Businesses in Encinitas are no longer allowed to use gas powered leaf blowers as of Friday, Dec. 20.
The Encinitas City Council approved the leaf blower ordinance back in August. Then in September, the ordinance went into effect for city operations.
The goal of the city's Climate Action Plan is to eventually ban all gas powered leaf blowers by January 20, 2020 in order to reduce the city's carbon footprint. The next goal is to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030. The city estimates that this leaf blower ban will reduce local green house gas emissions by 128 metric tons of CO2 emissions by the end of 2020, and 142 metric tons by 2030.
Then on January 20, 2020, the ban will go into effect for residents as well.
But, the ordinance also states that electric or battery powered leaf blowers are allowed. So the city is now offering a city-funded rebate program, so that residents and business owners can buy a new electric or battery-powered leaf blower.
The ordinance also lays out a list of rules about the time of day people are allowed to use their leaf blowers.
Now, people in Encinitas are only permitted to use their electric or batter powered leaf blowers between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and between 12 noon and 5 p.m. on Sundays.
