New Jersey Town Bans Gas Leaf Blowers

The New Jersey town of West Orange has banned gas-powered leaf blowers, joining two other towns in Essex County and hundreds of towns across the nation.

The West Orange Township Council last week voted in favor of banning the tools in a 3-2 vote. The town will roll out with a partial ban that prohibits the use of gas leaf blowers during some winter and summer months, before moving to a full ban on January 1, 2026.

Council members Bill Rutherford, Asmeret Ghebremicael and Susan Scarpa in favor of the ban, while Tammy Williams and Michelle Casalino voted against. Newsweek reached out to all five council members via email for comment.

Under the new ordinance, West Orange landscapers will be forbidden to use gas blowers beginning this year from until March 1 and from May 1 to October 1. First violations will not be fined but second violations face $100 penalties, and future offenses will incur $200 fines. Landscapers will have to register with the township and pay an annual registration fee.

West Orange is the third town in Essex County to adopt a leaf blower ban. Maplewood and Montclair have also rolled out restrictions that have been the subject of lawsuits from frustrated landscapers who say the bans hurt private landscaping companies by requiring additional expenses.

Local advocacy group Our Green West Orange (OGWO) celebrated Tuesday's news as "one of the most important quality-of-life ordinances to be passed by this council."

"It brings West Orange into the 21st century with innovative, cost-effective, quieter practices for lawn care," OGWO said in a statement. "It is important climate change legislation, since the year 2023 was the hottest year on record.

"Ultimately, the goal is for more and more households and municipal properties to mow and mulch the leaves into the lawn and avoid the danger and expense of blowing leaves into the street where the town has to expend man-hours to pick them up while they cause hazardous driving conditions."

But the West Orange ordinance has also faced opposition, much like that seen in Maplewood and Montclair. Several landscapers voiced their opposition during the public comment period of last week's meeting, arguing against electric leaf blowers. It is unclear if any of the critics plan to file a suit against the ban.

There are more than 200 U.S. towns with restrictions on leaf blowers. In the last week alone, legislators in Virginia and local officials in Connecticut were being asked to considering banning the tools that critics say are bad for the environment and health.

The Winter Park City Commission in Florida also announced rebates for electric blowers to residents on Tuesday, while Ridgefield, Connecticut, announced on Monday a new task force to study whether gas-powered leaf blowers would violate the city's revised noise ordinance.