proposed amendments to the Gas-powered Leaf Blowers Ordinance

‭CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL‬ ‭Patricia Nolan‬ ‭City Councillor‬ ‭To:‬‭Cambridge City Council‬ ‭Date:‬‭November 16, 2023‬ ‭Subject:‬‭Gas-powered Leaf Blowers Ordinance Amendments‬ ‭To the Honorable, the City Council:‬ ‭At the Health and Environment Committee meeting held on September 13, 2023, the Committee‬ ‭discussed developing ordinance language leading to a phased-in ban on gas-powered leaf blowers. Per‬ ‭Policy Order 2023 #163‬‭, the City Council directed the City Manager to develop ordinance language to‬ ‭that effect.‬‭CMA 2023 #268‬‭delivered recommended language. A community meeting and listening‬ ‭session for landscape professionals and all interested parties has been scheduled for Monday, November‬ ‭27, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.,‬‭via Zoom‬‭, to gather any input as to the proposed changes. An Ordinance‬ ‭Committee meeting will be held on November 28, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. The timelines proposed by city staff‬ ‭for the phase out are longer than had been discussed at prior meetings, and are at odds with surrounding‬ ‭communities. Therefore, at our Ordinance Committee meeting, I will be moving to amend the yet-to-be‬ ‭adopted leaf blower ordinance language, which will appear under Chapter 8.16.081 of the Municipal‬ ‭Code of the City of Cambridge, proposing the language below.‬ ‭8.16.081.4 - Transition.‬ ‭The prohibition of gas-powered leaf blower equipment use shall be subject to the following‬ ‭timeline:‬ ‭1.‬ ‭Owner Use Transition Period. The use by owners, other than multi-parcel owners with‬ ‭an operations plan, on their own property will be allowed until March 15, 2025.‬ ‭2.‬ ‭Commercial Leaf Blower Operators and Multi-parcel Owners Use Transition Period: The‬ ‭use by commercial leaf blower operators and multi-parcel owners will be allowed until‬ ‭March 15,‬‭2027‬‭2026‬‭.‬ ‭3.‬ ‭Municipal Use Transition Period: The use by City employees or City contractors will be‬ ‭allowed until March 15,‬‭2027‬‭2026‬‭.‬ ‭CITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139‬ ‭Email: pnolan@cambridgema.gov‬

‭As is shown in the chart below which summarizes current timelines for some Massachusetts‬ ‭municipalities, cities and towns have taken different approaches to phased-out limitations for residential,‬ ‭commercial, and municipal use, but each of the below municipalities have committed to 2025 or 2026 for‬ ‭commercial use. Maintaining the same timeline for commercial use and municipal use allows the City to‬ ‭work toward its goal of phasing out the use of gas-powered leaf blowing equipment in a manner that‬ ‭treats all commercial operators the same, regardless of whether or not they contract for the City.‬ ‭Environmental and worker justice demand we take more urgent action to reduce the use of gas-powered‬ ‭leaf blowers as soon as possible. In addition to these communities, other municipalities are considering‬ ‭similar action on aggressive timelines across the state and across the country. The‬‭recent report from‬ ‭MASSPIRG‬‭documents many of the adverse public impacts and highlights the drawbacks of gas-powered‬ ‭lawn equipment and the benefits of transitioning to electric-powered equipment.‬ ‭Town/City‬ ‭Phase-out Timeline‬ ‭Cambridge‬ ‭City Manager Proposed‬ ‭Resident – March 15, 2025‬ ‭Commercial – March 15, 2027‬ ‭Municipal –March 15, 2027‬ ‭Arlington‬ ‭Residential – March 15, 2026‬ ‭Commercial – March 15, 2025‬ ‭Municipal – March 15, 2025‬ ‭Belmont‬ ‭Residential – January 1, 2026‬ ‭Commercial – January 1, 2026‬ ‭Municipal – January 1, 2026‬ ‭Dedham‬ ‭Residential – March 15, 2027‬ ‭Commercial – March 15, 2026‬ ‭Lexington‬ ‭Residential – March 15, 2026‬ ‭Commercial – March 15, 2025‬ ‭Marblehead‬ ‭Use is prohibited from Memorial Day to Labor Day by all‬ ‭users effective as of July 20, 2023‬ ‭Swampscott‬ ‭Use is prohibited from Memorial Day to Labor Day by all‬ ‭users as of May 15, 2023‬ ‭I look forward to discussing the proposed amendments with you all at the Ordinance Committee meeting‬ ‭on November 28.‬ ‭Sincerely,‬ ‭Patricia Nolan‬ ‭Cambridge City Councillor‬ ‭2‬