Noisy Demonstration Aimed At Advocacy For Leaf Blower Regulation
RICHMOND, VA — As if to demonstrate the adage “Actions speak louder than words,” members of Quiet, Clean NOVA fired up four two-stroke, gasoline-fed leaf blowers on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol on Thursday.
Not only did the noise of the blowers assault the ears of passersby, they emitted 23 times the carbon monoxide and 300 times more hydrocarbons per hour than a Ford 150 pickup truck.
The purpose behind the group’s ear-splitting and cough-inducing demonstration was to raise awareness among members of the Virginia General Assembly on just how much noise and air pollution these gasoline-powered blowers can generate.
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“Lawn mowers that are also annoying, but being four stroke engines, they do not make as much noise, even if they have the same decibel rating, because of the low frequency component of a two-stroke engine,” QC NOVA’s Avril Garland of Vienna told Patch.
“These gas powered machines, particularly the two-stroke machines emit a ton of pollutants,” said Jim Gillespie of Fairfax. In addition to being a member of QC NOVA, he is also the former chair of the Fairfax City Democratic Committee.
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Starting out in 2021 as casual group of people focused on regulating the use of gas-powered blowers, Quiet, Clean NOVA realized because Virginia followed the Dillon Rule, the general assembly needed to pass a bill that would give localities the power to regulate gas-powered leaf blowers.
Thursday’s trip was also an opportunity for members to advocate for two bills, HB 644 and SB 305, that were introduced in the general assembly by Del. Rip Sullivan (D-Great Falls) and Sen. Saddam Salim (D-Fairfax). The bills would allow cities and counties to decide for themselves whether they wanted to allow gas-powered leaf blowers in their communities or not.
“I am proud to be introducing SB 305 to empower localities to regulate or prohibit gas-powered leaf blowers. The idea for this bill was brought to me by my constituents, as members of the group Quiet Clean NOVA,” Salim (D-Fairfax) on Thursday.
“Gas-powered leaf blowers are loud and produce emissions that harm the environment,” the freshman state senator said, after meeting with Quiet, Clean NOVA on Thursday. “They also cause many health issues. Studies have shown that just one hour of use from a commercial gas-powered leaf blower creates as much smog and emissions as driving a car over 1,000 miles. You can buy electric leaf blowers on the market for similar prices to gas-powered leaf blowers. Electric leaf blowers offer less noise, more reliability, and better environmental benefits. I support giving localities the power to choose their own path on this issue.”
Gillespie said in an email that QC NOVA’s demonstration did get some bemused interest from Capital Police officers and passersby as their leaf blowers cleared “mostly imaginary dirt and leaves from Capital grounds.”
That plus the chance to talk to legislators made the trip a success. The group plans to return to Richmond later this winter to continue their advocacy for the bills as they make their way through the legislative process.
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