Comment Log Display

As a physician concerned about air quality, 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.

In addition to the pollution caused by the engine exhaust, blowers
can create clouds of industrial pollutants, pollens, fertilizers,
herbicides and pesticides, dried animal feces, dust and demolition
debris such as lead and asbestos - further polluting the air we
breathe.

While these regulations do not prohibit the use of existing
polluting equipment, they do propose prohibiting the production of
new equipment to sell or lease for use in the State of California
beginning in 2024. This is a modest but important step to advance
greater use of cleaner, healthier and quieter equipment.

As your agency's own research has found, the use of gas-powered
leaf blowers and lawn mowers in particular causes numerous health
problems, greatly contributing to California's sad role as home to
seven of the Top Ten most polluted cities in the nation. In fact,
California risks losing future federal funding if we continue to
fail to meet national air quality standards. 

CARB's public health benefit analysis determined that these new
regulations, if adopted, will result in: 

    $8.8 billion in monetized health benefits through 2043
    892 lives saved from premature deaths
    438 fewer emergency room visits for asthma 
    311 fewer hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiovascular
issues

The California Legislature has appropriated only $30 million for
your agency to distribute to small proprietor landscapers and help
them begin to acquire and transition to new, zero emission electric
and manual equipment.  More funding will be needed.   Funding also
must be provided to support training programs to help landscapers
switch to clean tools.  

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

Anthony DeRiggi, MD
Sacramento, CA