FAIRPORT, N.Y. — State lawmakers have approved a rebate program for landscapers, colleges and municipalities who switch from gas-powered to electric lawn equipment.
News10NBC Investigative Reporter Jennifer Lewke caught up with a crew in Fairport from Broccolo Landscapes that is trying out battery-powered landscape tools. The equipment is on loan from a local dealer so landscapers can get a feel for how it works.
The crews are testing battery-powered bed edgers, weed whippers and shears. “I’ve been doing this for so long and if things are going to be easier, less weight, better balance, no exhaust in my face, I’m for it,” says Michael Pelicano, a lead landscaper at Broccolo. Initially, he was concerned about battery life but says so far, that hasn’t been an issue. “Must have been at least 20 beds yesterday and it didn’t die on me until about 1 o’clock, then I switched the battery and it was good to go,” Pelicano tells News10NBC.
The same batteries can be used across all the hand-held items. Pelicano says they cut just as well, “this is more balanced too so, it doesn’t mess your shoulders up as much. And when you’re whipping all day, the exhaust kills you on a gas powered, there’s no exhaust on this thing,” Pelicano says.
There’s also a difference in noise between gas-powered and battery-powered equipment.
So far, the only commonly used hand-held item they’re not on board with is the blower. “The blower, we’re not convinced yet, the power of it, isn’t up to the power of the gas powered yet and it doesn’t last as long either so for the efficiency of the crew, we’re sticking with gas on that,” explains Martha Sorbera, a manager at Broccolo.
Environmental groups that pushed for the legislation, passed this week in both the Assembly and the Senate, say they’ve crunched EPA data and New York has one of the highest levels of pollution from lawn equipment in the country.
“Monroe County ranked 4th highest in New York State of all counties for both the global warming pollution and that harmful particulate air pollution from gas powered lawn equipment,” explains Dave Masur, of Environment NY, adding “quieter lawn equipment, less of that soot coming out of the gas-powered equipment and it’s better for the workers’ health themselves who are surrounded by this equipment all day every day.”
Broccolo doesn’t mow lawns, especially not large ones, so they haven’t tested battery-powered mowers or snow blowers.
They are having luck with some of the smaller tools though and said they’d take advantage of a rebate program to help with the price. “It is coming down already, the batteries can be more of an expense, you do have to have multiple for each piece of equipment,” Sorbera says.
While both the Assembly and Senate approved legislation that would create the rebate program, the Governor still needs to sign off on it. If it’s signed by the governor, NYSERDA would set up the rebate program. No word yet on how much each rebate would be worth.
State lawmakers approve rebate program for landscapers, municipalities switching to electric lawn equipment WHEC.com.
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