NYS bill would incentivize contractors to buy electric lawn equipment

ALBANY — Temperatures are rising, flowers are starting to bloom, and for many Long Islanders, the loudest sign of spring has arrived: the hum of gas-powered leaf blowers.

The buzzing motorized yard tool, however, could be phased out in New York as state lawmakers push legislation aimed at incentivizing contractors to purchase electric lawn equipment through a rebate.

"We want people to transition off their gas-powered products to electric because it’s good, obviously, for the environment. But as other people point out, it’s much less noisy than the gas-powered," state Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan), the bill’s Senate sponsor, told Newsday.

The proposed legislation would set up a rebate program for commercial landscapers and institutions such as municipalities, schools and nonprofits that purchase battery-powered lawn equipment, including leaf blowers, lawn mowers, tree trimmers and snowblowers, as well as batteries and chargers. The rebate amount would be set by the New York State Research and Development Authority, or NYSERDA, and be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the bill and Krueger. The Senate passed the bill 51 to 9 on Monday and it is in committee in the Assembly. 

The proposal comes as municipalities across the state and Long Island ban the use of gas-powered leaf blowers, largely because of noise and air pollution. Communities that have banned or restricted the use of gas-powered leaf blowers to certain months include the villages of Southampton and Greenport, the Town of North Hempstead and the Town of Huntington — though Huntington put the new rule on hold because of resistance from landscapers and residents, Newsday previously reported.

Some contractor groups say the electric alternatives are not only costly but not as effective.

"It’s a power thing. There’s a certain volume of force that’s required ... to get the job done," said Evan Dackow, board member of the Landscape Contractors Association of Long Island, a 1,700-member organization. "It’s also more consistent because in lower temperatures batteries will lose their charge very quickly," he said, adding that the price of the battery-powered equipment is "considerably more."

The bill — which would take effect upon passage and expire in 2036 — aims to help offset the cost and incentivize landscapers to make the switch without the municipalities having to ban them, said Blair Horner, senior policy adviser of the New York Public Interest Research Group, or NYPIRG. "And it allows for local residents to push for bans if they want to. It makes it an easier argument" because it helps with the cost concerns.

Reducing pollution

The State Legislature passed similar legislation in 2022, but it was vetoed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, who said it would be better addressed in the state budget. The new version of the rebate narrows the scope of eligibility, largely targeting commercial landscapers, getting the most "bang for your buck" with minimal fiscal impact, Horner said.

The rebate would only use a "relatively small amount" of funds that NYSERDA already has in place through a multistate cap-and-trade program called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, Krueger said. She and advocates couldn't provide a cost estimate. NYSERDA declined to comment on pending legislation.

The bill aims to "reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and reduce noise pollution," according to the legislative language. It’s part of the state’s larger shift to electrification, Krueger said.

Gas-powered leaf blower engines create air pollution and ozone-forming chemicals, as well as fine particulate matter, short-term exposure to which has been known to contribute to asthma, heart attacks, cardiovascular disease and COPD, according to the Respiratory Health Association, a nonprofit organization. Older adults, children, people with chronic illnesses and the workers that use the gas-powered machines are most at risk, according to the association.

Gas-powered leaf blowers are around 90 decibels loud, which is enough to cause permanent hearing loss if there’s prolonged exposure, according to the association.

And using a commercial leaf blower for one hour emits as much smog-forming pollution as driving a car about 1,100 miles, according to the California Air Resources Board.

"It’s in every neighborhood almost every day and it’s quite disruptive to people that work from home, people that home-school, people that may be recovering from cancer treatments, people with COPD, asthma," said Dr. Bonnie Sager of Huntington, an optometrist and consulting clinical physician to the New York State Hospital System, of the gas-powered leaf blowers.

'Support for companies'

NYPIRG and 125 environmental, conservation and health advocates signed onto a letter calling on the State Legislature to approve the measure, as did a few companies that sell landscaping equipment, such as the Home Depot.

The Long Island Association applauded the measure. "It’s refreshing to see a bill that is providing support for companies to make the transition to electric equipment instead of mandating the change, said association President and CEO Matt Cohen in an emailed statement.

Dackow said the rebate may help with the purchase of some battery-powered equipment, but the technology isn’t there to go fully electric. And if companies can afford all-electric, they’ll likely have to increase the cost for their customers, he said. 

“[A] the end of the day we need to get the job done efficiently to keep the price as low as we can for our clients," Dackow said.

Kevin Boodram, owner and CEO of Serenity Robotic Lawncare based in Huntington, started his business four years ago with the goal of giving residents an electric-powered landscaping option.

It was expensive, but Boodram had his customers pay up front to help with the cost of equipment and reinvested what he earned. His company now has more than 60 customers and has received more than $23,000 in grants.

Boodram said his prices are on par or about 10% to 15% higher than other landscapers because they offer more technological options and take payments online.

"It pays for itself after the first year," Boodram said of the battery-powered equipment, adding that he doesn’t have to pay for gas or engine maintenance and it’s better for the health of his team. "I really want to show other landscapers that it’s possible for this equipment to work."