Proponents of the Gas-powered Leaf Blower Ban distributed a list of rapid-fire “FACTS.” But listing half-truths on a flyer doesn’t make them a sound policy.
Here is the full picture before you vote on July 25th:
❌ CLAIM: “Commercial battery tech is ready & profitable.”
REALITY: CT State Agencies (CTDOT, DEEP, DAS) officially testified that commercial battery tech is not ready for heavy daily use due to short battery life and long charging cycles. They also noted that gas leaf blowers account for approximately 0.01% of Connecticut’s NOx emissions inventory. CTDOT, DEEP, DAS Testimony
❌ CLAIM: “Children are most at risk from GLB noise and toxins.”
REALITY: Under this ordinance, gas leaf blowers will still be running at full force in town parks and school grounds where kids actually play because Town Council exempted its own municipal workers from the ban
❌ CLAIM: “The Town Council passed a balanced law with public input.”
REALITY: Checking the “public hearing” box isn’t the same as actually listening. Extensive testimony and valid concerns from resident landscapers, and local opponents were completely ignored during the drafting process.
❌ CLAIM: “30 other towns did this without issue.”
REALITY: Those towns have a much different density than New Canaan. Sprawling towns like Westport scrapped financial penalties altogether; Greenwich gave a 1-year warning period—New Canaan gave 12 days, with penalties following a single warning.
❌ CLAIM: “No evidence of job losses or cost increases.”
REALITY: Official state testimony proves the exact opposite. Chris Goodwin of the CT Nursery & Landscape Association (CNLA) testified on SB 319 that these mandates force massive equipment investments, reduce worker productivity, and create severe financial strain, putting local businesses and jobs at risk. CT Assembly Testimony
❌ CLAIM: “Gas leaf blowers are much noisier than other equipment.”
REALITY: Banning one specific tool creates mass confusion and wastes public safety resources. In Greenwich, Police Chief James Heavey reported that residents were confused and actually calling police on completely legal lawnmowers and weed whackers. Greenwich Free Press
A NO vote on July 25th isn’t anti-environment, it’s a mandate to replace a shortsighted, double-standard ordinance with a fair, workable plan for everyone.
See more at https://commongroundnewcanaan.com
Maria Weingarten
