By: Ron Dunsky, Climate & Energy Committee Member

It’s springtime, which means that along with the welcome sounds of birds, dogs, kids playing and bicycles riding we can also expect the less welcome arrival of gas-powered lawn and landscaping equipment. As the season progresses, this will turn into a continuous cacophony of blowers, mowers, weeders, and whackers.

Gas-powered lawn and landscaping equipment impact the climate, human health, quality of life, affordability/economics, efficiency, and regulations.

The Science

Gas-powered lawn machines have a deleterious impact in multiple ways:

• • Emissions: The broad scientific consensus—across regulators, academic studies, and environmental agencies—is that gas-powered lawn and landscaping equipment (often called “small off-road engines,” or SORE) are disproportionately high emitters of carbon and other pollutants relative to their size and usage. This is true not only for CO2  but also for Hydrocarbons (HC) , Nitrogen oxides (NOx), and other particulate matter. Operating a gas-powered leaf blower for one hour, for example, is the equivalent of driving a modern car hundreds of miles, in terms of total pollutants emitted.

• Human Health: There’s an equally broad consensus on the negative health impacts created by these machines:

• Respiratory/cardiovascular diseases are tied to emissions.

• • Noise: Gas-powered equipment produces 85–100+ decibels , which exceeds thresholds associated with hearing damage (long-term exposure), sleep disruption, stress and cardiovascular effects. Other studies have linked prolonged exposure to excessive noise to hypertension, heart disease, and cognitive impacts (especially in children).

These environmental and health effects are exacerbated by the fact that the points of impact of these machines are highly concentrated – creating intense, localized pollution plumes at ground level, near people often exposed within a few feet. Smaller 2-stroke engines have even worse impact because they operate inefficiently.  Leaf blowers are often singled out as one of the worst offenders on all counts. It is true that newer equipment types, for example machines with four-stroke engines, are more efficient and potentially less harmful – but there is a vast installed base of older generation gas machines out there, and turnover to newer models can be slow. 

The counter view can be summarized as this: the overall impact of these machines is disproportionally low in terms of their total contribution to emissions; population-wide health impact is harder to quantify vs. major sources (e.g., vehicle traffic); real-world exposure varies significantly by distance, duration, and usage patterns.

This is not an “Is it harmful?” debate but rather “Whether and what to do about it” debate.

Economics, Business, Affordability

Gas-powered equipment has been around for decades, so there is an extensive ecosystem of manufacturers, distributors, and dealers that deal in this commodity at every price point. Initially, electric-powered lawn equipment was more expensive and had a major performance disadvantage. Newer generations of battery-powered lawn equipment have shown material gains through improvements in battery energy density, efficiency, and swappable battery ecosystems. The cost of battery-powered equipment has come down significantly, sometimes achieving parity with gas-powered machines, because of their growing market share. Sales of electric lawn equipment (battery + corded) are now running between 35%-50% of sales in the consumer market, with the fastest transition occurring in the leaf blower segment. However, the commercial market tells a different story: electric lags at about 5%-15% of new sales. Professional landscapers have higher runtime needs, quicker refueling speed, and own a lot of existing fleet.

An individual or a lawn business that has invested in legacy gas-powered equipment is being asked to potentially take an economic hit in order to switch to electrical versions. This is why regulatory or legislative efforts to deal with this challenge frequently include financial incentives (e.g. subsidies or tax breaks) for consumers to switch to electrical equipment, recognizing that there is an affordability and economic fairness component to this issue, particularly for small businesses.

Regulatory and Legislative

Multiple states and municipalities have been passing laws to accelerate the phasing out of gas-powered lawn machines. The dominant regulatory approach is a phased, hybrid model: targeted restrictions (especially on high-impact equipment like leaf blowers) combined with financial incentives and transition support—implemented first at the local level and increasingly at the state level. Common to most initiatives:

Sticks (restrictions / mandates)

• • Sales bans or phase-outs (especially for new equipment) 

• Restrictions 

• • • Time-of-day limits 
    • Seasonal bans (e.g., peak summer ozone periods) 

• Noise limits 

• • • Decibel caps enforced via local ordinances 

• Equipment-specific bans 

• • • Most commonly gas leaf blowers 

• Fleet requirements 

• • Government or contractor fleets required to electrify 

Carrots (incentives / transition support)

• Rebates & vouchers 

• • • Trade-in programs for gas → electric equipment 

• Grants for commercial landscapers 

• Public fleet conversion funding 

• Education campaigns
• Procurement preferences (electric-first purchasing rules) 

Most policies avoid abrupt bans and instead use:

• • Phase-in timelines (2–5+ years) 

• Priority targeting 

• • • High-density residential zones 
    • Government fleets first 
    • Commercial operators before homeowners 

• Grandfathering 

• • Existing equipment allowed for a period

Examples of Legislation Across the US

California

Policy:

• Ban on sale of new gas-powered small off-road engines (effective 2024) 
• Applies to: 
  • Leaf blowers, trimmers, small generators, etc. 

