OAN Roy Francis
1:53 PM PT – Saturday, February 18, 2023
In an effort to tackle climate change, two Democratic senators from Minnesota are putting up two measures that would ban lawn care appliances.
Members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, State Representatives Jerry Newton, and Heather Edelson, have introduced bills on Monday that would ban the sale of gas-powered landscaping appliances. The legislations would require that only electric and battery powered appliance to be sold.
Any appliance that uses “a spark ignition engine rated at or below 19 kilowatts or 25 gross horsepower” would fall under the ban. Most common lawn care appliances fall under the specified category, this would include lawn mowers, lawn edgers, string trimmers, chainsaws, brush cutters, even Zambonis.
“DFLers are committed to taking action on climate – unchecked climate pollution threatens Minnesota’s future,” Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman said. “Now is the time to take bold action and ensure Minnesotans have the healthy climate and clean energy future they deserve.”
Other Democratic cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle are pushing for similar bans. According to a Morning Consult poll, 56% of Democrats approve of a similar ban, such as the recent announcement of the banning of gas-powered stoves.
California has led the charge, with Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) having signed a bill into law that bans the selling of gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers in 2024. California has also decided that all new vehicles in the state will be electric powered, banning the sale of gas-powered vehicle in the state by 2035.
The Minnesota measure follows a clean energy bill, also known as the “blackout bill,” which was signed into law by Governor Tim Walz (D-Minn.) which requires electricity production be 80% carbon-free by 2030 and 100% by 2040
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