WHO WE ARE
We are Montgomery County, Maryland residents
advocating for an urban-area phase-out of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
to reduce noise that disrupts our lives,
clean our air,
and protect the health of community members and workers.
PHASE OUT GAS-POWERED LEAF BLOWERS
Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers (GPLBs):
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have noise levels that are harmful to the health of residents and especially lawn-care workers
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emit large quantities of harmful air pollutants
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disrupt our work & schooling, while harming wildlife and plants
A Montgomery County phase-out of GPLBs will give us cleaner, quieter, and safer communities
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Both District of Columbia and Chevy Chase Village (CCV) have enacted bans on GPLBs, effective January 1, 2022
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The DC and CCV bans mean landscape companies working in those jurisdictions must switch to cleaner, quieter, safer electric leaf blowers, so the impact on most Montgomery County landscapers would be minimal
Great News!
Montgomery County Council Enacts Legislation that will Prohibit Sale and Use of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
(Montgomery County Council Press Release)
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 26, 2023—The Montgomery County Council enacted legislation today that will prohibit the sale and use of combustion engine-powered leaf blowers and leaf vacuums in most areas of the County. The vote was 10 - 1, with Council President Evan Glass, Vice President Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe, Natali Fani-González, Will Jawando, Sidney Katz, Dawn Luedtke, Kristin Mink, Laurie-Anne Sayles and Kate Stewart voting for the bill.
Bill 18-22, Noise Control – Leaf Removal Equipment – Amendments, was proposed by County Executive Marc Elrich and introduced by former Council President Gabe Albornoz. As enacted by the Council, the effective date of the ban on the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers and vacuums will be July 1, 2024. The ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers and vacuums will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
Read full press release here and staff report here.
Statement from Quiet-Clean Montgomery County
on Montgomery County Passage of GSLB Ban
September 27, 2023
Quiet-Clean Montgomery County welcomes the near-unanimous vote this week by the County Council to phase out the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.
County Executive Marc Elrich and Council President Glass deserve credit for moving this important legislation forward. Montgomery County now joins a growing list of local and state governments that have taken similar action, bringing long-overdue relief to residents while protecting the environment and the safety of landscaping workers.
Notable advancements in battery technology make the transition to cleaner, quieter equipment a timely and common sense move. With increasing evidence of climate change in plain view, the ten council members who supported Elrich’s proposal have also helped move Montgomery County forward as a leader on the environment. We will continue to track full implementation of the law and we support rebate assistance for the transition.
Signed,
Quiet-Clean Montgomery County
