Comment Log Display

Dear Chair Randolph and Members of the Board,  The proper things to
say are below.  What I want to say is that it is ludicrous that I
hear the sound of blowers at work, at play, nap time , ALL THE
TIME.  I smell their dust and breathe the polluted air that is
filled with particulate lead from the gutters, human
sputum....contaminated?...stuff we should not be breathing.  But
worst of all, in this horrendous drought, the mulch and leaf cover
are being removed from our soil, drying it out and causing more
water to be used.  This has to stop!
 
I am a California resident and I support the adoption of new
regulations that will phase out the sale of highly-polluting
gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn equipment in California beginning
in 2024.
 
The use of gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers in particular
causes numerous health problems, and greatly contributes to
California's notoriously poor air quality. California continues to
fail to meet national air quality standards, which means that
millions of Californians like myself breathe unhealthy air
everyday.
 
CARB's public health benefit analysis determined that these new
regulations, if adopted, will result in: 
$8.8 billion in health insurance benefits through 2043
892 premature deaths avoided
438 fewer emergency room visits for asthma 
311 fewer hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiovascular
issues
The California Legislature also appropriated $30 million for your
agency to distribute to small proprietor landscapers to help them
begin to acquire and transition to new, zero emission electric and
manual equipment. This is in addition to subsidies and buy back
programs already led by air districts throughout the state.

This regulation will improve air quality, help to slow the climate
crisis, improve human health, and save lives.

Please approve and amend the SORE regulations per the staff
recommendation.