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ESC_2023_02_15 PACKETENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, February 15 – 5:30 PM Lake Forest City Hall, 220 E Deerpath. AGENDA I.CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL II.INFORMATIONAL ITEMS (:30 for Presentation) a.LEAF BLOWER WORKER GROUP UPDATE – George Issakoo, Assistant City Manager b.POWERING SAFE COMMUNITIES & OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES – Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst III.ACTION ITEMS (:10 - :15 per item) a.APPROVAL OF the DECECMBER 8, 2022 MEETING MINUTES IV.DISCUSSION ITEMS (:15 - :20 per item) a.UPDATE ON LAKE FOREST COMMUNITY GARDEN – Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst V.ACTION ITEMS (:15 - :20 per item) a.RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE LAKE FOREST AS AN IDLE FREE COMMUNITY – Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst VI.ADDITIONAL ITEMS (Packet Material Only) a.STATUS REPORT ON SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES & PRIORITIES VII.PUBLIC COMMENT VIII.NEXT MEETING DATE(S) – MARCH 12, 2023 IX.ADJOURNMENT Regional Leaf Blower Working Group Final Report Village of Deerfield Deerfield Park District Village of Glencoe Village of Glenview Go Green Wilmette City of Highland Park Illinois Landscape Contractors Association Village of Kenilworth Village of Lake Bluff City of Lake Forest Village of Lincolnshire Mariani Landscape Village of Northbrook Scopelliti Landscaping Village of Wilmette Village of Winnetka Submitted December 15, 2022 1 Purpose The Regional Leaf Blower Working Group (referred to as the “Working Group”) was formed in late 2021 to evaluate the need and impact of leaf-blower regulations to be considered by each participating municipality. The Working Group was tasked with studying the impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers, alternative technologies and how communities could mitigate the impacts of this equipment. The Working Group recognizes that the circumstances of participating municipalities are different and thus this report does not indicate whether a community should prohibit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. Instead, the report identifies best practices to consider should it be determined that gas-powered leaf blower regulations are appropriate in a particular community. The information in this report has been compiled to assist each community’s discussions and consideration of leaf-blower regulations. In an effort to standardize regulations, municipalities that determine that new or expanded leaf-blower regulations are appropriate for their community are encouraged to work together on drafting of ordinances to ensure uniformity of regulations throughout the North Shore. Because landscapers work across municipal boundaries, such cooperation will greatly enhance the effectiveness of and compliance with any policy. Working Group Composition To ensure a balanced and thoughtful report, the Working Group is comprised of: •Elected officials •Appointed officials (i.e. Sustainability Commission members) •Professional municipal staff (Municipalities and Park Districts) •Representatives of the landscape industry The Working Group utilized consultants, the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) (https://agza.net/) & Quiet Communities (https://quietcommunities.org/)1, to assist with technical components of the report and to review a draft of the final report. The Working Group created three subcommittees to conduct research and consider various policy components which have informed this report. The subcommittees include: •Municipal Research and Best Practices •Impact of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers •Alternative Equipment/Technology 1 AGZA is an organization “committed to improving quality of life for communities, working conditions for operators and best practices for the landscape maintenance industry working to create cleaner air, quieter spaces, and more harmonious and sustainable communities.” Quiet Communities is a “nonprofit 501C3 dedicated to helping communities reduce health and environmental harm from noise and pollution.” 2 Executive Policy Summary Reasonable Policy Options for Consideration For communities considering expanding gas-powered leaf blower policies, as well as those considering new regulations, the following policy options are presented: • Status Quo/Monitoring o For communities without existing gas-powered leaf blower regulations, the individual characteristics of their community may warrant no change to regulations with continued monitoring of leaf blower technology • A seasonal gas-powered leaf blower ban from approximately May 15 through September 30 o This is the most common timeframe for regional municipalities, including Working Group members, with gas-powered leaf blower regulations • An 8-week window during the fall clean-up season (October 1-November 30) and 4-week window (April 1 – April 30) during the spring clean-up season when gas- powered leaf blowers may be utilized o Gas-powered leaf blowers would be banned during the summer and winter months when their efficacy is less needed to meet customer expectations o Given that the start of the spring clean-up season can vary each year due to weather conditions, it would be appropriate for regulations to contemplate allowance of an administrative extension to the 4-week window • A 10-month gas-powered leaf blower ban from December through September o This policy would prohibit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers during the annual spring clean-up season o None of the Working Group members, nor any nearby communities, have experience prohibiting the use of gas-powered leaf blowers during spring clean-up and the impact on spring operations is unknown at this time o Depending on customer expectations, use of battery-operated technology during spring clean-up may not be economically viable for landscapers o This option is not supported by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association due to the volume of debris during spring clean-up which requires the efficacy of gas-powered leaf blowers and the compressed time period for spring clean-ups. Spring clean-up leaf volumes can be further exacerbated by late leaf drops during the fall season which further justifies the need for powerful leaf blowing equipment. The American Green Zone Alliance does not recommend 12-month gas-powered leaf blower bans for communities along the North Shore due to the robust tree canopy and need for high-powered equipment to adequately complete fall clean-up. As of the date of this report, there are no electric or battery alternatives to gas-powered that can provide the efficacy required during fall clean-up nor are these alternatives economically viable for landscapers during the fall season. 3 Recommended Best Practices Policy Implementation, Enforcement & Public Education Policy Implementation Whether a community is considering implementing gas-powered leaf blower regulations for the first time, or extending a seasonal ban to a 10-month ban, phasing of the regulations is important for the following reasons: • Allows additional time for technology advancements as blower strength and battery power continues to improve for alternative equipment • Reduces the economic impact on service providers and customers • Provides sufficient time for public education Examples of phasing timelines include: • 5-year phase out (recommended by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association) • 3-year phase out • 1-year phase out The appropriate phase out period may vary by each community’s circumstances. For example, a community with a 6-month ban currently in place may require a shorter phase out period than a community without any current regulations. Enforcement Enforcement of leaf blower regulations can be challenging for the municipality and frustrating to homeowners who encounter violations of leaf blower ordinances. Regulations limiting noise to specific decibel thresholds can be particularly difficult to enforce as compared to blanket prohibitions. Consideration as to how municipalities will enforce any such regulations is essential when contemplating new or expanded policies. Enforcement approaches vary by community and the following are best practices that have been recommended by individual Working Group participants based on experience: • When staffing allows, proactively enforce the ordinance with a dedicated employee(s) rather than respond reactively to complaints • Seek compliance prior to issuing citations o Issue citations after failing to comply to warnings o Revoke citations if a landscaper provides evidence they have purchased an electric- or battery-operated leaf blower • Issue citations to the landscaping companies, not the individual employees or homeowners • Require landscapers to be licensed in order to communicate regulations and provide the ability to revoke a license for continued violation of ordinances. 4 o Communities that do not currently license landscapers but intend to should consider the impacts upon small businesses as well as staffing impacts to administer a licensing program. • Require identifying information on landscaping vehicles to assist with enforcement • Document voluntary compliance with regulations by identifying and recognizing companies which use alternative technology • Other ideas not currently implemented by Working Group members but suggested for consideration include: 1) Develop an intake process where violations may be reported through the use of video or photos. Gas-powered equipment is used in short bursts making it difficult for law or code enforcement officials to catch violators in the act; 2) For communities which do not currently license landscapers, allow for reciprocal acceptance of landscape licenses (accept a license from another community) which may ease the administrative burden of implementing a new licensing program Public Education Public education is critical to the success of any leaf blower regulation and to ensure native habitats are properly maintained. Residents play an important role in reducing the impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers in the community and in making transitions to alternative equipment more economically viable for landscapers. Understanding the problems associated with gas-powered leaf blowers, impacts of any type of blowing/disturbance to the natural environment, and then using that knowledge to educate landscapers and homeowners is essential to the success of leaf blower regulations. Template communications can be found in Appendix B with information that can be tailored to specific municipal regulations and for different audiences (landscapers, homeowners) or circumstances (Education or enforcement via social media, flyer, door hanger). The Working Group recommends that communications utilize accessible, understandable language to reach the broadest possible audience. Workforce Education and Training Workforce education and training are critical to equitably and adequately resourcing leaf blower regulations. Battery electric technology is a different technology platform with its own operational and safety issues. It is essential to ensure electric tools are operated, handled, stored, and charged properly and safely, and that batteries are repurposed or recycled at the end of their useful lives. Safe and proper use of tools, batteries, and chargers also extend product life and optimize return on investment. 5 Environmental, Technology, Cost, & Other Considerations The Working Group’s best practices are based on an extensive review of the environmental impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers, current technology for alternative equipment and the cost to transition to more sustainable equipment. Environmental Considerations Environmental considerations regarding leaf blowers including noise and air pollution are discussed below. Ultimately, reducing the usage of leaf blowing in general (gas- or battery-powered), through public education and commercial education, is the most sustainable solution to protect native habitats and reduce noise and air pollution. Noise Pollution The issue of noise is one of the most common complaints received from community members regarding gas-powered leaf blower usage and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires ear protection for users of gas-powered leaf blowers. When measured at 50 feet away (the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for measuring noise)): • Average battery-operated blowers range from 52 - 65 dB • Average low decibel gas-powered leaf blowers range from 60-64 dB • Average gas-powered leaf blowers range from 75 - 83 dB For reference, each 10 dB increase in sound is twice as loud as heard by the human ear. Refer to Appendix C for a chart from Purdue University to provide context for these decibel ranges. A study commissioned by the City of Washington D.C. in 2018 and conducted by acoustic engineers from Arup, an international engineering firm, and Quiet Communities, found that for the commercial blowers that were tested: • The sound from the gas leaf blowers has a strong low frequency sound component absent from battery operated leaf blowers • The low frequency component of the gas leaf blower sound carries loud sound over longer distances resulting in a greater noise impact on the surrounding community • The low frequency component of gas leaf blower sound enables it to more easily penetrate through home windows and glass doors The report from Arup can be found in Appendix D. While the noise from battery and electric operated leaf blowers is not as impactful as noise from gas-powered leaf blowers, they do still generate noticeable noise and none of the policy options on page two of this report will eliminate such noise in its entirety. 6 Air Pollution Appendix E is a report from the US Environmental Protection Agency and Quiet Communities titled “National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment”. The report finds that: •Commercial gas landscape maintenance equipment (GLME) is a source of high levels of localized emissions that include hazardous air pollutants, criteria pollutants, and carbon dioxide (CO2) •Routine use of GLME in the vicinity of residential neighborhoods, schools, parks, and other public spaces may be exposing the public to unnecessary and preventable health risks •Communities and environmental, public health, and other government agencies should create policies and programs to protect the public from gas-powered lawn and garden equipment air pollutants and promote non-polluting alternatives. The US EPA report referenced above was completed in 2015 and technology improvements since that time are likely to have reduced pollution emanating from gas- powered leaf blowers. However, air pollution impacts remain and the 2015 report is the most reputable and comprehensive report available to the Working Group at this time. For reference, OSHA does not require the use of a respirator to operate gas-powered leaf blowers. Technology Considerations Currently, gas-powered leaf blowers are significantly more powerful than electric blowers. The most common way to measure the power of a leaf blower is to determine its Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) and Miles per Hour (MPH). CFM measures the volume of air leaving the blower. MPH measures the speed of air leaving the blower. CFM moves more debris while higher MPH moves heavier, wet debris. The following table compares the operational capabilities of battery- and gas-powered commercial equipment: Maximum Outputs Industry Leading Battery- Operated Leaf Blower Industry Leading Gas- Powered Leaf Blower CFM MPH For industry leading battery-operated equipment, with battery backpack, the tool will generally operate for approximately one hour on maximum power (setting most likely used during fall leaf clean-up). This requires a substantial back-up battery supply for each blower in use by a landscape company. 