Carrots:

• ~$30M+ in incentives and rebates 
• Focus on commercial landscaping businesses

New York

Policy (enacted via state budget legislation)

• State agencies are required to begin transitioning to zero-emission lawn equipment 
• Applies to: 
  • State-owned and operated equipment 
• Timeline: 
  • Gradual procurement shift (mid-2020s onward)

Unlike California, New York’s policy is neither a market-wide mandate nor a ban. There are several bills that have been introduced in the NY State legislature that would create more California-like laws (e.g., bills (S.1574 and A.2657), but so far they have failed to pass in multiple legislative sessions.

Municipalities In the absence of political will at the state level, local governments often take. For example:

New York City

• Seasonal ban on gas leaf blowers , June 1 – September 30 

Southampton

• Seasonal restrictions on gas leaf blowers 
• Movement toward tighter controls 

East Hampton

• Among the most aggressive in NY: 
  • Phased restrictions 
  • Increasing push toward full electrification 

Ithaca

• Considering / implementing stricter sustainability policies 
• Part of broader climate action framework

Themes common to many local initiatives:

1) “Leaf blower first” strategy

• Politically and practically easier 
• Targets: 
  • Highest noise complaints 
  • Highest emissions intensity 

2) Seasonal or partial bans as steppingstones

• Example: 
  • Summer-only bans → full bans later 
• Helps: 
  • Build public acceptance 
  • Reduce immediate economic impact 

3) Strong alignment with broader policy goals

These regulations are often bundled with:

• Climate action plans 
• Air quality improvement strategies 
• Noise reduction initiatives

Rights

None of the above even considers the sheer disruptive nature of these machines, as they burrow into our brains in the middle of the peaceful enjoyment of our neighborhoods. These types of impacts open up a distinct category of discussion – how one person’s  lawn aesthetics is another person’s misery index. This fits into a long-established legal framework that considers the line where personal rights of one type infringe other people’s rights of a different sort. For example, property rights vs. “quiet enjoyment” rights; or “nuisance” laws that restrict certain activities when they have demonstrably negative effects on others (for example: smoking bans; noise restrictions related to music, construction or parties; backyard burning bans; vehicle idling laws). 

 When does a private activity impose costs on others that justify regulation?

• Is the harm: 
  • Material vs. trivial? 
  • Avoidable vs. inherent? 
• Is the activity: 
  • Essential / high-value? 
  • Replaceable with lower-impact alternatives?

Support 

Advocacy for bans and/or transition away from gas-powered equipment comes from these main categories:

• Public health and medical organizations, like the American Lung Association and the American Public Health Association
• Environmental NGOs and advocacy groups, like the Sierra Club, the NRDC, and the Environmental Defense Fund
• Local governments and community leaders
• Electric equipment manufacturers and the clean-tech industry
• Residents and neighborhood associations
• Climate-focused policy coalitions

Opposition

Opposition to legislate the transition away from gas powered to electric powered equipment generally falls into these categories:

• Equipment manufacturers, like the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI)
• Landscaping industry & contractor associations
• Industry-aligned policy & advocacy groups, like the National Federation of Independent Business
• Homeowner / property rights advocates
• Conservative / limited-government policy groups

Most mainstream opponents do NOT claim that gas equipment has zero environmental or health impact. Instead, they argue that the magnitude and policy priority are overstated and the solutions are not yet practical at scale.

Summary

The science around the health and environmental impacts of gas-powered lawn machines is not really debated – they are significant and harmful.  The nuance comes with the question of whether this category of problem is a legitimate focus of public policy and citizen activism relative to other categories of environmental concern. There will obviously be legitimate debate on how to practically address these questions, which ultimately will be resolved through a combination of public awareness and education, shifting public attitudes and consensus, various types of legal initiatives, and perhaps in the future major court challenges. In this respect, the effort to ban and/or transition away from gas-powered lawn equipment resembles other legacy habits and practices once considered socially “normal” and acceptable, like smoking in public spaces, unrestricted pesticide use, and driving without a seatbelt. And of course, under it all is economics – as electrical alternatives become more powerful, less expensive, and broadly available; that is, as they scale – they ultimately will win over the market. The questions are how long this will take and how do we accelerate that outcome?

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He’ll be in conversation with Joe Donahue about his book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization.

McKibben’s new release, isn’t just a call to embrace solar energy—it’s a rallying cry for a more equitable, sustainable world. As he argues, the era of “alternative” energy is over—renewables are now scalable, affordable, and essential to our future. But the fight is far from over, and this book offers both a sobering assessment and a spark of hope.

