Martha’s Vineyard is moving closer to eliminating gas-powered leaf blowers after three towns voted to phase out the equipment at their annual town meetings on Tuesday. The new bylaws aim to reduce noise and environmental impact, with supporters emphasizing the benefits of cleaner air and quieter communities.
The new regulations, which passed in Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, and West Tisbury, give homeowners and landscapers until spring 2028 to transition away from gas-powered leaf blowers. They will have the option to switch to electric blowers or return to using traditional rakes.
The bylaws were supported by the Vineyard Conservation Society and sparked significant debate at the meetings. Edgartown, which previously rejected a similar petition last year, passed the bylaw by a vote of 197-42. The town amended the original proposal to adjust the permissible fall dates for gas-powered blowers, changing them from Sept. 15-Dec. 15 to Oct. 15-Jan. 15.
A petition to ban gas-powered blowers earlier, starting July 1, was postponed. Jim Joyce, a real estate broker and the petitioner, acknowledged the proposal might have been too extreme, joking, “All I really wanted to do was make America rake again.”
In Oak Bluffs, the new bylaw passed with a narrow 98-79 vote. The regulations allow gas-powered blowers to be used from March 15 to May 31 and Sept. 15 to Dec. 15, with exceptions for holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The use of electric blowers will also be restricted to specific days and hours.
These changes reflect the island’s ongoing effort to reduce emissions and improve quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
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