By Anne Levin

Princeton’s leaf blower restrictions went back into effect this week, prohibiting landscapers and residents from using gas-powered blowers between now and March 14.

An ordinance adopted unanimously by Princeton Council in October 2021, after almost a year of deliberations, maintained that “residents and landscapers shall use only electric or battery-powered leaf blowers for leaf and debris-blowing needs. Property owners and their landscape contractors are co-responsible to reduce the amount of noise and air pollution and to achieve more sustainable landscaping practices in our community.”

Councilwoman Eve Niedergang, who was closely involved in development of the ordinance, said that while many are playing by the rules, there is still room for improvement.

“As with any restrictions, people are trying to find ways around it, and there are continuing frustrations,” she said. “I get regular emails about violators — sometimes residents, sometimes landscapers — about people not obeying the rules. But without sounding like a Pollyanna, I think it’s a process. As time goes on, and people are replacing their gas leaf blowers and realizing that in the long run that electric is cheaper, we’ll see a gradual increase in compliance.”

The ban on gas blowers was initiated to address issues noise and, especially, environmental pollution. The effort was led by Sustainable Princeton, Quiet Princeton, the Princeton Environmental Commission, and the Princeton Board of Health.

“As the word gets out about the health hazards to people using the equipment, which is the worst problem, and as landscaping companies are able to transition to electric blowers, and as people who are hiring landscapers are requesting them, we are seeing more compliance,” Niedergang said. “It’s a long road, and it’s not magic.”

The gas leaf blower ban is only one part of the town’s overall landscaping initiative. “Leaving the leaves” on lawns and recognizing the toxic effects of pesticides and fertilizers are also part of the effort. Violations can be reported through the SeeClickFix link on the municipal website at princetonnj.gov.

Niedergang, who is stepping down from Council on December 31, hopes to see movement on the gas-powered leaf blower issue at the state level.

“That would come with some tax credits,” she said. “When we did the ban, Sustainable Princeton did some fundraising to help people replace their equipment. A big, statewide program with 50 percent tax credit would really make a difference. And it would be better to have a single rule throughout the state instead of town by town.”

Niedergang has been working on a complete ban on gas-powered equipment in Princeton. “But after the election, and understanding what might be coming from Washington in terms of retribution and the rounding up of undocumented immigrants, I just felt it wasn’t a good time to put additional burdens on the Spanish-speaking community, which makes up a good portion of the landscaping workers here,” she said.

The ban does allow mowers, gas-powered as well as battery-powered, to be used year-round, but the ordinance encourages landscapers to replace gas-powered with battery-powered equipment.