This event is ticketed. Reserve your spot now—and be part of a conversation that matters. https://www.northshire.com/event/northshire-saratoga-bill-mckibben-here-comes-sun-tickets-required

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By Judi Knispel

A Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a framework document for measuring, tracking and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while adopting climate adaptation measures.  Government officials use these documents to address the impact of climate change in their communities.  Climate Action Plans include targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and steps for tracking and meeting those goals.  Plans focus on implementing actions that achieve emissions reductions in the most cost-effective ways. 

Putting together a Climate Action Plan is a long process that begins with a baseline survey of previous gas emissions and climate impacts of the municipality.   This might include information such as how many kilowatts the street lamps use, how much gasoline the municipal vehicles burn, how much trash is thrown out, and how much is being recycled. Next, plans are made to reduce emissions and increase carbon offsets.  Financing details are considered.  Goals are set up with interim target check-in dates to monitor the plan.  

Strategies for implementation such as proposed regulations are usually voted on by the local governing body after getting buy-in from the public and non-governmental stakeholders.  

The proactive strategy of using a Climate Action Plan can help governments mitigate and adapt to rapid environmental changes, many of which are regionally and locally specific.  The document can help businesses and citizens become more aware of how their activities are connected to the collaborative effort to address climate change.  

Popular areas of change include transportation where vehicles might be switched out for electric and low-emission vehicles; energy transition where investment in renewable and resilient energy is made; building optimization where building energy is reduced through upgrades of existing structures; materials management where waste, water, recycling  and composting are considered for the goal of reduction and proper disposal; and resiliency where adaptation and mitigation of climate risks such as fire, flood, extreme temperatures, drought and storms are considered, especially for vulnerable populations and infrastructure.

With the help of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Climate Smart Community grant funding, the City of Saratoga Springs hired a consultant to complete an inventory of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by city operations and to help draft a Municipal Climate Action Plan (MCAP). To develop the plan, the city, together with its consultants and the city’s Climate Smart Task Force, has been collecting input from city staff, stakeholders, and the general public. Outreach included a public workshop at the Saratoga Springs Public Library last May. The draft plan is nearing completion and will soon be available for public review and comment prior to adoption of the plan by the City Council. The MCAP will be the city’s first planning document dedicated solely to climate change mitigation and adaptation, but it builds on existing city planning documents including the city’s Natural Resources Inventory, the Comprehensive Plan, and other city plans that incorporate climate and sustainability into the city planning process.

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The Spa Solar Park in Saratoga Springs, NY

Climate of Hope: The Fifth National Climate Assessment Finds that Impacts are Accelerating but Policy Interventions are Starting to Make a Difference

By Jared Snyder

Hope or despair, that is the question, as William Shakespeare might say if he were writing today. It seems that each day brings more news, articles or books about the worsening impacts of climate change. Much of this news is dire: devastating wildfires, record heat making outdoor work dangerous in some places, and damaging floods, both riverine and coastal. But at the same time, robust action is underway in both the public and private sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts. The jury is still out, however, whether this action will measure up to the challenge and how durable it will be in these uncertain times.

In late 2023, the federal government issued the Fifth National Climate Assessment, fulfilling the requirement of the Global Change Research Act of 1990 that the federal government issue periodic assessments of “global change” informed by the most up-to-date scientific knowledge. The primary focus of the Assessment, as required by the legislation, is on the impacts being observed and projected for the future. But the Assessment also documents the state of response actions at federal, state and local levels, including both adaptation and mitigation.

The Assessment’s conclusions are not surprising to anyone familiar with the day-to-day news of record temperatures and increasing frequency and magnitude of disasters associated with the changing climate such as wildfires and intense storms. But not all news is bad; the Assessment also documents that governments at all levels are stepping up efforts to both reduce emissions and adapt to the impacts experienced now and projected in the future.

The Assessment’s Overview provides a good comprehensive summary of the report and is worth a read. For those short of time, this post provides a summary of some of the highpoints.

The bottom line is that as global emissions increase, temperatures are rising and risks from extreme events are increasing.

The report documents that US and global temperatures have increased significantly since the 1970s, as illustrated by this graph:

Source: Fifth National Climate Assessment

Notably, the report was published before the most recent temperature data documented that 2023 was by far the hottest year ever experienced.

The impact of extreme events has outpaced the increase in temperatures. Between 2018 and 2022, the nation experienced 89 weather-related events causing over $1 billion in damages, an average of one such event every three weeks. That is in contrast to the 1980s, when the nation experienced billion dollar events (adjusted for inflation) every four months on the average. Wildfires, heat waves, severe storms and other events also caused a dramatic loss of life. For example, 1400 lives were lost to the 2021 heat wave in the Pacific Northwest.

