Only Criticism Of East Hampton Blower Ban Is That It Still Doesn't Go Far Enough

For the second time, a proposal by East Hampton Town to ban the use of gas-powered leaf blowers during the summer months met no opposition at public hearing — other than calls for the town to take an even more restrictive stance on the use of noisy lawn care equipment.

An earlier version of the law had only proposed banning the use of the gas powered blowers six days a week in the summer months, allowing that homeowners could use blowers on Sunday. But after a public hearing brought out only residents calling for a total ban, the Town Board took the proposal back to the drawing board and last week presented a new version that places a total ban on the use of gas blowers between mid-May and mid-September.

And still the idea — which parallels similar laws imposed in recent years by East Hampton Village and Southampton Village — found no real opposition and plenty of calls for an even stricter limitation on the nosiest and dirtiest lawn equipment.

Springs resident Ernie French said the town should ban the use of two-stroke, gas-powered blowers entirely.

“Hundreds of communities have banned these machines for over 10 years and have the proof, no jobs were lost and the health of the community and its environment were improved,” Mr. French said. “Why is the Town Board even bothering to have these hearings and isn’t banning these machines outright?”

Landscaping company owner Paul Munoz, who is the vice-chairman of the town’s Energy Sustainability Committee, said that the town should be encouraging the shift from gas powered lawn equipment to their electric powered, less noisy, less dirty, counterparts.

The board could vote to impose the ban for this summer as soon as next month — if it doesn’t go back again for a more far-reaching limitation.