Heated public hearing on leaf blower exemption draws hundreds of residents, landscapers and advocates

Montgomery County residents, landscapers, health advocates and business groups filled the council’s July 15 public hearing to debate Expedited Bill 19-25, which would create a seasonal exemption for professional landscape contractors to use gasoline-powered leaf blowers during specified months and set a sunset for the exemption.

The county executive’s office, represented by Tricia Swanson, told the council the executive opposes the seasonal exemption. "While the county executive is opposed to the seasonal exemption, he does strongly support relooking at the enforcement provision," Swanson said, noting the county had invested in a rebate program and outreach to support the original phased ban.

Speakers opposing the exemption included climate and public-health advocates and residents who said the ban protects worker and public health and decreases disruptive noise. Kevin Walton of the Climate Coalition of Montgomery County said, "I urge you to vote against bill 19 25 and its delay of the complete ban of gas powered leaf blowers," and cited county rebate uptake and examples of other jurisdictions that have implemented bans. Dr. Vivian Thompson, who described gasoline blowers as "the devil's hair dryer," urged the council not to "gut" the county’s law, citing health and environmental harms.

Representatives of landscaping companies and chambers of commerce said battery technology is not yet reliable, especially for wet leaves and commercial-scale leaf removal, and that the transition costs and infrastructure upgrades are heavy. Multiple contractors described equipment costs, battery weights and run-times and said fall leaf work is time sensitive and often involves wet material that battery blowers perform poorly on. Chuck Whealton of Rupert Landscape described his company’s experience with a DC ban and said battery backpack blowers were heavier and less efficient in wet conditions; several contractors said the county’s current rebate program does not cover the scale of required investment.

Small-business and minority-business groups, including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County and the Gaithersburg Germantown Chamber of Commerce, urged adoption of the limited seasonal exemption to protect local jobs and smaller firms. Several speakers also proposed alternatives such as allowing four-stroke gas engines, expanding county battery-charging infrastructure, or allowing only push or ride-on gas blowers.

Residents and environmental groups, including Friends of Sligo Creek and the Sierra Club, opposed the exemption and warned it would undercut a law the council approved after extensive deliberation. Opponents described improvements in quality of life since the ban's partial implementation and asked the council not to reverse course.

Council staff recorded a Transportation and Environment Committee work session scheduled for July 28, 2025; materials were due July 21, 2025. The public hearing record closed July 15 with both in-person and virtual testimony on the record. The hearing did not include a council vote; the proposal will next be considered in committee.