Demise of HB881 and SB687
The identical House and Senate bills (see text below) were both defeated for this year in their first round of presentation — January 29 in sub-committee #3 of the House Counties, Cities, and Towns Committee and February 9 in the Senate Local Government Committee.
Del. Rip Sullivan gave a well-reasoned defense of his HB881 (by that time co-sponsored by Delegates Hope and Bulova) and five QC NOVA members were able to speak in person or virtually. Also speaking in person in support was the Arlington County lobbyist in Richmond. Comments on HODSpeak were in favor of the bill by a wide margin. Like last year, paid lobbyists for the Virginia Manufacturers Association (on behalf of Stihl) and the Virginia Golf Course Superintendents Association spoke in opposition. We had new lobbyists, likely recruited by Stihl, opposing in person: the Apartment and Office Building Association, the Virginia AgriBusiness Council, and the Virginia Farm Bureau. The last nonsensically claimed that farmers depend on gas and diesel for their farm equipment such as tractors and so could not manage their farms if communities in densely-populated urban areas decided that they did not want GLBs used there, arguing that prohibiting use of GLBs was “the camel’s nose under the tent.” It goes without saying that no one is talking about banning use of tractors! Only one citizen spoke in opposition – virtually.
Curiously, no Republicans on the subcommittee attended the session though Del. Tata popped in to praise Stihl and urge her colleagues to vote no before leaving again. Also curiously, there was almost no discussion, just a motion to carry the bill over to 2027 which passed by a voice vote — not a recorded vote — of five (all Democrats) to 0. The two Republican members of the sub-committee and one of the Democratic members were all absent at the time of the vote. It would appear that some kind of deal was made before the meeting. We hope to find out more.
SB 687 fared no better as you can see here (at about 1:11). Three QC NOVA members appeared in person to support the bill and were joined again by the Arlington County lobbyist. Very little time was allotted to those speaking virtually in favor of the bill; only five managed to squeeze in – the Falls Church City Legislative Director, electric landscaper Little Foot, Virginia Sierra Club, a Falls Church City Councilman, and a QC NOVA member. The Falls Church City mayor and several other QC NOVA members did not get a chance to speak. The in-person opposition was a bit less robust than in the House – only the paid lobbyists from the Virginia Manufacturers Association, the Virginia Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the Virginia Farm Bureau, repeating the same remarks they had made in the House.
Only Republican Senators Durant and Stanley jumped into the discussion with Durant essentially representing Stihl and Stanley pressing the line of argument that any prohibition on GLB use would lead inexorably to a ban on all gas powered lawn care equipment as well as tractors, threatening the production of food to feed the world. Recounting how he had hated raking leaves as a child, he tried to wax poetic about his love of his gas leaf blower, the noise of which heralded spring and was the sound of freedom. One would have to pry his beloved GLB out of his cold dead hand. Questioning Sen. Salim about his views on weed whackers, Stanley managed to mousetrap him into saying that we were “starting” with leaf blowers, thus “proving” that leaf blowers were indeed the camel’s nose under the tent.
No Democrats joined the discussion apart from a comment from Senator McPike that he was glad to see Arlington and other local governments were going electric themselves and an unsuccessful motion from Senator Pekarsky to carry the bill over until next year. Indeed most of the Democrats left half way during the discussion. A quick vote to “pass by” the bill indefinitely passed 11- 4. The four voting to support us were Democratic senators Boysko, Pekarsky, Roem, and Williams Graves.
Thanks to all who sacrificed time and money to push our cause in this year’s General Assembly! QC NOVA members went to Richmond on January 29, February 4, and February 9, testifying and meeting with staff from 14 senators and 11 delegates.
Join the first discussion on where we go from here on Wednesday February 18 at 6:00 PM via Zoom.
Mark your Calendars
March 11 — EcoAction Arlington Annual Meeting (6:30-9:00) at Washington-Liberty High School. QC NOVA will have a table there.
April 23 — Town of Vienna Green Expo. 7:00 PM
§ 15.2-918.1. Local prohibition or regulation of use of gas-powered leaf blowers; civil penalty.
Any locality with a population density of at least 2,500 persons per square mile based on the most recent report of the United States Census Bureau may by ordinance prohibit or regulate the use of gas-leaf blowers within its jurisdiction. Any such ordinance shall become enforceable not less than 12 months after the date it is enacted by the local governing body. The locality may authorize a civil penalty for violations in an amount to be set out in the ordinance. Civil penalties assessed under this section shall be paid into the treasury of the locality where the violation occurred and may be used by the locality to assist with the purchase of non-prohibited leaf blowers by residents and local businesses.