You know the sound— very loud— and if you’ve ever used one of these things, you know they pollute the air. Not so for electric blowers, so it might seem reasonable for communities to ban the gas-powered devices.
In fact, State Senator Saddam Salim, who represents part of Northern Virginia, says it’s not so simple. That’s because Virginia bought into a ruling of a 19th century judge named Dillon who ruled cities and counties could only enact laws if the state said they could.
“Because of the Dillon Rule, we have to give localities the ability to take some of these actions, and without our permission, they’re not able to do it," Salim says.
So, he and his colleagues in Richmond offered a bill that would allow local bans on gas powered blowers.
“Three attempts -- they ended up in the same place where they just did not get out of committee.”
Salim says lobbyists for the landscaping industry, for golf courses and companies that make gas-powered blowers objected:
“We have a lot of folks in Richmond who are friendly toward the manufacturing industry and they feel this would be a threat to them along with lawn care and landscapers.”
As did most Republicans.
“My colleague, Bill Stanley, would not support it, because he believes unless he hears a leaf blower, spring has not started.”
Salim says he won’t offer the measure in the next legislative session, because communities are finding another way to achieve their goal.
“I think a lot of jurisdictions including Arlington, which was one of the bigger jurisdictions that came to us with this, they’re actually using the noise ordinance and other localities will start to do the same.”
And in Charlottesville, the city is offering $200 rebates to anyone who buys an electric leaf blower, lawn mower or trimmer and up to $1,500 to businesses making that investment.
