Arlington launches outreach on potential ban of gas-powered leaf blowers with a proposed three-year phase-out

Arlington County staff on Sept. 16 announced a public-engagement program to evaluate a possible year-round prohibition on gas-powered leaf blowers, proposing a three-year phase-out period to allow businesses and residents to transition.

Jennifer Fioretti of the Climate Policy Office outlined the plan: a virtual community meeting on Sept. 25 (staff presentation date list), an online feedback form to be released Sept. 29 and remain open for a month, in-person demonstrations of electric equipment, pop-up events, direct communication with the county’s roughly 40 registered lawn-and-garden companies and webinars featuring operators who have already transitioned. Staff said the county completed its own transition of nonemergency county handheld landscape equipment from gas to electric earlier in 2025.

Fioretti framed the proposal around noise and health concerns, citing emissions issues associated with two-stroke engines and noting that more than 100 U.S. localities have already prohibited gas-powered leaf blowers (including the District of Columbia effective 2022, Montgomery County effective July 2025, and Alexandria’s ordinance adopted in May with an effective date in November 2026). Fioretti also noted the transition cost for homeowners and businesses and said outreach will include direct contact with local landscaping companies to capture business impacts.

Board members and staff discussed benchmarking and coordination with state lawmakers in Richmond and noted enforcement and funding questions would surface if the county moves to ban gas-powered devices. The county’s outreach portal and pop-up events will be the primary venues to collect business and resident feedback before staff prepares an engagement summary for the board.