June 2026 Newsletter

2nd annual SUMMER PALOOZA:   Along with numerous community and environmental groups, QC NOVA had a table at this fun event hosted by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck on Saturday June 6.  Storck himself would be in favor of prohibiting the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Fairfax County but, of course, recognizes the current obstacles.  Interestingly,Continue reading “June 2026 Newsletter”

April 2026, Newsletter

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, April 15th.   Please join us at 7:00 PM as we discuss next steps in pushing for local freedom to ban or otherwise regulate the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. Processing what happened at the 2026 General Assembly:  We continue to explore the dynamics behind the defeat ofContinue reading “April 2026, Newsletter”

February 2026, Newsletter

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-reasonedContinue reading “February 2026, Newsletter”

August, 2025 Newsletter

Threat to Montgomery County gas-powered leaf blower ban averted:  The full ban (with $500 fines) went into effect on July 1.  A proposed amendment to the ban, supported by four Montgomery County Council members, requested an exemption for commercial landscaping businesses during fall leaf cleanup, from October thru December for the next three years.  AContinue reading “August, 2025 Newsletter”

Minutes of March 19, 2025 Meeting

Quiet Clean NOVA —March 19, 2025 Meeting  Present by Zoom were:  Lubna Dabbagh (Vienna), Dave Fitzgerald (McLean), Avril Garland (Vienna), Jim Gillespie (Fairfax City), Kristi Karls (Annandale), Margaret McKelvey (Arlington), and Gary Usrey (Arlington).  We had a guest speaker (organized by Jim Gillespie) —Bob Shippee, head of the Legislative Committee of the Virginia Sierra Club.  HeContinue reading “Minutes of March 19, 2025 Meeting”

Letter to EQAQ

Member Avril Garland sent a letter to Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council meeting of Jan. 8, 2025 Dear members of EQAC, Allow me to make a few comments:Of this equipment, gas-powered leaf blowers have generated the most complaints and have been the focus of several legislative efforts. The air pollution is staggering. The inefficient, typicallyContinue reading “Letter to EQAQ”