There is currently a bill in the New Jersey Senate, SB 217, that would enact a ban on the use of 2-stroke blowers and restrict the use of 4-stroke blowers to just a few months per year. If passed as written, this would be the nation’s first statewide ban on the use of power equipment and would be precedent-setting. 

The bill was passed out of the senate environment committee over the summer and sent to the appropriations committee for further debate. While the bill appears to lack the support for passage this year, it will carry over into 2025 and require monitoring for any further movement.

Michael Lee, GCSAA senior manager, government affairs, has worked with the GCSA of New Jersey to educate lawmakers on the use of backpack blowers on golf courses, which are used to blow far more than just leaves in the fall.

If you are a GCSAA member in New Jersey, please reach out to Lee at mlee@gcsaa.org to gain access to an action alert running on the GCSAA website to weigh in on this important matter.  

Power equipment issues are not going away. In fact, the government affairs team has seen an increase in proposed bans. Power equipment threats are a top concern for GCSAA members, and we will continue to monitor and engage wherever they appear.