Got a rake? Ann Arbor phasing in a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Leaf blowers are running out of gas in a Michigan college town.

Ann Arbor is banning gas-powered blowers, citing noise and pollution. They can still be used from October through May but will be completely prohibited by January 2028 under a four-year phaseout, MLive.com reported.

The City Council approved the ordinance, 10-0, Monday. Council member Jenn Cornell said the transition should provide time for landscape contractors to find alternative blowers.

Lawn care workers will be “happy to not be abused by having to wear gasoline backpacks and be endangered every day,” said resident Joan Lowenstein, a former council member.

Violations will carry fines of $100 or $250, depending on the number of offenses. The money will be used to help low-income residents and small businesses acquire leaf blowers that don’t run on gas.

Ann Arbor, population 123,000, is the home of the University of Michigan and is known for having a progressive government.

In 2019, the city banned outdoor maintenance equipment with two-cycle gas engines downtown.

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