Washington Democrats propose law to jail citizens who use gas-powered lawn tools
A bill pre-filed by state Rep. Amy Walen, D-Kirkland, would amend the state’s Clean Air Act to ban new “gasoline-powered and diesel-powered landscaping and other outdoor power equipment.” The bill states that gas-powered lawn equipment contributes to climate change and claims such tools cause a range of health problems, including asthma, hearing loss and other issues, KTTH’s Jason Rantz reported.
Under the proposed law, the Washington state Department of Ecology would have a Jan. 1, 2026, deadline to “adopt rules to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new outdoor power equipment.” The bill carries limited exemptions for gas-powered equipment used by government agencies and for commercial or residential use when there is no “suitable zero emissions outdoor power equipment technology” available
Violations of the law would constitute a gross misdemeanor under Washington state penal code and carry fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment of up to 364 days per instance.
To ease the transition away from fossil-fuel powered equipment, the bill would temporarily lift state sales and use taxes on “zero emissions landscaping equipment,” which includes battery-powered or plug-in lawn equipment, as well as “lawn mowers powered solely by human effort.”
www.foxbusiness.com/politics/washington-state-democrats-jail-people-using-gas-leaf-blowers