Now that a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers has been passed, the county is surveying landscapers ahead of a potential gas-to-electric leaf blower exchange program.
Last week, the county council voted 10-1 to pass legislation banning the sale and use of gas-powered leaf blowers and leaf vacuums in most county areas.
The ban on sales is effective July 1, 2024, according to a council release, and the ban on use will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
The bill authorizes a grant program to partly offset the cost to replace a gas leaf blower with an electric one.
Now, the county’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has put out a survey and calls on landscapers to share their experiences with using electric blowers.
The survey takes about five minutes to complete and will collect feedback for a potential exchange and rebate program to offset costs of transitioning, according to information from DEP.
The county executive has to send regulations for a reimbursement program to the council for approval, per the council release.