7 Cost Considerations Per AGZA and Quiet Communities, the cost to replace gas-powered leaf blowers with battery electric technology is dependent on the intensity of leaf blower usage, which is directly correlated with the expectations of customers. The table below compares the upfront cost for a landscape business to purchase two leaf blowers per crew in Illinois: Conventional Use (Highly manicured lawn) Transitional Use (Less formal aesthetic) Ecological (Ecological aesthetic) Battery Gas Battery Gas Battery Gas *The above figures do not include the additional cost for safe and adequate battery charging infrastructure, which can range from $600 for a four plug system to $1,400 for an eight plug system. The above figures are based on Stihl equipment as follows (pricing example is based on Conventional Use): 2 Tools (BGA 200 blower): $411.99 each 6 Backpack batteries (AR 3000L): $1,499.99 each 2 Fast chargers (AL500): $162.95 each 4 Standard chargers (AL300): $99.99 each Total (w/ IL sales tax): $11,225 to outfit one landscape crew Because it may not always be practical or effective to charge equipment on a worksite and thus a sufficient number of batteries must be on hand throughout the workday, as well as equipment to fully charge the tools overnight. Per AGZA and Quiet Communities, aesthetic expectations appear to be the most important driver of investment required in battery electric equipment. Relaxing customer aesthetic expectations (through public education) and modifying landscape company practices can result in a more efficient ROI for battery electric equipment. So long as customers seek a highly manicured aesthetic, a substantial upfront investment in batteries and chargers is required, which is likely to be passed onto customers in the form of higher service prices. Other Considerations Exemptions The Working Group reviewed exemptions to existing gas-powered leaf blower bans. These fall into two categories – those who use equipment in the scope of their jobs and those who use equipment to service their own properties. 8 Professional users: • Municipal/government owned property o Some local Park Districts have expressed concern with their ability to provide service without the use of gas-powered leaf blowers • Golf courses • Landscape and tree care professionals • Related trades such as gutter cleaning, driveway resurfacers, etc. • Private land owners who use in-house landscape professionals (colleges, universities, conservation districts, public gardens, large estates, etc.) Residential users: • Homeowners conducting maintenance on their own property The Working Group recommends that municipalities considering new or amended leaf blower regulations consult their maintenance staff, Park Districts (if applicable), School Districts, and other large landowners such as private golf courses to determine whether exemptions are appropriate or necessary. Battery Charging, Recycling, and Safety While battery-powered leaf blowers are preferable over gas-powered leaf blowers, there are environmental and safety concerns associated with large-scale adoption of battery- operated landscaping equipment. The Working Group recommends municipalities consider partnering with professional recycling firms to coordinate safe and proper disposal of lithium batteries. The Working Group has local resources available to municipalities interested in hosting lithium battery recycling programs. While fires stemming from battery devices are rare, they have occurred, and Fire Departments and businesses should be familiar with lithium battery fire prevention and extinguishing lithium battery fires. Financial Incentives Under current market conditions, the upfront cost of battery-operated blowers compared to gas-powered equipment may create a disproportionate burden on low-income residents and small landscaping businesses. For this reason, buy-back programs and other financial incentives could become crucial strategies to advance the goal of phasing out gas-powered lawncare products. Municipalities considering implementation of financial incentive programs may wish to consult with the American Green Zone Alliance who has experience developing and managing such programs across the country. The Working Group investigated rebate programs from varying governmental organizations across the country and recommends the following items for consideration in the development of financial incentive programs: 9 1) Funding mechanisms • Regional rebate programs have used grant monies in the past to facilitate trade-in of similar types of lawncare equipment (such as the EPA grant for the Diesel Emissions Reductions Act, awarded to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus in early 2000s to administer sub-grants to12 Chicagoland municipalities) • In the absence of regional grants, municipalities could allocate money to rebate programs in their jurisdiction or through regional partnerships 2) Eligible equipment • A “best practice” observed from existing rebate programs requires evidence that new equipment meets the most recently updated EPA standards for allowable air and noise emissions levels • Some existing programs partner with garden centers or hardware stores to provide vouchers to purchase alternative equipment at lower cost • Equipment eligible for rebates can vary from leaf blowers only to various types of battery-powered lawn equipment such as lawnmowers, blowers, chainsaws, string trimmers, brush cutters, leaf vacuums, as well as accessories for alternative technology, such as additional batteries and chargers 3) Eligible rebate participants • Consider preference to minority-owned businesses and/or low-income individuals to promote equitable adoption of alternative equipment. For example, a program run through Montgomery County, Maryland includes a statement that preference will be given to minority-owned businesses and/or low-income residents. In California, the South Coast Air Quality Management District provided funding for outreach and education of small minority-owned businesses, and for substantial subsidies (70% of retail price) to offset the upfront cost of commercial battery electric toolkits (tool plus 2 – 3 batteries and chargers per tool) • While some programs are for residential equipment replacements only, others provide incentives to landscaping companies who are either based in the community or do business in the community 4) Retired equipment turn-in required • A “best practice” is to require the retirement of gas-powered equipment with proof of destruction or by facilitating a turn-in program to ensure such equipment is not repurposed Future Study & Analysis Given the rapidly changing technology for leaf blowers, municipalities participating in this study should consider reconstituting the Working Group over time to review technology advancements and the impact such advancements may have on leaf blower regulations. 10 Appendices Appendix A- Working Group Members Appendix B- Public Education Materials Appendix C- Purdue University Chart Regarding Decibel Ranges Appendix D- Arup Report on Leaf Blower Noise dated July 16, 2018 Appendix E- US Environmental Protection Agency and Quiet Communities report on air pollution titled “National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment”. Appendix F- Municipal Research and Resources Leaf Blower Regulations Regional Working Group Members 1.Co-Chair Phil Kiraly, Glencoe Village Manager 2.Co-Chair Ghida Neukirch, Highland Park City Manager 3.Co-Chair Mike Braiman, Wilmette Village Manager 4.City of Highland Park, Councilmember Anthony Blumberg 5.City of Lake Forest, Superintendent of Parks and Forestry Chuck Myers 6.Deerfield Park District, Executive Director Jeff Nehila 7.Go Green Wilmette, Beth Drucker 8.Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, Executive Director Scott Grams 9.Mariani Landscape, Fred Wacker 10.Scopelliti Landscaping, Guy Scopelliti 11.Village of Deerfield, Justin Keenan, Assistant to the City Manager 12.Village of Glencoe, Hall Healy, Sustainability Task Force 13.Village of Glenview, Joe Kenney, Deputy Director of Public Works 14.Village of Kenilworth, Trustee Alison Winslow 15.Village of Lake Bluff, Sustainability and Community Enhancement Ad Hoc Committee Co- Chair Brian Render 16.Village of Lake Bluff, Village Administrator Drew Irvin 17.Village of Lincolnshire, Management Analyst Sam Barghi 18.Village of Northbrook, Trustee Heather Ross 19.Village of Northbrook, Sustainability Coordinator Tessa Murray 20.Village of Wilmette, Environmental & Energy Commissioner Karen Glennemeier 21.Village of Winnetka, Former Village Trustee and Go Green Winnetka Member King Poor 22.Village of Winnetka, Police Chief Marc Hornstein Appendix A Variable area for Village seal Gas-powered leaf blowers produce dangerous levels of noise and air pollution, harmful to users of the equipment, residents, children and wildlife. Did you know? (Variable copy area for sponsor info) There are so many good reasons to go electric, use a rake, or leave the leaves. Obey the law and be a good neighbor to all. Gas-powered leaf blowers are prohibited in this area from _____________ to _____________ Please help get the word out to your lawn crew and any you see in your area. Violations can be reported to this non-emergency number: ________________ If you do use a leaf blower, consider using it less often and on a lower setting. (date) (phone) (date) All leaf blowers blast insects, habitat and soil at hurricane-force winds (up to 220 mph) affecting birds and beneﬁcial insects like butterﬂies and pollinators. The use of leaf blowers eliminates essential habitat, harms soil health and leads to erosion and stormwater runoff. Sample Flyer for Residents Appendix B Go electric, use a rake, or leave the leaves. Leaf blowers subject all insects to hurricane-force winds. Gas powered leaf blowers are banned in _____________________________ from ___________ to ___________ Did you know? Leaf blowers are as loud as a jet engine taking off. Leaf blowers are as loud as a jet engine taking off. (date) (township) (date) Did you know? Using a gas-powered leaf blower for 30 minutes equals the emissions from driving a Ford F-150 pickup from Chicago to San Francisco AND back1 villagewebsite.com villagewebsite.com villagewebsite.com villagewebsite.com villagewebsite.com villagewebsite.com (township) Gas-powered leaf blowers are banned in ___________________ from _________ to _________(date)(date) Sample Social Media Posts REMINDER AVISO IMPORTANTE Gas-powered leaf blowers are prohibited from _____________ to _____________ in this area. Violators may be subjected to ﬁnes. Please obey the law to limit noise and air pollution. (Village Code info) El uso de sopladores de hojas de gasolina está prohibido en this area entre _____________ to _____________ . Aquel que falte a esta ley será multado por la policia. Gas-powered leaf blower ban (need spanish translation) (date) (date) (date) (date) Variable area for Village seal Sample Flyer for Landscape Companies NOTICE Gas-powered leaf blowers are prohibited from _____________ to _____________ in this area. Your lawn care service has been obser ved violating this ban at ______________________________ Violators may be ticketed and ﬁned. Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Violation (date)(date) (address) (Village or Police Department logo) Gas-powered leaf blowers produce dangerous level of noise and air pollution, harmful to users of the equipment, residents, children and wildlife. All leaf blowers blast insects, habitat and soil at hurricane-force winds (up to 220 mph) affecting birds and beneﬁcial insects like butterﬂies and pollinators. The use of leaf blowers eliminates essential habitat, harms soil health and leads to erosion and stormwater runoff. Did you know? (Variable copy area for sponsor info) Gas-powered leaf blowers produce dangerous level of noise and air pollution, harmful to users of the equipment, residents, children and wildlife. All leaf blowers blast insects, habitat and soil at hurricane-force winds (up to 220 mph) affecting birds and beneﬁcial insects like butterﬂies and pollinators. The use of leaf blowers eliminates essential habitat, harms soil health and leads to erosion and stormwater runoff. Did you know? (Variable copy area for sponsor info) Please help get the word out to any crews in your area. Violations can be reported to this non-emergency number: _____________________ Variable area for Village or Police Dept. logo (phone) (Variable copy area for sponsor info) Obey the law and be a good neighbor. Gas- powered leaf blowers are prohibited from _____________ to _____________ (date)(date) NOTICE Gas-powered leaf blowers are prohibited from _____________ to _____________ in this area. Your lawn care service has been obser ved violating this ban at ______________________________ Violators may be ticketed and ﬁned. Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Violation (date)(date) (address) (Village or Police Department logo) Noise Source Decibel Level Comment Jet take-off (at 25 meters). 150 Eardrum rupture. Aircraft carrier deck. 140 Military jet aircraft take-off from aircraft carrier with afterburner at 50 feet (130 dB). 130 Thunderclap; chain saw; Oxygen torch (121 dB). 120 Painful, 32 times as loud as 70 dB. Steel mill; auto horn at 1 meter; turbo-fan aircraft at takeoff power at 200 feet (118 dB); riveting machine (110 dB); live rock music (108-threshold; 16 times as mower; motorcycle; farm tractor; jackhammer; garbage truck; Boeing 707 or DC-8 aircraft at one nautical mile (6,080 feet) before landing (106 dB); jet flyover at 1,000 feet (103 dB); Bell J-2A dB; s possible in 8 hours exposure. landing (97 dB); power mower (96 dB); motorcycle at 25 feet (90 dB; l meters); car wash at 20 feet (90 dB); propeller plane flyover at 1,000 feet (88 dB); diesel truck 40 mph at 50 feet (84 dB); diesel train at 45 mph at 100 feet (83 dB); food blender (88 dB); milling machine dB; p in 8 hours exposure. pavement edge 10 a.m. (76 dB); living room music (76 dB); radio or TV-audio, vacuum cleaner (70 dB). comparison; upper 70s are annoyingly loud to Civil/Environmental Engineering (http://www.temple.edu/departments/CETP/environ10.html), and Federal Agency Review of Selected Airport Noise Analysis Issues, Federal Interagency Committee on Noise (August 1992). Source of the information is attributed to Outdoor Noise and the Metropolitan Environment, M.C. Branch et al., Department of City Planning, City of Los Appendix C Technical Note Page 1 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington DC 20036 United States of America www.arup.com Project title Leaf Blower Noise Job number 261937-00 cc D.C. Council's Committee of the Whole File reference Prepared by Chris Pollock, PE, LEED AP, WELL Advisor Geoffrey Sparks Date July 16, 2018 Subject i Bill No. B22.234, the Leaf Blower Regulation Amendment Act of 2017 - Written Statement by Arup 1 Executive Summary Arup tested 7 commonly used leaf blowers, 3 gas and 4 battery powered, to help answer the question of what makes which type have more noise impact. The following written statement summarizes the testing procedure, results, and oral testimony presented by Arup to the D.C. Council’s Committee of the Whole on July 2, 2018. In summary Arup’s testing indicates: •The sound characteristics of gas leaf blowers measured have a significantly greater low frequency sound component in comparison to battery leaf blowers measured •The low frequency sound energy of the gas leaf blowers measured transmits more readily over longer distances making them more readily audible and of greater noise impact to the community •The low frequency sound energy of gas leaf blowers measured transmits more easily through home windows and glass doors, meaning they sound louder indoors than the battery leaf blowers measured Appendix D Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 2 2 Sound Testing Methodology 2.1 Gas and Battery Leaf Blowers The big question Arup was asked to help answer in this testing is what makes which type have a greater noise impact? This study did not investigate the noise level at the operator ears relative to exposure, but rather the impact on people and the community surrounding the leaf blowers as they are being used. Leaf blowers are often rated based on air flow rate, or the amount of air being pushed or blown per minute. The grouping of leaf blowers used aimed to capture commercial leaf blowers used in the industry, with a specific focus on commercially used similar flow rate units for both gas and battery powered blowers. 2.2 Testing In order to answer the question above, a set of tests were designed to allow the capture of side by side noise levels for various leaf blower types. It was arranged for 7 commonly used blowers to be used, all were either new or in a well maintained working order with 3 being gas leaf blowers and 4 being battery leaf blowers. Table 1: Leaf blowers used for testing Manufacturer Model Power Source Greenworks GBB 700 Battery Greenworks GBB 600 Battery Stihl BGA 100 Battery Ego 600 Chevron Battery Redmax EBZ8500 Gas Stihl BR 700X Gas Echo PB760LN Gas On the morning of June 17, 2018, in Lincoln, Massachusetts, the leaf blowers were set up in an open driveway entrance road, and parking lot of the Lincoln Department of Public works. This is a quiet location without close proximity to sound reflecting surfaces, where noise measurement locations were marked off at 5, 50, 100, 200 and 400 feet from the location where each of the 7 leaf blowers were operated. To simulate measurements at a greater distance we also measured at 800 feet, which was located across another street in an Audubon park. Each blower was operated for at least 30 seconds for every measurement at full throttle and the nozzle at least 2 inches (50 mm) above the ground. At the 50 foot distance, measurements at 8 locations (at 45 degree increments) around each blower were measured as outlined in American National Standards Institute for Outdoor Power Equipment – Internal Combustion Engine-Powered Handheld and Backpack Blowers and Blower Vacuums – Safety Requirements and Performance Testing Procedures/OPEI B175.2-2012. Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 3 Measurements were made with a calibrated type 1 sound level meter with a wind screen installed and mounted on a tripod at 5 feet (1.5 meters) above the ground. The sound level meter was a Brüel & Kjaer 2250, as is common for advanced sound measurements in the acoustics industry. This meter captures one-third octave band sound levels in real time, and provides statistical time based averaging for L90, LEQ, L10 and other filtered results to best ensure that extraneous noise from the community was not a significant impact on the results. The L90 measurements are used for purposes of discussion and review as that metric captures the steady state noise level of the leaf blower in use while also filtering out other extraneous site noise events including intermittent traffic. This is a conservative approach in reviewing the data and a method that is widely accepted within the acoustic consulting industry. Other metrics that are commonly used including the LEQ and L50, will indicate higher noise values than the data presented here as L90 values. See the Appendix at the end of this note for definitions of LEQ, L50, and L90 Sound levels are variations in sound pressure. The decibel scale (dB) is the commonly used metric for sound pressure levels, which is a log scale because the number value of sound pressure varies very widely. For the purposes of the data analysis, dB levels of 20-30 are a quiet bedroom or whisper, dB levels in the 40-60 range are a normal conversation, dB levels above 70 are a loud voice or busy street traffic, and sound levels above 80-90 dB would be loud music. Human hearing filters sound in a specific way, meaning that we are very attuned to voice frequencies and less attuned to low frequency sounds. For this reason, we often us an ‘A’ weighting scale, as a single number for the perceived overall loudness of a sound. These values are shown as dB(A) sound pressure levels. Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 4 3 Results 3.1 Graphs The following graphs summarize the measured data of the 7 leaf blowers. Battery powered leaf blowers are shaded in blue and gas-powered leaf blowers are shaded in orange. The horizontal axis of the chart shows frequency, with the left side being very low frequency ‘rumble’ sounds, and the right side being high frequency ‘hissing’ sounds. The vertical axis shows increasing sound pressure level as you go up the chart. Most outdoor measurements of noise, in locations with any distant traffic will have more low frequency than high frequency noise, and the ambient sound in this case of this character also. Figure 1: Sound Pressure Levels measured at 5 feet Note: the LEQ reading was used for the Redmax EBZ 8500 due to an elongated measurement period with the blower idling which influence the L90 result. Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 5 Figure 2: Sound Pressure Levels measured at 50 feet Figure 3: Sound Pressure Levels measured at 100 feet Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 6 Figure 4: Sound Pressure Levels measured at 200 feet Figure 5: Sound Pressure Levels measured at 400 feet Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 7 Figure 6: Sound Pressure Levels measured at 800 feet Figure 7: Sound Pressure Level measured inside a residence with leaf blowers 50 feet from the window Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 8 3.2 Discussion From the measured data graphed above, it is observed clearly that the group of gas leaf blowers (shaded in orange) all exhibit a much higher level of sound energy in the low frequency bands at all distances. In a number of cases, this engine noise is a peak at 100 to 125 Hz. This low frequency energy is quite distinctly different for the gas leaf blowers than the battery powered leaf blowers. Audibility over larger distances: The chart above shows that at only the peaks of low frequency engine sound were prominently above the ambient noise measured. Based on the experience of measuring sound, Arup witnessed that the three gas powered leaf blowers at an 800 foot distance were audible, two being clearly audible and the third being noticeable, while all of the battery powered leaf blowers were not distinguishable above the ambient community sound levels at that distance. Since these peaks on the chart do not occur with the battery powered leaf blowers it can be concluded that this is the character of the sound that travels over greater distances and is more audible throughout a community. Audibility within Houses: One of the challenges with low frequency noise is that it requires heavy construction or materials to stop the sound transmitting. This is very clear when it comes to windows and glass doors in houses. The heavy drywall or brick walls of a house may do a very good job at blocking noise from outside, but any low frequency sound transmits easily through the lighter weight windows. This is a common issue with the drone of road traffic or aircraft overhead, and a number of states and federal programs provide funding to upgrade housing in impacted areas. With leaf blowers, the low frequency components of the gas leaf blowers are what is most easily transmitted, and this is clearly seen in Figure 7 at 100-125 Hz as well as in the air ‘whooshing’ frequencies up to around 500 Hz which also transmits into the house very easily. These sound levels of gas powered leaf blowers as measured inside the house, are significantly above those of the battery powered leaf blowers. Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 9 4 Audio Demonstrations During the oral testimony of Chris Pollock on July 2, 2018, calibrated audio demonstrations of gas and battery powered leaf blowers were presented. It is important to note that the audio was played to replicate the level of the sound at the listening positions of Chairman Mendelson and Councilmember Cheh. The demonstrations were audible to members of the audience in the room and on the internet; however, the experience and levels perceived by the audience was not calibrated for their listening position. The following three scenarios were experienced by Chairman Mendelson and Councilmember Cheh: 4.1 Demonstration 1 The first sample was a comparison of a gas and a battery blower with the same dB(A) from the manufacturers standardized testing. The important comparison is that while the overall loudness may be the same, the acoustic qualities of each and the character of the sound are totally different – the gas leaf blower generating much more low frequency noise. Figure 8: Audio demonstration 1 – equivalent gas and battery leaf blowers at 50 feet Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 10 4.2 Demonstration 2 The second demonstration presented in the proceedings was relative to the same two equally noise rated blowers, one gas (Echo PB 760) and one battery (Greenworks GBB 700) at 50 feet. This demonstration indicates that while rated the same overall noise level at 50 feet, the same gas blower has a significantly greater noise impact at 400 feet because the low frequency content of its noise transmits more easily over the 400 foot distance. This demonstration indicates what the community hears around operating blowers, highlighting that the low frequency components of the gas engines is part of the increased impact of gas blowers. Figure 9: Audio demonstration 2 – equivalent gas and battery leaf blowers at 400 feet Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 11 4.3 Demonstration 3 Our third and final demonstration is three leaf blowers as measured inside an adjacent house (Greenworks GBB 700, Echo PB 760 and the Redmax EBZ 8500), with the leaf blowers operating at 50 feet from the windows, behind a typical insulated glass window. The audio results indicated that the two gas leaf blowers, the two orange lines in the graph below, were significantly above the battery blower in almost all frequency bands. Figure 10: Audio demonstration 3 – gas and battery leaf blowers inside a house 5 Conclusions Based on our measurements we conclude the following key points from our review of the results: • The gas powered leaf blowers tested all generated more low frequency noise than the battery powered leaf blowers tested • The low frequency noise of the gas leaf blowers transmitted over greater distances and was more readily audible over the longer 400 and 800 foot measurement distances • The low frequency noise of the gas leaf blowers transmitted into a residential house more easily and were louder inside than the battery leaf blowers tested Technical Note 261937-00 July 16, 2018 Page 12 6 Technical Glossary L10- The level of sound in deciBels that, for a given time period of interest, is exceeded 10 % of the time. LEQ – The equivalent continuous sound level. The preferred method to describe sound levels that vary over time, resulting in a single deciBel value which takes into account the total sound energy over the period of time of interest. L50 - The level of sound in deciBels that, for a given time period of interest, is exceeded 50 % of the time. L90 - The level of sound in deciBels that, for a given time period of interest, is exceeded 90 % of the time. 7 About Chris Pollock, PE Chris Pollock, PE is an acoustical consultant with Arup with 20 years of experience measuring noise and designing buildings and spaces for acoustics on projects in the USA and around the world. He has an Honors degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Canterbury an is a Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Chris has been published in articles in the field of acoustics in Architectural Record, contributed to the Architectural Graphic Standards and has been interviewed by various media outlets regarding acoustics and noise and serve on a number of panels and committee on topics related to acoustics and noise. End of Written Statement National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment Jamie L Banks, PhD, MS* Quiet Communities, Inc., PO Box 533, Lincoln, MA 01773 Robert McConnell, Environmental Engineer US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1, 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109 Abstract Background: The contribution of gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment (GLGE) to air pollutant emissions in the United States has not been extensively studied. Goal: Our goal is to provide annual US and state-level emissions estimates of volatile organic compounds (VOC): criteria pollutants (carbon monoxide [CO], nitrogen oxides [NOx], particulate matter [PM] <10 microns, including PM < 2.5 microns [PM 10, PM2.5]; and carbon dioxide (CO2) from GLGE, with a focus on 2-stroke engines. Methods: Pollutant emissions data were extracted from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2011 and 2018 modeling platform (version 6), for GLGE (Source Code Classifications 2260004021−2265004071), and equipment population data were obtained from the EPA’s nonroad model. Data were sorted by equipment type and characteristics. Aggregate and equipment-specific emissions were calculated and compared with emissions from all gasoline-fueled nonroad equipment. Results are presented as descriptive statistics. Results: In 2011, approximately 26.7 million tons of pollutants were emitted by GLGE (VOC=461,800; CO=5,793,200; NOx=68,500, PM10=20,700; CO2=20,382,400), accounting for 24%−45% of all nonroad gasoline emissions. Gasoline-powered landscape maintenance equipment (GLME; leaf blowers/vacuums, and trimmers, edgers, brush cutters) accounted for 43% of VOCs and around 50% of fine PM. Two-stroke engines were responsible for the vast majority of fine PM from GLME. State data (California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Florida), 2018 projections, and additional comparisons are presented. Methodological issues are discussed. Conclusions: GLGE accounts for a major portion of US nonroad gasoline emissions. Two-stroke engines are an important source of VOCs and criteria pollutants. *Corresponding Author: jamie@quietcommunities.org Appendix E 2 INTRODUCTION Gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment (GLGE) ranging from string trimmers to stump grinders and tractors is a source of high levels of localized emissions that includes hazardous air pollutants, criteria pollutants, and carbon dioxide (CO2).1-4 Workers using commercial equipment are exposed when they are close to the emitting sources several hours each day, several days a week in seasons of use. Other members of the public, including children, may also be exposed to high levels of emissions from commercial landscape maintenance equipment (GLME) such as leaf blowers, trimmers, and mowers, used routinely around residential neighborhoods, schools, parks, and other public spaces. The commercial landscape maintenance industry has experienced strong growth over the last 15 years and depends largely on gasoline-powered equipment for most tasks once performed manually. These factors are raising concerns about the health impacts of GLGE emissions on workers and the public. Extensive evidence exists on the adverse health effects of exhaust emissions and other fine particulates which include cardiovascular disease, stroke, respiratory disease, cancer, neurological conditions, premature death, and effects on prenatal development.5-13 Short term and long term exposures are implicated. However, GLGE as a source of these emissions has received little attention. Understanding the characteristics of GLGE and GLME emissions can help estimate potential health impacts of these close-to-the-source emissions. The goal of this study was to characterize annual emissions from GLGE at the national level and in selected states and to estimate the contribution of GLME to those emissions. Special attention is paid to 2-stroke GLME engines. The emissions contributions from the four of the five most populated states are derived from the NEI, and for California, from the emissions inventory of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). METHODS Study Design The GLGE emissions analyzed are total volatile organic compounds (VOC) and individual VOCs (benzene, 1,3 butadiene, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde); criteria pollutants (carbon monoxide [CO], nitrogen oxides [NOx], particulate matter [PM] <10 microns, including PM < 2.5 microns [PM 10, PM2.5]); and carbon dioxide (CO2). Equipment pollutant data were extracted from SCC summary reports from the EPA’s 2011 and 2018 modeling platform (version 6), and equipment population data were obtained from the Nonroad model. GLGE included the equipment in TABLE 1 and identified by Source Code Classifications 2260004021−2265004071. The GLME subset is defined as leaf blowers/vacuums; trimmers/edgers/brush cutters; and mowers. Groupings of equipment, eg, leaf blowers/vacuums, were predefined by the NEI. “All Emissions” are defined as all emissions from stationary and mobile sources, excluding biogenic and naturally occurring emissions. “All Nonroad Emissions” are defined as all emissions from the equipment types accounted for within the Nonroad model; note that this does not include emissions from commercial marine, rail, and aircraft sources. “Gasoline Nonroad Emissions” are defined as emissions from gasoline fueled equipment accounted for within the Nonroad model. National emissions were analyzed by type of equipment and engine configuration as shown in TABLE 1. All results are presented as descriptive statistics. 