SACRAMENTO – Today the Legislature passed AB 1346, authored by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) and Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), which will phase out the sale of new gas-powered small off-road engines in California. Small off-road engines, primarily found in outdoor power equipment, emit smog-forming pollutants at levels projected to outpace those from passenger cars this year.
“Leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and other equipment with small gas-powered engines emit staggering levels of air pollution,” said Assemblymember Marc Berman. “These noisy machines are terribly disruptive to communities across California, and the workers who breathe in exhaust from this equipment day in and day out face disproportionate health risks, including asthma, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. To ensure an equitable transition to safer, cleaner equipment, we secured $30 million in the state budget to help small businesses purchase zero-emission replacements.”
AB 1346 would require the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to set emissions requirements for small off-road engines to zero by 2024 or whenever CARB determines is feasible. Small off-road engines emit high levels of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), reactive organic gases (ROG), and particulate matter (PM), which adversely affect air quality and human health. By 2031, NOx and ROG emissions from SORE are projected to be twice those from passenger cars in California.
What Others Are Saying
"Small gas engines are not only bad for our environment and contributing to our climate crisis, they can cause asthma and other health issues for workers who use them,” said Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego). “It’s time we phased out these super polluters, and help small landscaping businesses transition to cleaner alternatives."
“AB 1346 will protect Californians’ health by cleaning up the shockingly high pollution from small off-road engines like leaf blowers and lawn mowers,” said Bill Magavern, Policy Director of Coalition for Clean Air. “We thank Assemblymembers Berman and Gonzalez and the many co-authors, and we call on Governor Newsom to sign the bill into law.”
“Californians face the most difficult air pollution challenges in the United States, and small off-road engines are a growing source of this health burden,” said Will Barrett, Senior Director of Clean Air Advocacy with the American Lung Association. “Governor Newsom should sign AB 1346 to accelerate the pathway to healthier air and healthier lungs.”
“AB 1346 recognizes that California must address the significant air pollution created by gas-powered equipment and off-road engines,” said Erin Rodriguez, Policy Advocate with Union of Concerned Scientists. “This bill will help achieve the emissions reductions needed to improve our air quality and meet our state’s climate goals. We urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 1346 into law.”
“AB 1346 will curb toxic pollution in California neighborhoods by addressing emissions from leaf blowers, lawn mowers and other small off-road engines,” said Daniel Barad, Policy Advocate with Sierra Club California. “This bill is another important step towards breathable air and a livable climate in California. We urge Governor Newsom to sign this health protective legislation."
Contact: Kaitlin Curry, (916) 319-2024