Expedited Bill 19-25, which would allow landscape professionals to use gas-powered leaf blowers from October 1 to December 31 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., will be reviewed by the Montgomery County Council on Monday, July 28. The exemption is scheduled to expire three years after it is enacted. Councilmember Gabe Albornoz is the primary sponsor of Bill 19-25, with co-sponsors Dawn Luedtke, Marilyn Balcombe, and Sidney Katz.
In 2024, Montgomery County enacted laws to address health, noise, and environmental issues pertaining to gas-powered vacuums and leaf blowers. Gas-powered equipment sales have been prohibited since July 1, 2024, and on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, their use will also be prohibited.
The law forbids local and county governments, as well as residential and commercial properties, from using walk-behind, backpack, or handheld gas-powered leaf removal equipment. Montgomery Parks and Montgomery County Public Schools, which are run by the state of Maryland, are exempt from it.
The County is providing incentives for the purchase of new electric leaf blowers in order to help with the transition. Violations will be subject to a $500 punishment after July 1, 2025. The County claims that the prohibition is meant to lessen health hazards like respiratory illness and hearing damage, as well as hazardous emissions and dependency on fossil fuels.