3 Table 1. Categorization scheme for analysis of GLGE emissions Type of Equipment Engine Configuration GLME Leaf Blowers/Vacuums 2 stroke, 4 stroke Trimmers/Edgers/Cutters 2 stroke, 4 stroke Mowers 4 stroke Other GLGE Chain Saws 2 stroke, 4 stroke Rotary Tillers 2 stroke, 4 stroke Snowblowers 2 stroke, 4 stroke Turf Equipment 2 stroke, 4 stroke Chippers/stump grinders 4 stroke Tractors 4 stroke Shredders 4 stroke Other 4 stroke Analyses All analyses except for the 2018 projections represent 2011 estimates. Equipment Populations The national populations of all types of GLGE were obtained from the Nonroad model. The contribution of each type to the whole population was determined. Contributions of All Nonroad and GLGE Sources All Nonroad Emissions were compared to All Emissions. GLGE emissions were then calculated and compared with All Nonroad Emissions and All Emissions. Contribution of Landscape Maintenance Equipment to GLGE Emissions GLME emissions and their contribution to GLGE and All Nonroad Emissions were analyzed. Additional analyses were conducted to examine the relative contributions of 2-stroke GLME engine emissions. Projected Growth of GLGE Emissions: 2011−2018 GLGE emissions projected for 2018 were obtained from the EPA’s 2018 modeling platform, version 6, and compared with 2011 emissions. GLGE Emissions in the Five Largest States State level emissions data from the five most populated states (US Census) – California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas – were extracted and analyzed. Estimates of GLGE emissions for Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas were based on 2011 data from the EPA’s 2011 modeling platform, version 6. Estimates of GLGE emission for California were based on data from the CARB’s OFFROAD2007 Model and estimated for 2012. No adjustments were made for potential differences in annual emissions between 2011 and 2012 California data. The program structure of the OFFROAD2007 Model provides a general overview of the methodology used to estimate emissions from off-road sources (http://www.arb.ca.gov/msei/offroad/pubs/offroad_overview.pdf). 4 Each state’s contribution to national GLGE Emissions was calculated and compared with its contributions to the US landscape maintenance labor force and the US population. Labor force statistics were sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2013 reports (www.bls.oes) and population data from the 2011 US Census. Nonroad Air Emissions Model EPA developed a nonroad air emissions model in the 1990s to provide estimates of emissions from most types of nonroad equipment, including construction equipment, recreational marine vessels, and lawn and garden equipment (LGE). The model is referred to simply as the “Nonroad” model, and it has been updated a number of times since its creation. Documentation for the model exists as a number of technical reports available on EPA’s website (http://www.epa.gov/otaq/nonrdmdl.htm). Total emissions are determined by summing the exhaust and evaporative emission components.14, 15 The preponderance of emissions from Nonroad equipment occurs as exhaust emissions due to the combustion of fuel. The methodologies for determining exhaust emissions are summarized below. Exhaust Emissions from Nonroad Engines The Nonroad model uses the following equation to calculate exhaust emissions from nonroad engines (ref: Median): Emissions = (Pop) x (Power) x (LF) x (A) x (EF) Where Pop = Engine population Power = Average Power (hp) LF = Load factor (fraction of available power) A = Activity (hrs/yr) EF = Emission factor (g/hp-hr) The derivation of the default model data for each factor from the above equation is discussed below. a. Equipment populations and average power (horsepower) The technical report titled “Nonroad Engine Population Estimates”16 indicates that equipment population data for most types of equipment were obtained from Power Systems Research, an independent marketing research firm, although in some instances other data source were used. Of interest for this analysis, for many LGE categories EPA used sales data obtained from equipment manufacturers during the development of its Phase 1 emission standards for small (less than 25 hp) gasoline fueled nonroad engines. This was done for the following LGE categories: lawn mowers, trimmers/edgers/brush cutters, leaf blowers/vacuums, and chainsaws. The report notes that an equipment population base year of either 1996 or 1998 was used for the LGE types. Once estimates of equipment populations were derived, information obtained by the state of California was used to divide the equipment between the residential and commercial sectors. This step was needed because of the large difference in usage patterns between these two sectors. TABLE 2 below contains an extract of data from Table 3 of the Nonroad Engine Population report mentioned above, and illustrates how the split between residential and commercial equipment was apportioned for a number of LGE types. 5 Table 2. Percentage split between residential and commercial equipment SCC code Application Horsepower categories Residential (% of equipment population) Commercial (% of equipment population) 22xx004010 22xx004011 Lawn mowers All 96.3 3.7 22xx004025 22xx004026 Trimmers/edgers/cutters 0-1 hp 100 0 1-3 hp 85.3 14.7 > 3 hp 0 100 22xx004020 22xx004021 Chainsaws 0-1 hp 100 0 1-3 hp 97.0 3 > 3 hp 0 100 22xx004030 22xx004031 Leaf blowers/vacuums 0-1 hp 100 0 1-3 hp 92.5 7.5 > 3 hp 0 100 i. Geographic allocation of residential LGE Populations (except snowblowers) The Nonroad model uses US Census data on one and two unit housing to allocate national equipment populations to the county level. The population documentation report mentioned above notes that other variables are likely to also affect the distribution of LGE population, such as average yard size. However, no consistent, reliable data surrogates could be found to apportion the national level equipment populations based on these alternative factors, and so the model relies solely upon US Census data on one and two unit housing to allocate national LGE population data to the county level. ii. Geographic allocation of commercial L&G Equipment Populations (except snowblowers) The Nonroad model uses the number of employees in the landscaping services industry to dis- aggregate national level LGE population data to the county level. This was accomplished using data from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS); specifically, for NAICS code 561730, landscaping services. iii. Equipment population projections The Nonroad model enables the user to obtain estimates of emissions for years other than the base year used for equipment populations. This is accomplished by the development of processes to handle the growth in equipment populations due to the purchase of new equipment as years pass, and adjustments made to account for the scrappage of old equipment. The reader is referred to the EPA technical reports “Nonroad Engine Growth Estimates,”17 and “Calculation of Age Distributions in the Nonroad Model – Growth and Scrappage”18 for further information on these topics. Both of these reports are available on the EPA website (http://www.epa.gov/otaq/nonrdmdl.htm). b. Activity levels and load factors. Equipment populations and horsepower levels alone are not sufficient for determining emissions from nonroad equipment; assumptions about frequency and patterns of use must also be made. The EPA report, “Median Life, Annual Activity, and Load Factor Values for Nonroad Engine Emissions Modeling”19 describes how the Nonroad model assigns default activity levels, in hours per year, and 6 load factors in performing its calculations. Load factors are needed to account for the fact that equipment is not typically used at full power 100% of the time; load factors reflect that and are presented in terms of average percent of full power for the equipment as it is used. The activity levels and load factors for small (< or = to 25 hp) spark-ignition engines for many LGE types was taken from data supplied to EPA during the comment period for the regulation of these engines. TABLE 3 below contains an extract of the default activity data, in annual hours of equipment use, and load factor data, expressed as fraction of full power, taken from Table 6 of the above mentioned report. Table 3. Example default activity levels and load factors for LGE Equipment type Use Activity level (Annual hours) Load factor (fraction of full power) Lawn mowers Residential 25 0.33 Commercial 406 0.33 Trimmers/Edgers/Cutters Residential 9 0.91 Commercial 137 0.91 Leaf blowers\Vacuums Residential 10 0.94 Commercial 282 0.94 Chainsaws Residential 13 0.70 Commercial 303 0.70 c. Emission factors EPA’s documentation for the source of the emission factors used within the Nonroad model are contained in the following two reports: “Exhaust and Crankcase Emission Factors for Nonroad Engine Modeling: Compression-Ignition”20 and “Exhaust Emission Factors for Nonroad Engine Modeling: Spark-Ignition.” 21 Information pertaining to LGE contained in the latter report is discussed below. Emission factors for spark-ignition engines rated at less than 25 hp were segregated into 5 engine classes based on primary use of the engine (handheld vs. non-handheld), and engine size according to engine displacement. Beginning in 1997, engines designed for both handheld and non-handheld applications became subject to several phases of regulation geared towards reducing fuel consumption (expressed in terms of brake-specific fuel consumption [BSFC]) and producing fewer air emissions in the combustion process. TABLE 4 below contains an extract of information from Table 1 of the Exhaust Emissions 2010 report, and shows the impact of EPA’s regulation on one such class of engines: small, hand-held, gasoline fueled two-stroke engines. Table 4: Impact of regulation on small*, hand-held, gasoline fueled two stroke engines Engine Tech Type HC (g/hp-hr) CO (g/hp-hr) NOx (g/hp-hr) PM (g/hp-hr) BSFC (lb/hp-hr) Baseline 261.00 718,87 0.97 7.7 1.365 Phase 1 219.99 480.31 0.78 7.7 1.184 Phase 2 (with catalyst) 26.87 141.69 1.49 7.7 0.822 BSFC: Brake-specific fuel consumption; CO: carbon monoxide; HC: hydrocarbon; NOx: nitrogen oxides; PM: particulate matter * These emission factors are for engines sized from 0 to 1 hp. 7 Other factors also influence the combustion related exhaust emissions from nonroad engines, such as fuel type, ambient temperature, and deterioration of equipment with age and use. The reader is referred to the EPA web-site (http://www.epa.gov/otaq/nonrdmdl.htm) for additional information on these topics. RESULTS Equipment Populations Approximately 121 million pieces of GLGE are estimated to be in use in the United States (FIGURE 1). GLME accounts for two-thirds of all GLGE of which lawn mowers are the most numerous, followed by trimmers/edgers/ brush cutters, and then leaf blowers/vacuums. Projections from 2011 indicate a 13% increase across all equipment types after the combined effect of new equipment purchases and scrappage of old equipment are evaluated, resulting in an estimated 136 million pieces of GLGE in use by 2018. Contribution of Nonroad Emissions to All Emissions All Nonroad sources account for approximately 242 million tons of pollutants each year, accounting for 17% of all VOC emissions, 12% of NOx emissions, 29% of CO emissions, 4% of CO2 emissions, 2% of PM10 emissions, and 5% of PM2.5 emissions. All Nonroad Emissions account for a substantial percentage of All Emissions of benzene (25%), 1,3 butadiene (22%), CO (29%), PM10 (2%), and PM2.5 (5%). Because of the relatively small contribution of GLGE CO2 to All Emissions (0.3%), it is not further considered in this report. Contribution of GLGE to All Emissions and Nonroad Emissions GLGE emitted approximately 6.3 million tons of VOCs (461,800) and criteria pollutants (CO=5,793,200; NOx=68,500, PM10=20,700 [19,000 of which is PM2.5]), and 20.4 million tons of CO2 in 2011. GLGE represented nearly 4% of All Emissions of VOCs and 12% of All Emissions of CO 8 (FIGURE 2). GLGE fine PM emissions constitute a fraction of a percent of All Emissions of fine PM, but is a major Nonroad source, accounting for nearly 13% of All Nonroad Emissions of fine PM and more than one-third of Gasoline Nonroad Emissions of fine PM. Analysis of individual VOC emissions shows that GLGE contributes nearly 8% of All Emissions of both benzene and 1,3 butadiene (FIGURE 3). Within All Nonroad Emissions and Gasoline Nonroad Emissions, GLGE accounts for nearly one-third or more of benzene and 1,3 butadiene emissions, and also becomes a major source of aldehyde and formaldehyde emissions from Gasoline Nonroad sources. 9 Contribution of GLME to GLGE Emissions Compared with the GLGE contributions of Nonroad Gasoline Emissions shown in FIGURE 2, contributions of VOCs and fine PM emissions from GLME are disproportionately high, and for NOx and CO, are disproportionately low (FIGURE 4). Small GLME engines account for more than 40% of VOC emissions and one-half of PM10 and PM2.5 emissions from GLGE. Close to 90% of fine PM emissions from GLME come from 2-stroke engines (FIGURE 5). 10 Projected Growth of GLGE Emissions: 2011−2018 By 2018, the annual tonnage of ozone precursors, VOCs and NOx, emitted by GLGE is projected to decrease substantially from 2011, as more of the in-use fleet becomes represented by equipment built to meet EPA nonroad emission standards. CO emissions remain comparable to 2011 levels, while CO2 and fine PM emissions are projected to increase modestly. Table 5: Estimated Change in GLGE Emissions, 2018 vs 2011 Emissions % Change VOCs -20.9% NOx -31.1% CO -4.9% CO2 12.3% PM 10 8.2% PM 2.5 8.4% GLGE Emissions in the Five Most Populated States When considered together, GLGE emissions from California, Florida, Illinois, New York and Texas constitute approximately one-quarter of national GLGE emissions. 11 Florida’s GLGE emissions were 1.4 to 2.1-times higher compared with emissions in states having the next highest level of emissions in each GLGE pollutant category, and 2.2 to 4.4-times higher compared with emissions in states having the lowest level of emissions in each GLGE pollutant category (FIGURE 6). For Florida, Illinois, and New York, state-specific contributions of GLGE emissions compared to the national total were relatively consistent with their contributions to the national population and the national grounds maintenance workforce. For California, its GLGE emission contribution was one-fifth that of its contribution to the national population and to the national grounds maintenance workforce. For Texas, its GLGE emission contribution was 40%−50% that of its contribution to the national population and to the national grounds maintenance workforce (FIGURE 7). DISCUSSION The main findings of this study are: 1) GLGE is a prevalent source of toxic and carcinogenic emissions; 2) GLGE contributes substantially to nonroad emissions of benzene,1,3 butadiene, formaldehyde, CO, and fine PM; 3) GLME accounts for a disproportionately large share of VOC and fine PM emissions; 4) 2-stroke engines account for most fine PM emissions from GLME; 5) VOCs and NOx are projected to decrease substantially by 2018; CO emissions remain comparable to 2011 levels; and CO2 and fine PM emissions are projected to increase modestly; and 6) the GLGE emissions contributions from the the largest states are not always consistent with contributions to national population and national grounds maintenance workforce. The large volume of emissions from GLGE found in this study is consistent with findings previously reported by the EPA1 and from other studies.2-4 The very substantial contribution of VOC, in particular benzene and 1,3 butadiene, deserves attention especially because of their localized nature. 