ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Monroe County leads all of upstate New York when it comes to air pollution caused by gas-powered lawn equipment, that’s according to EPA air monitoring data.
“In the Finger Lakes and Rochester region, Monroe County far and away is the largest and one of the largest in the state with over 100,000 tons of climate emissions equal to over 22,000 cars on the road,” says David Masur, the NY Advocate for Environment America.
The emissions come from the gas-powered snow blowers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, weed whackers, chainsaws and other lawn equipment it takes to keep our roads, driveways and lawns under control.
“Lawn equipment really doesn’t have all the catalytic converters and other kinds of things that clean the emissions from cars which is a big enough problem as it is, it really is just the worse kind of air pollution,” says Assembly member Steve Otis, (D) Westchester.
At this point, lawmakers aren’t looking to ban gas-powered lawn equipment but there is a push among some downstate Democrats to offer tax credits and rebates to landscape companies and municipalities that start switching to battery-powered options.
“They’re generally small business people and they are trying to make ends meet and the transition is expensive for them so the rebate is especially important for them to buy the equipment, to buy the batteries, to figure out how to do all this stuff,” Otis says.
Aside from cost, there are concerns about battery life and the power needed for every landscaping company to charge dozens if not hundreds of batteries daily. News10NBC has reported on major electric infrastructure issues in our region.
“We’re not making people give up their equipment, but we’re offering incentives which is what incentives are for, smart public policy,” says NYS Senator Liz Krueger, (D) Manhattan.
The incentive program hasn’t been approved by the legislature yet, it’s likely to be discussed when they go back in session after the first of the year.
A number of communities in New York already have restrictions in place on gas-powered lawn mowers, but none in our area. California also bans gas outdoor power tools.
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