As might be expected, the report finds that climate change exacerbates inequalities, causing greater impacts in low-income communities and communities of color. In part, that is due to the urban heat island impact, which results in significantly higher temperatures in these areas, up to 12 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than in nearby wealthy communities with more green spaces. The inequities are exacerbated by poorer, less climate-ready housing in lower-income communities. In addition, these disadvantaged communities are often located in lower-lying areas more vulnerable to flooding.

The report includes a chapter focused on climate impacts in the northeast, primarily increased frequency and magnitude of extreme precipitation, which has accelerated more in the northeast than anywhere else in the country, a pattern that’s expected to continue. Extreme heat events have also been on the rise in the Northeast, primarily in the larger urban areas, and are likely to increase in the future.

United States’ emissions are declining, but not fast enough.

The assessment finds that US emissions decreased 12% from 2005 to 2019, an average annual decline of approximately 1%. That reduction is attributable primarily to a 40% reduction in emissions from electricity generation, due largely to the replacement of coal-fired power plants with natural gas and renewable sources, stimulated in part by dramatic reductions in the cost of wind and solar power. But other sectors are not seeing the same level of emission reductions.

Although reducing emissions is better than the alternative, it is nowhere near fast enough to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. The report finds that the annual rate of emission reductions must increase dramatically to at least 6% annually in order to meet the national goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

The good news is that most of the necessary technologies to meet this goal – e.g. solar and wind power, battery storage, heat pumps and electric vehicles — are available now and innovation is resulting in new technologies in all sectors to support the needed emissions reductions. But more development and advancement of emerging technologies like green hydrogen and direct air capture will also be needed to meet this goal, as illustrated by the graph below:

Source: Fifth National Climate Assessment

Thankfully, climate action is taking place across the country.

A somewhat surprising conclusion of the report, given the deep partisan divides in the country, is that climate action is taking place everywhere. Of course, more emission reduction efforts are underway in leading states including New York, California and Massachusetts but action is also underway in more conservative states like Texas and Florida, often at the municipal level. Indeed, Florida’s cities are among the leaders among municipalities. Although most states are taking some steps to build resilience and adapt to climate change, it is significant that state action does not seem to be related to the amount of impacts being realized in many states. For example, Texas and Florida are experiencing some of the greatest monetary damages from extreme events but their adaptation efforts pale in comparison with those underway in the Northeast and California.

At the federal level, the Inflation Reduction Act is driving the deployment of emission reduction technologies that are beginning to bear fruit. Those efforts are complemented by federal regulatory efforts such as the vehicle emission standards finalized in the spring of 2024 and continued state and federal action. Collectively, these actions are projected to drive a decline in emissions potentially approaching the Biden Administration’s commitment to 50-52% reduction from 2005 levels by 2030, as illustrated in a separate report prepared by the Rhodium Group: Taking Stock 2023: US Emissions Projections after the Inflation Reduction Act.

Although implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act is helping to bend the emissions curve, the job is far from done. If we are to have any chance of meeting the science-based goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, action at all levels of government and in the private sector must not only continue but accelerate.

At the federal level, continuing implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act for the foreseeable future must remain a priority, but it should be seen as the foundation for further federal action, not the ceiling. Crucially, United States leadership is essential to motivate and stimulate action elsewhere in the world.

State action is also essential but it must expand beyond the blue states on the coasts, upper Midwest and southern Rockies, to all 50 states. Supported by federal funding under the Inflation Reduction Act, 45 states have prepared priority climate plans for implementation, even if many of those eschew use of the word “climate.” For now, many of those states may limit implementation to actions funded by the Inflation Reduction Act but the hope is that this seed funding will help those states develop a taste for climate action.

Local action is also an important piece of the puzzle. Saratoga Springs’ development of a climate action plan is just one local example that addressing climate change can be a nonpartisan enterprise. Although many businesses are coming to the realization that climate action makes good business sense, their investment decisions will continue to be informed by expectations about the future regulatory framework. Before they make the transformative investments necessary in many carbon-intensive industries, corporate boards seek confidence regarding the continuity of regulatory frameworks that value clean energy and emission reduction.

Finally, individual decisions we all make on a daily basis also have a role to play, from the cars or appliances we buy to whether to walk, bike or drive to work, school or shopping. Our actions, including how we vote, can help build hope for a sustainable future.

Jared Snyder was the Deputy Commissioner for Climate, Air and Energy at the New York Department of Environmental Conservation from 2007-2022. Since then, he has lectured at Skidmore College about climate policy and participated on Sustainable Saratoga’s Climate and Energy Committee. He is a Board member of the New York League of Conservation Voters.

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