12 While VOC emissions are expected decrease 21% on average by 2018, the rates of equipment replacement on which those projections are based are only approximated. Adverse health effects from the GLGE emissions are well known. Benzene, 1,3 butadiene, and formaldehyde are listed among the four top ranking cancer-causing compounds.22 They cause lymphomas, leukemias, and other types of cancer (International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization).23, 24 Ground level ozone (formed by VOCs and NOx in the presence of sunlight) and fine PM cause or contribute to early death, heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer.5-11 Growing evidence suggests these pollutants also contribute to developmental and neurological disorders, including autism.7-9, 12, 13 The mounting evidence on the dangers of short term exposure are especially concerning.7, 9, 11 The high levels of VOCs and fine PM from GLME are health risks for workers and other members of the public close to the emitting source. Although no studies of grounds maintenance workers were found, studies of gas station workers have shown that regular exposure to gasoline vapors can produce hematological and immunological abnormalities and elevate the risk of cancer.25-27 In addition, children, seniors, and persons with chronic illnesses are especially vulnerable to the negative health impacts of GLME emissions.28 Routine use of GLME in the vicinity of residential neighborhoods, schools, parks, and other public spaces may be exposing the public to unnecessary and preventable health risks. New equipment standards do not affect fine PM emissions; in fact, those emissions are expected to increase. School buses represent another example of a close-to-emitting source in which children are subjected to increased exposure from diesel exhaust.29 Tests of school buses found that diesel exhaust entering through the front door of the bus results in elevated levels of PM over time. When queuing, PM built up rapidly in the bus cabin when the front doors were open. The variation in emissions levels observed among the five most populated states should be explored further. The reasons for the high emissions contribution from Florida and relatively low emissions contributions from Texas and California are not clear. Differences between CARB data and NEI data may account for some of the difference between California and other states. For example, the NEI baseline equipment population data are older compared with those of CARB. Other factors that may be involved include but are not limited to emissions estimation procedure, geographic and climate factors, regulations and their effectiveness, and efforts to promote cleaner alternatives. This study has several limitations. Not all potentially harmful emissions were characterized; for example, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Other limitations concern the source data. Although the NEI is a comprehensive source of GLGE emissions data, the accuracy of the reported data is uncertain. Baseline equipment population data for the Nonroad model is 15−20 years old and does not account for growth of the commercial industry. This older population data supplies emission estimates to NEI, which in turn is used to create EPA’s 2011 and 2018 modeling platforms. Although the residential and commercial CARB inventories and activity data are newer, they depend largely upon telephone survey data.30, 31 Methodological weaknesses with the commercial survey data are discussed in the survey report.31 For both data sources, the rates of replacement of older equipment by newer, cleaner equipment that meets the newer Phase 3 standards32 can only be approximated. 13 CONCLUSIONS GLGE is an important source of toxic and carcinogenic exhaust and fine particulate matter. Improved reporting and monitoring of localized GLGE emissions should be implemented. Medical and scientific organizations should increase public awareness of GLGE and GLME and identify GLGE as an important local source of dangerous air pollutants. Communities and environmental, public health, and other government agencies should create policies and programs to protect the public from GLGE air pollutants and promote non-polluting alternatives. 14 REFERENCES 1. Michaels H. “NONROAD Overview,” Presented at the 2012 International Emission Inventory Conference of the US Environmental Protection Agency, Tampa, Florida, August 16, 2012. 2. Volckens J, Braddock J, Snow RF, et al. “Emissions Profile From New and In-Use Handheld, 2- Stroke Engines,” Atmospheric Environment 2007;41:640-649. 3. Volckens J, Olson DA, Hays MD. “Carbonaceous Species Emitted from Handheld Two-Stroke Engines,” Atmospheric Environment 2008;42:1239-1248. 4. Shipchandler R. VOC Emissions from Gas Powered Leaf Blowers in the Chicago Metropolitan Region. Waste Management and Research Center Report. 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Nonroad Engine Growth Estimate, US Environmental Protection Agency, April 2004, EPA420-P- 04-008, NR-008c. 18. Calculation of Age Distributions in the Nonroad Model: Growth and Scrappage, US Environmental Protection Agency, December 2005, EPA420-R-05-018, NR-007c. 19. Median Life, Annual Activity, and Load Factor Values for Nonroad Engine Emissions Modeling, US Environmental Protection Agency, July 2010, EPA-420-R-10-016, NR-005d. 20. Exhaust and Crankcase Emission Factors for Nonroad Engine Modeling: Compression-Ignition, US Environmental Protection Agency, July 2010, EPA-420-R-10-018, NR-009d. 21. Exhaust Emission Factors for Nonroad Engine Modeling: Spark-Ignition, US Environmental Protection Agency, July 2010, EPA-420-R-10-019, NR-010-f. 22. Loh MM, Levy JI, Spengler JD, et al. “Ranking Cancer Risks of Organic Hazardous Air Pollutants in the United States,” Environ Health Perspect 2007; 115:1160–1168. 15 23. Baan R, Gross Y, Straif K et al on behalf of the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer Monograph Working Group. “A Review of Human Carcinogens—Part F: Chemical Agents and Related Occupations,” Lancet Oncology 2009; 10:1143-1144. 24. Report on Carcinogens 13th Edition, 2014. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program. 25. Lynge E, Andersen A, Nilsson R, et al. “Risk of Cancer and Exposure to Gasoline Vapors,” Am J Epidemiol 1997;145:445-458. 26. Tunsaringkarn T, Prueksasit T, Kitwattanavong M, et al. “Cancer Risk Analysis of Benzene, Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde on Gasoline Station Workers,” Journal of Environmental Engineering and Ecological Science 2012, 1:1.http://dx.doi.org/10.7243/2050-1323-1-1. 27. Moro AM, Brucker N, Charão MF, et al. “Early Hematological and Immunological Alterations in Gasoline Station Attendants Exposed to Benzene,” Environ Res. 2015;137C:349-356. 28. State of the Air, 2014, American Lung Association. 29. Hill LB, Zimmerman NJ, Gooch J. A Multi-City Investigation of the Effectiveness of Retrofit Emissions Controls in Reducing Exposures to Particulate Matter in School Buses, Clean Air Task Force, January 2005. 30. 2012 California Survey of Residential Lawn and Garden Equipment Owners: Population and Activity, California Air Resources Board. 31. Acquisition and Analysis of Commercial and Institutional Lawn and Garden Population and Activity Data: Final Report, August 8, 2006, Eastern Research Group, Inc. for the California Air Resources Board. 32. EPA Finalizes Emission Standards for New Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines, Equipment, and Vessels, US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, September 2008, EPA420-F-08-013. LEAF BLOWER REGULATIONS REGIONAL WORKING GROUP MUNICIPAL RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT AUGUST 16, 2022 Appendix F LEAF BLOWER REGULATIONS REGIONAL WORKING GROUP MUNICIPAL RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT AUGUST 16, 2022 Page 1 of 10 Summary The Leaf Blower Regulations Regional Working Group Municipal Research and Best Practices Subcommittee surveyed numerous Illinois municipalities to determine if and how they regulated leaf blowers (see ). It was determined that most Illinois municipalities do not have ordinances that prohibit or restrict the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. However, certain municipalities including but not limited to Evanston, Kenilworth, Winnetka, and Wilmette have adopted gas-powered leaf blower regulations to reduce noise and air pollution. The Subcommittee also surveyed municipalities nationwide to identify successful programs, policies, and best practices for the Regional Working Group to consider. We found California has several communities with gas leaf blower regulations which are highlighted in the “Best Practices” section of this memorandum, along with other noteworthy municipal attempts to limit air pollutants and reduce noise pollution. Importantly, our research assessed the success of various regulatory and enforcement strategies used in Illinois municipalities. We found: • Police departments are the most common enforcer of leaf blower regulations; complaints of this nature are typically treated as low priority. Other enforcement agencies include Code Enforcement, Public Works, or, in the case of Evanston, the Health Department. • To limit noise, many communities have noise ordinances that consequently limit the hours of use of leaf blowers without completely banning their use. The following communities have noise ordinances but do not specifically include “leaf blowers” in their regulation: Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Glenview, Grayslake, Lake Forest, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Mettawa, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, Northbrook, Northfield, Park Ridge, Riverwoods, Skokie, and Vernon Hills. • The following Illinois communities have partial or full bans on leaf blowers: Wilmette, Evanston, Glencoe, Winnetka, Lincolnwood, Kenilworth, and Highland Park. LEAF BLOWER REGULATIONS REGIONAL WORKING GROUP MUNICIPAL RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT AUGUST 16, 2022 Page 2 of 10 Illinois Municipal Regulations Many Illinois municipalities regulate leaf blowers indirectly through the use of noise and nuisance ordinances that effectively set the acceptable hours of operation without introducing a seasonal ban. These communities, primarily on Chicago’s North Shore, have engaged in more extensive regulatory efforts. Evanston. The City of Evanston has an ordinance that prohibits gas-powered leaf blowers between May 15th and September 30th (summer) and after the first Thursday in December until March 29th (winter). Evanston will ban all gas-powered leaf blowers starting April 1, 2023 including during the seasons listed. There are no seasonal restrictions on electric-powered leaf blowers. When leaf blowers are allowed, their use is limited to Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Evanston Health Department enforces their regulations through progressive discipline: a written violation letter is sent upon the first offense, a $100 fine for the second offense, a $150 fine for the third offense, a $200 fine for the fourth offense, and $250 fines for the fifth and subsequent offense(s). Glencoe. The Village of Glencoe prohibits the use of gas-powered leaf blowers between May 15th to September 15th and from December 15th to March 15th. The ordinance restricts commercial lawn maintenance equipment use from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and bans use entirely on Sundays and holidays. These restrictions do not apply to property owners conducting maintenance on their property. The Glencoe Police Department enforces these restrictions by issuing $250 fines to commercial landscape companies who are in violation, starting from the first offense (e.g. no warning). Highland Park. The City of Highland Park prohibits the use of gas-powered leaf blowers between May 15th and October 1st, except for golf course maintenance or roof gutter cleaning (between May 15th and June 15th). When allowed, leaf blowers can be operated between 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The Highland Park Police Department and Community Development Department enforce this ban with fines ranging from $200 to $500. Kenilworth. The Village of Kenilworth has a noise and leaf blower ordinance that prohibits the use of gas-powered leaf blowers between May 15th and September 30th. When allowed, leaf blowers can be operated Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Gas or electric-powered leaf blowers must never exceed 75 decibels. The Kenilworth Police Department enforces this ordinance. LEAF BLOWER REGULATIONS REGIONAL WORKING GROUP MUNICIPAL RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT AUGUST 16, 2022 Page 3 of 10 Illinois Municipal Regulations (continued) Lincolnwood. The Village of Lincolnwood prohibits the use of gas-powered leaf blowers from May 15th to September 30th. When allowed, the leaf blower ordinance restricts use from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7:00 a.m. to noon on Saturday; and bans use entirely on Sundays and holidays. The Lincolnwood Police Department and a Code Enforcement Officer issues violation notices upon the first offense and a citation upon the second offense. Fines are determined in court. Wilmette. The Village of Wilmette introduced a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers between May 15th and September 30th beginning in 2006. The prohibition includes using an electric leaf blower powered by a portable gasoline generator, but not the use of electric leaf blowers plugged into permanently installed electrical outlets attached to a permanent structure. Exemptions to the gas- powered leaf blower ban include golf courses, public parks, Wilmette Park District property, for roof/gutter/downspout cleaning, and use in paving/repair/patching of public streets or related to asphalt seal coating on private property. Between October 1 and May 14, the Village permits the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers, however, use is limited for to no more than 30 minutes in any three-hour period on lots of one-half acre or less. Enforcement is conducted proactively and citations are issued to the company violating the law, not individual employees. The fines for first time violators ($75) are typically waived upon providing evidence that a battery/electric-operated leaf blower has been purchased. Subsequent offenses have a fine of $150. Winnetka. The Village of Winnetka has a nuisance ordinance that prohibits the use of gas- powered leaf blowers between June 1st and September 30th, except for golf course maintenance. From October 1st to May 31st, the use of gas-powered leaf blowers is limited to Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Winnetka Police Department enforces the ordinance and issues fines for $100 per offense. The fines do not escalate. LEAF BLOWER REGULATIONS REGIONAL WORKING GROUP MUNICIPAL RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT AUGUST 16, 2022 Page 4 of 10 National Municipal Regulations - California California has a history of strict air quality standards that resulted in leaf blower bans as early as the late 1970s. Some municipalities have banned both gas-powered and electric leaf blowers. Hermosa Beach. Hermosa Beach, California directly references “leaf blowers” under “Prohibited Noises” in their noise ordinance, effectively banning leaf blowers since the early 1990s. The city issues notice to first-time violators, while the Police Department can “decide to issue a citation to the person who is caught using the leaf blower”, enforcing the ban that way. Laguna Beach. Since 1993, Laguna Beach, California has banned both gasoline-powered and electric leaf blowers. Fines are issued to users starting at $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second violation, and $500 for the third violation. Code Enforcement staff issue warnings and citations if they see someone using a leaf blower. Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, California has banned gas-powered leaf blowers since 1997. This ordinance is enforced through a complaint system: a District Inspector monitors an online complaint website where residents can register an online complaint as an air pollution complaint. The District Inspector determines if a complaint is a violation and can issue a citation. Every hour of violation is treated as a separate incident. Santa Monica. Santa Monica, California bans the use of both gasoline-powered and electric leaf blowers within the city. Violators can receive citations from Code Enforcement. $500 fines are usually given to the operator of the leaf blower, but management companies, landscaping companies, or property owners can be cited. A court case in 2015 limited the scope of citations as a property owner claimed that the City could not prove that the owner knew that the leaf blower was being used on his property at the time of the citation. In addition to municipal regulations, notably, the California Air Resources Board recently (December 2021) adopted administrative regulations that will effectively halt the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and other landscaping equipment starting in model year 2024. Equipment manufactured prior to 2024 can continue to be legally sold and used after the effective date of these regulations. LEAF BLOWER REGULATIONS REGIONAL WORKING GROUP MUNICIPAL RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT AUGUST 16, 2022 Page 5 of 10 National Municipal Regulations – Outside California Burlington, VT. Burlington, Vermont’s largest city, passed a phased-in ban that required compliance by May 2022. The ordinance bans the use of gas-powered leaf blowers from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The ordinance allows for year-round use of electric-powered leaf blowers that are below 65 decibels; when allowed, gas-powered leaf blowers must operate below 65 decibels. The use of any leaf blower is limited to Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and prohibited on Sundays and Holidays except for property owners from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. East Hampton, NY. East Hampton, New York, passed an ordinance prohibiting gas and diesel-powered leaf blowers from May 20th to September 20th. When allowed, leaf blower use is restricted to Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and prohibited on Sundays and Holidays except for property owners from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The East Hampton Town Ordinance Department enforces the ban with fines between $1,000 and $5,000 depending on the offense. Montclair, NJ. Montclair, New Jersey passed an ordinance that restricts gas-powered leaf blower use, allowing for use only between March 15th and May 15th and between October 15th and December 15th. When allowed, leaf blower use is restricted to Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. for property owners), and Sundays and Holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Additionally, the ordinance requires lawn care companies to provide safety protection for their employees. A Municipal Court Judge administers fines at their discretion; first-time violations start at $100 and recurring violators can be fined up to $2,000 and risk 90 days of community service or imprisonment. Summit, NJ. Summit, New Jersey introduced a pilot program that temporarily banned gas- powered leaf blowers from June 1st, 2021, through August 31st, 2021. The ordinance adds on to existing use restrictions: Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. for non- commercial use), Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Sundays and Holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for non-commercial use. The temporary ordinance was enforced by the Summit Police Department and/or the Department of Community Services through a progressive discipline system; first-time violators receive a notice, then incur increasing fines after subsequent violations, from $100-$500. The program/ban was not extended and there are currently only temporal restrictions on use. Time of Day Restrictions Page 6 of 10 Community Ord. Reference When Prohibited Enforcing Agency First Offense Subsequent Offense(s) Wilmette, IL Sec. 16-115(a) (nuisances) May 15th - September 30th Police $80 $160 Evanston, IL Title 8, Chapter 26 First Thursday in December - th City Health Notice $100, $150, $200, $250 Glencoe, IL Sec. 24-38(c) (nuisances) May 15th - September 15th, December 15th - March 15th Police Discretionary Discretionary Highland Park, IL Sec. 95-001(O)(9) (nuisances) May 15th - October 1st Police, Community Development $200-500 $200-500 Winnetka, IL Sec. 9.16.020(21) (nuisances) June 1st - September 30th Police $100 $100 Kenilworth, IL Sec. 135-02(23) (nuisances) May 15th - September 30th Police Discretionary Up to $750 Lincolnwood, IL Sec. 17-2-16(H) (noise) May 15th - September 30th Police, Code Enforcement Notice. Discretionary. Time of Day Restrictions Page 7 of 10 Community Ord. Reference When Prohibited Enforcing Agency First Offense Subsequent Offense(s) Hermosa Beach, CA Sec. 8.24.020(H) (noise) Complete ban Code Enforcement $100 $200, $500 Laguna Beach, CA Sec. 7.25.070(D) (noise) Complete ban Code Enforcement $100 $200, $500 Santa Monica, CA Sec. 4.08.270 (nuisances) Complete ban Code Enforcement $500 $500 Santa Barbara, CA Sec. 9.16.050 (noise) Complete ban County Air Pollution Discretionary Discretionary Burlington, VT Sec. 21-14 Memorial Day (May) - Labor Day (September) Police $200-$500 $300-$500 East Hampton, NJ Chapter 155 May 20th - September 20th Town Ordinance Up to $1,000 $1,500-$5,000 Montclair, NJ Sec. 217-6 (noise) May 15th - October 15th, December 15th - March 15th Police $100 community service; Summit, NJ Sec. 3-8.1(b)(4) (noise) June 1st - August 31st Police, Community Services Notice $100, $250, $500 Time of Day Restrictions Page 8 of 10 Weekday Permitted Hours Community 6:00 AM 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM Evanston, IL Glencoe, IL Highland Park, IL Kenilworth, IL Lincolnwood, IL Wilmette, IL Winnetka, IL Burlington, VT East Hampton, NY Montclair, NJ Summit, NJ Time of Day Restrictions Page 9 of 10 Sundays & Holidays Permitted Hours (non-commercial) Community Page 10 of 10 APPENDIX A Survey of Municipal Leaf-Blower Regulations (Excel Spreadsheet) Communities Ordinance? (Y = yes, N = no, U = unknown, P = URL to Gas Powered Leaf Rate your Effectiveness (1-5 scale) w/ 1 being Minutes of Regulation Buffalo Grove No N/A N/A N/A No N/A N/A N/A Two people unsure when I called the village. "Leaf blowers are just like No noise ordinance; no pollution ordinance. Landscapers fall under "maintenance," so they can work anytime, but the village encourages Barrington No N/A N/A N/A No N/A N/A N/A Non-home rule community Noise + leaf blower https://library.munico de.com/il/evanston/c odes/code_of_ordina nces?nodeId=TIT8H N/A currenlty in the hiring process for First violation letter, but if 2nd Offense $100, 3rd $150, 4th $200 5th and after Person using leafblower - homeowner or Prohibited May 16-Sept. 29 as well as after first Thursday in December until March 29. When allowed, M-F 7am-9pm and S/S/Holidays 9am- Glen Ellyn Only nuisance regulation N/A N/A N/A No N/A N/A N/A the hours of 7:00 a.m. and sunset. Arguably, a leaf blower would fall under that regulation. Noise + leaf blower com/nxt/gateway.dll/Il linois/glencoe_il/zoni Police Department. Generally a Landscaping Gas-powered leaf blowers permitted between March 15-May 15 and Community Development (Code Enforcement); use construction hours; Determined by police Determined by Mostly the Police Department. Some Police commander said if there is a nuisance complaint, abide by Leaf blower de.com/search?state Id=13&clientId=1392 3&searchText=leaf% 20blower&contentTy Mostly the Police Department. Some assistance from Community Between $200 Landscaper F between 7am-9pm and Saturday between 9am-5pm. No leaf blowers only. No leaf blower Leaf blower https://codelibrary.a mlegal.com/codes/ke nilworth/latest/kenilw Unable to rate as 2022 will be the first year of September 30. The ban includes electric leaf blowers connected to may continue using their leaf blower between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday, and between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.on Saturdays. Leaf blowers, regardless of power source, may not exceed 75 decibels when in use. odifiers.com/codebo ok/index.php?book_i Village Board Memo Contractor or com/nxt/gateway.dll/Il linois/lakeforest_il/cit yoflakeforestillinoisco deofordinances?f=te mplates$fn=default.h Police Officer must respond (in order to potentially issue citation); ordinance allows lawn maintenance equipment 7:30am-7:30pm M-F, 8a-5:30p Sat, 10a-4 (doesn't get that extension://efaidnbm nnnibpcajpcglclefind mkaj/viewer.html?pdf url=https%3A%2F%2 Fcms9files.revize.co $10-$750 per Determined by police department when citation is written - case by Lake Zurich Noise Ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Libertyville N/A N/A Code Enforcement Officer (Jack Johnson) responds; complaint-based and enforce the costruction hours of 7a- 6p M-F, 8a-6p Sat, noon-6p Sun 4 No N/A N/A N/A N/A Noise Ordinance only for contactors, https://www.lincolnsh ireil.gov/sitemedia/do cuments/quick_links/ village-code/title- Police Department responds; enforcing construction hours of 7a-7p M-F, 8a-6p Sat, not allowed on Sun/holidays; will typically respond to scene and issue a warning or a compliance ticket after 5 (don't have many of these types of Stop work order and potential fine - ONLY contractors will get fined, homeowners can use leafblowers whenever (outside of any noise Homeowners never fined - contract companies may be Noise + usage https://ecode360.co m/15325372?highlig ht=leaf%20blower,le af%20blowers#1532 Police Department or Code N/A (no recent violations and tough to enforce as currently Speak to contractor + homeowner, give violation notice. Second offense = Judge gives fine; village Contractor definitely - but also perhaps homeowner (both breaking construction ordinances in the past, just not leaf When permitted, can be used between 7am-6pm M-F or 7am-12pm Handled by Police as a noise complaint. Officers are dispatched to speak with offending party trying to reach a mutually agreeable resolution. Tickets are a last resort trying to seek voluntary Mount Handled by Community Development Department (Environmental Health) although after-hours handled by Police; 5 (no issues, barely Yes - Noise https://library.munico de.com/il/northbrook/ codes/code_of_ordin ances?nodeId=Chap ter%2016%20%E2% 80%93%20NUISAN Complaint-based; Police Department 2.5 (Only enforced when residnt calls in. Complaint will come in when leaf blower is used outside of police will often address complaint Yes, if person refuses to Up to $750/day/offen Except temporarily in the case of urgent necessity to protect public health or safety, no person shall cause or permit the operation of any blower, fan, pump, or compressor, or engine or motor which emits noise of a continuous or penetrating nature that disturbs the comfort or response of any reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities occupying residential property within the area of audibility, if the sound level exceeds 63 dBA between 10:00 pm to 7:00 am or 68 dBA between Noise + leaf blower https://www.oak- park.us/newsletters/ mayjune-2018/help- keep-oak-park- Feb 2020 and June 2021 Village Board Determined by Homeowner if homeowner is operating; landscape company if worker The use of gas-powered leaf blowers emanating more than 65 decibels or failing to meet federal emission regulations is prohibited from June through October. The ban applies to both landscapers and homeowners. Gas-powered blowers that emanate fewer than 65 decibels and meet emission standards may be used during the ban if they have been tested and approved by the Village. Cannot be used June 1-October 1. Two complaints last year and residents were more Park Ridge Noise ordinance http://www.parkridge. us/community_prese rvation_and_develop Community Health Commission Determined by Unclear - case by Skokie Noise ordinance N/A N/A N/A No No N/A N/A outside of that time frame, can call non-emergency police. No ticket guaranteed. Noise + leaf blower com/permits/commu nity- development/code- Proactice through code enforcement; police will also respond to calls for Two years ago, 1; Currently, 4 w/ new Village Board $75 first offense; $150 Company, not employee using Between May 15 and September 30, the Village of W ilmette prohibits the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers. Between October 1 and May 14, the Village of W ilmette permits the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers, however use of a gasoline-powered leaf blower during that time. is limited to 30 minutes or less Winnetka Noise + leaf blower https://codelibrary.a mlegal.com/codes/wi nnetka/latest/winnetk aords-res_il/0-0-0-Village Council over mulitple offenses, but the police create the fines. At least Unclear - determined by Oct 1 - May 31, M-F 8-7; S/S 9-6. Can't use gas between June 1 and Community Noise/Leaf Blower Ordinance Hours of Operation Source Arlington, MA commercial or municipal purposes) are prohibited outside the hours of operation, except in accordance with the following restrictions, which shall not apply to the use of leaf blowers to perform emergency operations or for clean-up associated with storms, hurricanes and the like. No more than one leaf blower may be used on any lot of 6,000 square feet or smaller. One additional leaf blower may be used for each additional 6,000 square feet or portion thereof comprising one lot. Leaf blowers may be used for no more than 30 minutes at a time with shut down time of 15 minutes in between operation. At no time shall any leaf blower be used in such a way as to permit the distribution of leaves, dust, or other debris beyond the vertically extended lines of the proeprty on which the leaf blower is being used. Leaf blowers shall at all times be operated at the lowest possible practical speed necessary to accomplish the task for which they are being used. As of Juune 15, 2014, or one year after the effective date of this Bylaw, whichever is later, no commercial landscaper, commercial landscape company, or other entity engaged in the business of providing home and yard repair, clean-up, and maintenance services for a fee shall use any leaf blower within the Town in the exercise of that business unless manufacturer specifies that the sound emitted from said leaf blower is no greater than 74 dB(A) at 50 feet at full throttle. The restrictions set forth herein shall not apply to homeowners and residents using leaf blowers to September 16th through June 14th Title V - Regulations Upon the Use of Private Property Aspen, CO The use of gas powered leaf blowers in Aspen was banned by City Council in 2003 in response to numerous noise complaints and a citizen petition requesting a ban. Electric-powered leaf blowers are allowed. N/a City of Aspen's Noise Ordinance Belvedere, CA operate any portable machine powered with a gasoline engine used to blow leaves, dirt and other debris off sidewalks, driveways, lawns N/a City of Belvedere Noise Code Berkeley, CA operate any portable machine powered with a gasoline engine used or other surfaces within the City limits. This prohibition shall be posted in all stores selling such gasoline powered machines within N/a City of Berkeley Community Noise Municipal Code Beverly Hills, CA any portable machine powered with a gasoline engine used to blow N/a Boulder, CO property within one hundred feet of the boundary of any residential 7:00 am to 9:00 pm City of Boulder's Noise Ordinance Brookline, MA Town of Brookline's Leaf Blower Control Cambridge, MA limit indoor gatherings. As citizens are urged to work from home, the City Council found the reduction of noise and emissions from leaf blowers to be a public purpose that protects the public health, welfare, and environment of the City of Cambridge and its citizens. The use of leaf blowers is prohibited between March 15 and June 15 and between September 15 and December 31 in any year. All leaf blowers may be used as long as they do not exceed a decibel level of 65 dBA. against gas-powered leaf blowers, the City continues to follow the 8:00 am to 5:00 pm from Monday through Friday. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday. Not permitted on Sunday or holidays.Cambridge Leaf Blowers Restrictions Carmel, CA displacing, removing or blowing any materials from or about public or private property in a manner which allows the engine to be heard on public property or causes the materials to be blown into the air in a manner which allows them to settle on public property or on private property not belonging to the same owner of the property on which the blower is being operated is declared to be a public N/a Claremont, CA Requirements for use in residential areas: No leaf blower shall be operated for more than fifteen minutes per hour on any one parcel. No leaves or other debris shall be blown into the street, sidewalk, or beyond the parcel property line. The full blower nozzle extension shall be used for maximum efficiency and to manimize the spread of dust. When leaf blowers are used in dusty conditions, surfaces shall be moistened prior to blowing or a mister used during blowing. After leaf blower use, debris shall be disposed in trash receptacles. Leaf and dust control equipment on the leaf blower shall remain on the the leaf blower with the least amount of noise and at the lowest speed possible and keep use time as short as possible. Commercial leaf blower operators shall have in their possession a Claremont business license available for inspection on site. Prohibition of leaf blowers on City property: Use of any type of leaf blower on any City owned or maintained property is prohibited. Leaf blower use: Leaf blowers powered by installed line current or by battery may be used in the City subject to the provisions of this chapter not withstanding the noise standards in Chapter 16.154 of this Code. Internal combustion engine (gasoline) powered leaf blowers shall be 7:00 am to 10 pm Claremont Municipal Code Del Mar, CA portable machine, powered with a gasoline engine or electric motor, to blow leaves, dirt and other debris off sidewalks, driveways, lawns, N/a Del Mar Noise Regulations Dobbs Ferry, NY Any person violating the leaf blower law shall be guilty of an offense punishable by a fine of $50 for the first offense and $250 for each subsequenct offense in the same calendar year. A "person" includes the owner of the property and the operator fo the leaf blower. Gas-powered leaf blowers: March 15th to May 1st and September 15th to December 15th from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm on Monday through Friday and 10:00 am until 5:00 pm on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. Electric leaf blowers: From 8:00 am until 6:00 pm on Monday through Friday and 10:00 Dobbs Ferry Noise Provisions Resolution Evanston, IL the hours of operation. There are no seasonal restrictions on the use of electric leaf blowers. The use of gas-powered leaf blowers is not permitted after April 1, 2023. Electric leaf blowers may continue to be used with no seasonal restrictions. The first offense is a written warning. The second offense is a $100 fine. The third offense is a $150 fine. The fourth offense is a $200 fine. The fifth and any March 30th to May 15th and October 15th to the first Thursday in December from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday; 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday; 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sunday; and prohibited on all recognized City holidays. City of Evanston's Use of Leaf Bowers Ordinance Foster City, CA as portable equipment that is powered by a salf-contained fuel engine and used in any landscape, maintenance, construction, dispersing or redistributing dust, dirt, leaves, grass, clippings, cuttings, and trimmings from trees, shrubs or other debris. Any person who uses or operates a leaf blower in a residential zoning district or in areas bordering a residential zoning district shall use a blower nozzle extension. No material or matter blown by leaf blowers in any portion of the city shall be blown upon neighboring properties or onto any portion of the public right-of-way, including but not limited to sidewalks, streets, storm drains, or lagoon without No person shall use or operate a leaf blower in a residential zoning district or within one hundred yards of a residential zoning district before 8:00 am or after 5 pm Monday through Friday, nor prior to 9:00 am or after 5:00 pm on Saturdays or at any time on Sundays or at any time on the following holidays: New Years Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Farmingham, MA for repetitive use in residential areas, typically capable of being used 7:00 am - 10:00 pm Sunday through Thursday. 