now we have to carry batteries, which take less space than gas cans and we don’t have to worry about spills.”
Spencer Bowen, Woodland’s communications manager, said the city is looking forward to working with the California Air Resources Board on an implementation strategy of the bill.
“We are also pleased that the bill requires CARB to make funding available to help landscaping businesses transition to zero-emission equipment,” Bowen stated in an email. “The city is proud of its sustainability efforts such as recently deploying two all-electric commercial service trucks that are among the first of their kind to be built and used in the country and transitioning away from machines like gaspowered lawnmowers is specifically mentioned among the strategies in our 2035 climate action plan.”
The city’s climate action plan — titled Final 2035 Climate Action Plan — is available at cityofwoodland.org.