Category Archives: Monthly 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”

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”

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”

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”

Meeting with Virginia Municipal League, Mitchell Smiley  October 31, 2024 I had a friendly zoom call with Mr. Smiley to discuss QC NOVA’s legislative plans for the 2025 General Assembly and to solicit VML’s support – or at least non-opposition to our proposed bill.  I recapped what QC NOVA is trying to do with regardContinue reading “Margaret McKelvey’s Summary of Meetings with VML and VACO”