California Moves To Ban All Combustion-Powered Lawn Equipment

California is the most populous state in the union and has some of the worst air quality in the entire country. The state also has some of the strictest emission standards in the entire country. A new law will expand emissions mandates to lawn equipment. California has a new law that will eventually ban the sale of any new gas-powered lawn care equipment, such as leaf blowers, weeders, and lawnmowers.The law was signed over the weekend by Governor Newsom and aims to reduce emissions produced by small engines. Supporters of the law say they are on pace to produce more pollution every year than passenger vehicles. The law requires state regulators to ban any sale of new gas have powered equipment using off-road engines.

The new law directly impacts a wide range of equipment, including generators, lawn equipment, and pressure washers. CARB (California Air Resources Board) is currently working on a new rule to enforce the law. The process is expected to be completed early next year. The new rules will go into effect by January 1, 2024, or possibly earlier if implementing before 2024 is feasible.

The law expands on similar provisions for the automotive industry. California currently has laws on the books that will ban any sale of new gas-powered cars trucks in California by 2035. California regulators point out that there are over 16.7 billion pieces of lawn care and other types of equipment, such as pressure washers, using small off-road combustion engines within the state.

That number is about 3 million units higher than the number of passenger cars on the roads within the state. California officials claim that operating a gasoline leaf blower for an hour produces the same emissions as driving a 2017 Toyota Camry from Los Angeles to Denver. The law also has provisions to provide rebates for consumers moving from gasoline-powered equipment to electric.