8:00 am to 11:00 pm on Friday through Saturday.Farmingham Nuisance Noise Ordinance Hastings, NY October 15. Some exceptions apply. Leaf blowers cannot exceed the limiting noise levels set forth in the Village's performance standards May 16 through October 14, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Hasting's Leaf Blower Law Honolulu, HI residential zone or within one hundred feet of a residential zone outside the hours of operation. A person may not sell, offer for sale, or operate a gas-powered leaf blower in the city. Beginning in will be prima facie evidence that that person operates the gas- powered leaf blower. The first violation will be a $100 fine. The second violation within one year of the first violation will be $500. A fine of $1000 or forfeiture of the gas-powered leaf blower or a combination of forfeiture and a fine up to $1000 for the first of subsequent violation within one year of the first violation. Police 8:00 am to 6:00 pm pm any day except Sunday or a state or federal holiday, and between 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sunday or any state or federal holiday. Houston, TX No ordinance for leaf blowers. Residential property: 65 dBA during daytime hours. 58 dBA during nighttime hours. Nonresidential 68 dBA at all times. Daytime hours: 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Nighttime hours: 10:01 pm to 7:59 am the following day.City of Houston Noise and Sound Level Regulation Indian Wells, CA N/a You've Got Issues: Prohibit Noisy Leaf Blowers? Key West, FL the City to allow any leaves, dirt, or other debris blown to enter the storm drain system. All leaves, dirt, or any other debris blown on to public property or in the public right-of-way must be cleaned up and N/a Key West Leaf Blowers Ordinance Laguna Beach, CA N/a The price of a blown leaf Lawndale, CA prohibited within the city of July 1, 1997. Mechanical blower or vacuum operations (for non-gasoline powered blowers) shall not cause debris to be blown or deposited on any adjacent or other parcel of land, lot, or public right-of-way/property other than the parcel, land, or lot upon which the mechanical blower or vacuum is being operated. Mechanical blowers or vacuums (for non-gasoline powered blowers) shall not be operated in close proximity to any operable window, door, or mechanical air-intake opening or duct of N/a Lawndale Municipal Code: Mechanical blowers or vacuums Los Altos, CA (except portable gasoline engine powered blowers), or similar tools outside the hours of operation is prohibited. Portable electric powered blowers used to blow leaves, dirt and other debris off sidewalks, driveways, lawns, landscape areas or other surfaces engine powered blowers), or similar tool: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on Monday through Friday or between 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Portable electric powered blowers can be used between 9:00 am to 5: 00 pm, seven days a week. Los Altos: Prohibited Acts Los Angeles, CA residence at any time. Both the user of such a blower as well as the individual who contracted for the services of the user if any, shall be subject to the requirements of and penalty provisions for this ordinance. Violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be punishable as an infraction in an amount not to exceed $100. The Lose Angeles Police Department has primary enforcement N/a Los Angeles Gas Powered Leaf Blower Notice Malibu, CA N/a Malibu Leaf Blower Notice Mamaroneck, NY blower may be operated at any time on property with an area of 5,000 square feet or less. No more than three leaf blowers shall be October 1 through May 14th from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays and 100:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays. Leaf blowers are prohibited on Sundays and holidays. Mamaroneck Noise Regulation Menlo Park, CA a distance of fifty feet by an independent laboratory per American National Standards Institute standard, as certified by the manufacturer, may be operated. Non-certified leaf blowers are prohibited. Electric blowers do not apply. Any person who uses or operates a leaf blower shall at all times use a full blower nozzel extension and earplugs. A person or entity in violation of the provisions shall be deemed guilty of an infraction and a written citation shall be issued and written notice shall be delivere or mailed Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Saturdays from 11 am to 3pm. Operation of leaf blowers is prohibited on Sundays, federal holidays, and on "Spare the Air" days as declared by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Menlo Park Leaf Blower Ordinance Mill Valley, CA Valley Municipal Code in an effort to minimize air and noise N/a Montclair, NJ as much as possible their use of leaf blowers and other loud machines. The Township disseminated this message to landscapers March 15th through May 15th and October 15th through December 15th New Rochelle, NY Leaf blowers shall not be operated outside of the dates of operation.City of New Rochelle Unreasonable Noise Oyster Bay, NY Leaf blowers shall not be operated outside of the dates of operation.Town of Oyster Bay Prohibited Acts - Noise Palm Beach, FL at 50 feet from the point of operation. It shall be unlawful to blow am to 5:00 pm. Prohibited on Saturdays, Sundays, and legal Palm Beach Lawn Maintenance Ordinance Palo Alto, CA affixed manufacturer's label indicating the model number of the leaf blower and designating a noise level not in excess of sixty-five dBA when measured from a distance of 50 feet. No person shall operate any leaf blower without attachment of all mufflers and full extension tubes supplied by the manufacturer for that leaf blower. No person shall operate any leaf blower powered by an internal combustion engine within any residential zone after July 1, 2005. Commercial operators of leaf blowers are prohibited from operating any leaf blower within the city if they do not prominently display a certificate approved by the Chief of Police verifying that the operator has been trained to operate leaf blowers according to standards adopted by Residential zone: Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Non- residential zone: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Prohibited on Sundays and holidays. Public streets, sidewalks, and parking lots in business districts and at the Municipal Golf Course: 4:00 am to 8:00 am. Palo Alto Noise Ordinance Pelham, NY Lawn maintenance equipment powered by internal-combustion shall not be operated in the Village, except during the hours of operation. and December 15th, inclusive, of each calender year on weekends between 8:00 am and 5:30 pm, Saturdays between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm, and Sundays and holidays between Village of Pelham Lawn Maintenance Equipment Ordinance Portland, OR which are on the City's certified list of 65 dBA, or quieter, may be operated within the City of Portland. From November 1st through February 28th of each year, leaf blowers which are on the City's Portland. Leaf blowers that are on the certified list of 65 dBA, or Residential zone: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Other zones: 7:00 am must meet the permitted sound levels established in the noise code and based on the specific zoning. City of Portland Leaf Blower Regulations Portsmouth, NH No ordinance for leaf blowers. Any provision violating the provisions of the Noise Ordinance shall be fined in an amount no exceeding $1000. Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable. Complaints may be brought by the Portsmouth Police or the Building N/a City of Portsmouth Noise Ordinance Rye, NY City of Rye Noise Ordinance Santa Barbara, CA powered) within the City. A leaf blower is defined as any motorized tool (gas, electric, or battery powered) used to propel fallen leaves and debris for removal. Infractions will be punishable by substantial fines to property owners, property and landscape management N/a City of Santa Barabara Leaf Blower Ban Santa Monica, CA or online on City website, email, or telephone. Address, date, and time of day must be reported. Code Compliance staff (Planning N/a Santa Monica Leaf Blower Ban Sunnyvale, CA property in or adjacent to a residential area. Effective January 1, 2000, all leaf blowers operated in or adjacent to a residential area shall operate at or below a noise level of sixty-five dBA at a distance of fifty feet, as determined by a test conducted by the American 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Sunnyvale Municipal Code: Noise or Sound Level Scottsdale, AR N/a Scottsdale Municipal Code: Blowering landscape waste Scarsdale, NY other entity to operate a gasoline-powered blower in the Village outside the hours of operation. Electric or battery powered blowers are not subject to these restrictions. Commencing in 2022, and in each calendar year thereafter, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or other entity to operate a gasoline-powered Calendar year 2021: October 1st through December 31st on Mondays and Fridays, but not on federal holidays. 2022 and each calendar year thereafter: October 1st through December 31st on Tuesday through Friday, but not on federal holidays. Scarsdale Noise Local Law Tampa, FL No ordinance for leaf blowers. Provisions in the Noise Ordinance exempt sounds from blowers.N/a Tampa Noise Ordinance: Exemptions Tiburon, CA Gas-powered leaf blowers: Use prohibited in all residential areas. Use only permitted in non-residential areas during hours of operation. Electrically-powered leaf blowers: Permitted during residential and non-residential hours of operation. Gas-powered leaf blowers in a non-residential area: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday, prohibited on holidays. Electrically-powered leaf blowers in residential areas: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on any day, prohibited on holidays. Electrically- powered leaf blowers in a non-residential area: 9:00 am to Toronto, CND Toronto Municipal Code: Noise Vancouver, BC A manufacturer's decal must be attached to the leaf blower that certifies it is less than 65 dBA. Noise concerns can be reported on the City's website. Less than 50 m from a residence: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm; Saturday, 9:00 to 5:00 pm; prohibited on Sundays and holidays. More than 50 m from a residence: Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 10:00 pm; Saturday, 7:00 City of Vancouver: Leaf Blowers Public Works Department enforce this law via warnings to first time N/a Belvedere Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Notice West Hollywood, CA permitted. Noise complaint can be reported to the Department of N/a West Hollywood Noise Code Compliance Division White Plains, NY Spring and Fall clean-up period. Gas-powered leaf blowers that produce a sound level greater than 70 dBA are prohibited. property measuring 5,000 square feet or less is prohibited. Penalty may be a fine up to $250. Violations are reported to the Department March 15th through May 15th and October 1st through December 15th. Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. City of White Plains Leaf Blower Ordinance Yonkers, NY operation. During times of emergency caused by storm, the Commissioner of Public Works may declare a temporary moratorium October 1 through May 31st City of Yonkers Leaves, Clippings and Grass Cuttings Code State of California California will outlaw the sale of new gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and chain saws as early as 2024 under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law requires all newly sold small-motor equipment primarily used for landscaping to be zero-emission — essentially to be battery-operated or plug-in — by that target date or as soon as the California Air Resources Board determined it is feasible. New portable gas-powered generators also must be zero- emission by 2028, which also could be delayed at the discretion of N/a Los Angeles Times' Article California moves toward ban on gas Sustainability Grant Update 2/15/2023 Powering Safe Communities (PSC) Grant Offered through a partnership between the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and ComEd Grants up to $10,000 for local public safety and electrification projects Won in 2022 to install EV Charging Stations on Forest Ave Parking Lot 2023 PSC Submission •2023 goal to install EV Charging Stations in soon to be expanded Elawa Parking Lot •One station including 2 charging ports •March 24 deadline, awarding in Fall •Other opportunities include electric fleet funding Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program Offered through the EPA Grants awarded to municipalities to develop plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution $250 million for planning grants, and $4.6 billion for implementation EPA anticipates announcing the CPRG planning grants as soon as early March 2023 1 2 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING 3 Thursday, December 8 – 5:30 PM 4 Lake Forest City Hall, 220 E Deerpath. 5 6 AGENDA 7 8 9 I.CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL10 11 Chairman Melanie Rummel called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. Alderman Jim 12 Preschlack and Eileen Weber were present. 13 14 Staff in attendance included Jim Lockefeer, Assistant to the Director of Public Works, and 15 Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst. George Issakoo, Assistant City Manager also 16 attended virtually. Two members of the public were present. 17 18 19 II.INFORMATIONAL ITEMS (:30 for Presentation)20 21 a.“BATTERY BOX” RECYCLING PROGRAM – Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst22 23 Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst, introduced a new initiative regarding battery 24 recycling coined the “Battery Box” to soon be offered at the Compost and Recycling 25 Center in Lake Forest. The program partners with Call2Reycle, a national recycling 26 foundation, to help collect primary single-use batteries (alkaline, button, lithium primary), 27 rechargeable batteries (lithium ion, nickel zinc, small-sealed lead acid, etc.), and 28 cellphones. The box will simply be a collection point for residents to drop off properly 29 sealed batteries, and then shipped to a Call2Recycle collection facility to be properly 30 recycled. 31 32 Riya Bhatia, a local high school student in Lake Forest who had interned with Green 33 Minds, was the leader behind the initiative and brought the idea forward. Her story 34 brings forward the true spirit of collaboration within Lake Forest and has ultimately 35 bettered the City’s services and environment. 36 37 38 III.ACTION ITEMS (:10 - :15 per item)39 40 a.APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 19, 2022 MEETING MINUTES41 42 Chairman Rummel moved to approve the October 19, 2022, Environmental 43 Sustainability Committee meeting minutes. Alderman Weber seconded the motion. The 44 motion carried unanimously by voice vote. 45 46 Chairman Rummel asked if there were any additional questions or comments from 47 members of the public. 