2 Massachusetts Towns Ban Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

Two Massachusetts communities are prohibiting residents from using gas-powered leaf blowers. Fines will be imposed for violators.

According to a CBS Boston WBZ-TV report, Arlington and Lexington banned commercial landscapers from using gas-powered leaf blowers last year. As of March 15, residents in these two towns can't use them either.

"Gas-powered leaf blowers are prohibited for use by anyone, including residents on their own private property," Arlington town manager Jim Feeney stated earlier in March.

According to CBS Boston, those caught using a gas-powered leaf blower in Lexington face a fine of up to $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second, and $200 for third and successive violations.

Violators in Lexington face a fine of up to $50 for the first violation, $100 for the second, and $200 for third and subsequent violations.

In Arlington, residents receive a written warning for the first offense. The second offense incurs a $100 fine, and all subsequent violations incur a $200 fine. Residents and commercial landscapers can receive fines for violations.

Arlington, however, will continue to allow electric leaf blowers to be used between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

The latest bans on gas-powered leaf blowers follow a precedent across Massachusetts of banning their use. Cambridge banned them last year to curb noise and environmental pollution. Newtown has banned gas-powered leaf blowers in the city from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Leaf blowers louder than 65 decibels are not permitted at all.

On Martha's Vineyard, residents voted last year to ban gas-powered leaf blower usage by 2028, according to The Vineyard Gazette.