48 49 Seeing none, she moved to the next agenda item. 50 51 52 IV.DISCUSSION ITEMS (:15 - :20 per item)53 54 a.UPDATE ON LAKE FOREST COMMUNITY GARDEN –Reagan Walsh, Management55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 Analyst Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst presented a status update on the Lake Forest Community Garden including the results from a community garden survey sent out to the general public. Attached in the meeting packet, the presentation included consolidated data and overall themes surrounding community support and participation, preferred design elements and garden features, location site preferences, and surveyor demographics. The data presented led to many questions and discussion items related to the overall vision and mission surrounding the garden, how the community, including the local Garden Clubs could be more involved, and what the next steps in terms of community engagement and site selection are for the garden. City staff and the Committee proposed numerous potential sites for the garden in addition to the originally proposed Waukegan and Westleigh Road location. This included potential garden sites at the “Joytime” plot owned by the city directly adjacent to South Park, Townline Park, Elawa Farms, and others. After in-depth discussion regarding specific benefits and downsides to each location, the Committee came to a consensus that more thorough site analysis was needed before approving a recommendation for a final site. The Committee, as well as members of the public, had extensive feedback regarding the garden’s design features to ensure peak performance and usability. This included concerns over raised beds due to insects and pests, road access for composting and garden material, garden plot size differences and preferences, and location preferences dependent on soil composition and built infrastructure. Maintenance and dialogue regarding the proposed raised beds for the garden were discussed in depth as an option to offer to gardeners. After careful consideration for the different types of planting in reference to raised beds and in- ground planting, City staff agreed that more engagement will be needed by future program participants to see what type of planting is preferred, and that possibly multiple options could be offered at the garden. City staff also answered several questions regarding funding for the garden through the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and Net Civic Annual Contribution, as well as a general timeline for garden construction. Chairman Rummel concluded the conversation with excitement on the progress of the garden, and the overall support that is evident from the community. Chairman Rummel asked if there were any additional questions or comments from members of the public. Seeing none, she moved to the next agenda item. 99 100 b.COMPOSTING PROGRAM – Jim Lockefeer, Assistant to the Director of Public Works101 102 103 104 105 106 107 collection system would have many benefits over previous options including the 108 ability to franchise out the program with proven success by nearby communities. The 109 service would depend on the vendor chosen, but typical services offered include 110 weekly or biweekly 5-gallon bucket pickups, flexible rates and schedules, the ability 111 for commercial and non-commercial entities to participate, and a fairly hands off 112 approach from the City. 113 114 The Committee came to a consensus that the third party food scrap collection 115 option was the best route forward and for city staff to work on creating a formal 116 Request for Proposal (RFP) to open to the public. Once out to the public, staff would 117 review and grade all RFP’s and return with a formal recommendation of Vendor to 118 the Committee at the March or April Committee meeting. 119 120 Chairman Rummel asked if there were any additional questions or comments from 121 members of the public. 122 123 Seeing none, she moved to the next agenda item. 124 125 c.ANTI-IDLING VEHICLE POLICY – Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst126 127 Reagan Walsh, Management Analyst presented research pertaining to several 128 possible anti-vehicle-idling programs that could be endorsed by the City. The 129 presentation included past initiatives in Lake Forest conducted to help deter vehicle 130 idling including an “Idling is Fuelish” campaign through Green Minds, physical no 131 idling signs on school grounds, and recent greenhouse gas (GHG) emission statistics 132 showing how vehicles contribute to Co2 in Lake Forest. 133 134 Several potential opportunities to continue to reduce vehicle idling in the City were 135 presented including the recommendation to adopt a formal resolution to declare 136 Lake Forest to be an Idle-Free community. The Committee came to a consensus that 137 not only would the resolution show commitment from the City to help reduce 138 emissions, but it would also bring educational awareness about the topic and 139 encourage other communities to do the same. The Committee asked for a formal 140 resolution to be drafted and approved to be recommended to City Council at the 141 next Committee meeting. 142 143 The Committee also brought forward additional ideas regarding anti-vehicle idling 144 campaigns including the an Art Contest with local schools that could provide 145 education about idling and drawings for signage around town. The idea was 146 favored by all Committee members with City staff to work towards organizing an 147 event in the coming months. 148 149 Chairman Rummel asked if there were any additional questions or comments from 150 members of the public. 151 152 Seeing none, she moved to the next agenda item. 153 154 155 V.ADDITIONAL ITEMS (Packet Material Only)156 157 a.STATUS REPORT ON SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES & PRIORITIES158 159 Jim Lockefeer, Assistant to the Director of Public Works, provided an update on the 160 2022-2023 Work Plan attached in the meeting packet. Included in the Work Plan are 161 initiatives currently being undertaken by the Committee and upcoming projects 162 slated for the next quarters. 163 164 Chairman Rummel provided questions regarding the progress on research for 165 eliminating Single-Use Plastics within city facilities. Discussion thereafter occurred on 166 the current timelines and upcoming tasks for each initiative in relation to the overall 167 workplan attached in the meeting packet. Chairman Rummel asked if there were 168 any additional questions or comments from members of the public. 169 170 Seeing none, she moved to the next agenda item. 171 172 173 VI.PUBLIC COMMENT174 175 Chairman Rummel asked if there were any public comments on any non-agenda items. 176 177 Seeing none, Chairman Rummel moved to the next agenda item. 178 179 180 VII.NEXT MEETING DATE(S) – JANUARY 18, 2023181 182 a.2023 COMMITTEE CALENDAR YEAR CREATION183 184 The Committee confirmed the next meeting date for January 15, 2022, at 5:30PM 185 located at Lake Forest City Hall. The Committee also reviewed and approved the 2023 186 Committee Meeting Calendar for the upcoming year. 187 188 189 VIII.ADJOURNMENT190 191 Chairman Rummel moved to adjourn the meeting of the Environmental Sustainability 192 Committee at 6:59 P.M. seconded by Alderman Preschlack. The motion carried 193 unanimously by voice vote. 194 195 196 Respectfully Submitted, 197 198 Reagan Walsh 199 Management Analyst 200 201 Garden Location Update 2/15/2023 Key Factors Built Infrastructure Accessibility Sunshine Utilization of Parks or Central Location Connection to Trails/Other Amenities Protected Location Minimum Half Acre Misc. Factors Site Analysis Waukegan and Westleigh Rd “Joytime” South Park Elawa Park / Farms Northcroft Park LF College West Side Train Station Townline Park Site Total Area: 30,000 sq. ft Total Perimeter: 800 ft Additional View Additional View *Raised beds Community Plot Size # of Plots Acreage Lake Forest 4 x 12 25 -40 0.7 -0.75 Mundelein 12 x 24 12 0.7524 x 24 24 Libertyville 20 x 10 31 1.1520 x 20 62 Fox Lake*4 x 12 70 0.50 Grayslake 20 x 20 42 0.5720 x 40 Vernon Hills 15 x 15 36 0.23 15 x 15 30 0.15 Townline Park Site Pros •Easily accessible •Parking built in •Near amenities & protected •Access to water/utilities •Out of flood zone/wetlands + sunshine •Zone ROS •Easy access to Elawa Cons •Smaller site / not much room to grow •Difficult layout •Not as centralized •Master plan amendment / BMW Security Site Does the site have any immediate concerns? Any questions regarding the location decision process? Timeline / Next Steps Discussion RESOLUTION NO. ___________________ AN RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING ALL WHO LIVE IN AND VISIT THE CITY LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN IDLE-FREE COMMINUTY WHEREAS, emissions from vehicle idling contributes significantly to air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change and increased rates of cancer, heart and lung diseases, which adversely affect health; and WHEREAS, emissions from vehicle idling significantly affects the natural environment and economic wellbeing of residents, guests and visitors of the City of Lake Forest; and WHEREAS, idling a typical vehicle for longer than ten seconds consumes more fuel than restarting that vehicle, resulting in unnecessary and excessive emissions as well as wasted fuel; and WHEREAS, every citizen can improve the City’s air quality by turning off vehicles whenever they are going to idle for more than three minutes; and WHEREAS, reducing needless vehicle idling is in keeping with the City’s promotion as a sustainable community and in alignment with the City’s Sustainability Plan supported by the Environmental Sustainability Committee; and WHEREAS, education about reducing unnecessary engine idling can raise community awareness, encourage consumers to develop idle free habits, and influence adoption of idle free policies within City government; and WHEREAS, the City of Lake Forest desires to take a proactive position on air pollution and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to protect the livability and viability of the City and its residents, visitors and guests; and WHEREAS, it is in the public interest that residents, guests and visitors of the City reduce vehicle emissions to protect the health, economy and natural environment of the City of Lake Forest and the surrounding area; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST, LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS AS FOLLOWS: SECTION ONE: NO IDLING GUIDELINES. The City encourages residents, guests, visitors, City employees and other individuals within the City limits to not exceed a three minute idling time in their gasoline or diesel-powered motor vehicles. Exceptions to these idling guidelines include the following: A.The vehicle is forced to remain motionless on a public road because of traffic conditions. B.The vehicle is an emergency vehicle involved in an emergency incident. C.Vehicle idling is necessary for auxiliary power for law enforcement equipment, refrigeration units and loading/unloading lifts. D.Vehicle idling is necessary for repair or inspection of the vehicle. E.The health or safety of a driver or passenger requires the vehicle to idle, including instances where the outside air temperature is below 32 degrees F or above 90 degrees F. F.This Resolution is not enforceable by citation or fine. Compliance shall be strictly voluntary. SECTION TWO: DECLARATION. The City Council hereby proclaims and encourages the City of Lake Forest to be an Idle-Free Community. SECTION THREE: EFFECTIVE DATE. This Resolution shall take effect upon adoption by the City Council. Adopted by the City Council of The City of Lake Forest this XXXXXX day of MONTH, 2023. __________________________ Mayor, George Pandaleon ATTEST: ________________________________ City Clerk, Margaret Boyer Environmental Sustainability Committee Current/Future Sustainability Initiatives & Priorities Updated February 2023 Project/Initiative 2023 Jan-Mar Q1 Apr-Jun Q2 Jul-Sep Q3 Oct-Dec Q4 Vehicle Idling Campaign Composting Program Landscape Equipment/Leaf Blower Rec. Community Gardening Program Creation of a Sustainability Fund Single-Use Plastics Discussion “Green Infrastructure” Incentives Strategy Realignment / Greenhouse Gas Redesign of Sustainability Page Website Planning/Research Presentation/Information Sharing Committee Approval/Action Current Projects/Status: 1.Provide greater access to composting programs or services for residents and businesses o Status: Appliance program not recommended for City, several additional opportunities and viable composting alternative programs researched. Presentation of new private contractor “At-Home” compost pickup program o On Deck: Open RFP to public and review applicant o Target Timeline: ▪Post RFP to gauge demand by outside vendors. ▪Provide final recommendation of program with appropriate vendor in Q1 or early Q2 meeting. 2.Develop plan to discourage vehicle idling on City Properties o Proposed Scope: Explore opportunities to reduce car idling on city properties ▪Soft approach, signage in key areas ▪City “Idle-Free” Resolution ▪Present options and recommendation to further anti-vehicle idling in Community o On Deck: Approve Idle-Free Resolution to go to City Council o Target Timeline: ▪With approval of recommendation, create Art Contest that will supply signage Q2 3.Develop Community Gardening Program o Status: Funding secured, designs received, and community survey results have been compiled o On Deck: ▪Discuss location options for garden and timeline updates ▪Discuss plans in greater detail with Elawa, work on partnerships / presentations (Civic Beauty Committee) o Target Timeline: ▪Recommendation for location and scope of project in Q1 4.Develop strategies to further reduce the City’s use and collection of single -use plastics o Proposed Scope: Explore opportunities to reduce the City’s use of single-use plastics (e.g. City facilities, meetings/events, etc.) ▪Can we eliminate use of single-use plastics at our community events? ▪Can we promote/incentivize special event permit holds to not sell bottled water? What alternatives might exist? ▪May need to discuss with the City Council further – how far do they want to go with banning/incentivizing these products o Target Timeline: First quarter of 2023 for research/further policy decisions 5.Promote the use of permeable pavers, rain gardens or other “green infrastructure” implements throughout the community o Proposed Scope: Marketing/communications on City projects utilizing infrastructure o Develop “green infrastructure” permit or reduced permit fees o Explore cost-share opportunities or grant program for residents to offset infrastructure investment through (e.g. Overhead sewer cost-share program) o Target Timeline: Research opportunities between December - Jan ▪Potential recommendations to ESC in Q2 6.Strategy Realignment / Greenhouse Gas Inventory o Status: ESC Meeting in June reviewed Initial GHG report and discussed emission reduction targets (Based on ICLEI recommendations) o On Deck: ▪Develop finalized list of future actions for ESC based on ICLEI recommendations after strategy realignment survey in Spring o Target Timeline: ▪Target Q2/Q3 ESC meeting for strategy realignment and combine with Greenhouse Gas Inventory report recommendations. Future Projects/Initiatives (As directed by Committee in April 2022) 1.Investigation of Solar Facilities on City Facilities o Status: Motioned in July ESC Meeting to NOT move forward with solar facility projects presented o On Deck: ▪Investigate new opportunities for solar generation and work with the qualified consultants to find potentially new viable options outside of the options presented •In particular exploring rooftop and ground mount solar options for facilities that are not under a rider-FCA arrangement. o Target Timeline: ▪Follow back with consultants, review past information, and come forward with new plan and timeline for solar facilities in third quarter of 2023. •Coal tar sealants – The completion of the North Branch Chicago River Watershed Workgroup (NBWW) 2020-2021 Biological & Water Quality Assessment Report was delayed (normally would be approved in December) due to some staffing delays from the contractor. MBI, the contractor, is hoping to provide a presentation at the NBWW General Membership meeting on February 8, 2023 or if the August 9, 2023 meeting. •Conversion of Mowed Areas to Natural Areas – No update/report •Landscape Equipment recommendations (Leaf Blowers) – No update/report