Proposed leaf blower ban sparks debate in Yonkers
By HANNAN ADELY - THE JOURNAL NEWS - May 7, 2006
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YONKERS — A seasonal ban on leaf and garden blowers would be unfair to landscapers and make it tough for them to do their job, several people in the industry told City Council members in an attempt to prevent the restriction.

Landscapers and city residents packed a recent meeting with the City Council, which is considering banning the use of leaf and garden blowers between May 1 and Sept. 30. Yonkers residents who favor the ban argue that leaf blowers cause noise and air pollution, and that rakes and brooms can be used instead of the small-engine machines. Other Westchester County municipalities, including White Plains, New Rochelle and Scarsdale, already have similar bans.

"Kids should be able to be outside playing without all that crazy noise of leaf blowers," said Molly Roffman, who is leading the charge to have a citywide ban on leaf blowers.

Roffman said leaf blowers are an unnecessary and harmful source of air pollution. Representatives from the American Lung Association and the Asthma Program at St. John's Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, who also attended the meeting, supported that claim. Landscapers, though, said it would hurt their livelihood if they could not use leaf blowers. Joseph Tinelli, president of the New York State Landscape and Turf Association, said he relied on leaf blowers to clean seed pods, flower petals and pollen from hard surfaces. He said using rakes or brooms would be too labor intensive and costly.

"It's 10 times the amount of labor to do that," he said. "Who's gonna do that?" Tinelli asked the council to consider a compromise, such as allowing one backpack leaf blower per property at a time. He also said the council should pressure manufacturers to monitor their machines' pollution levels, rather than punish businesses.

Mitch Tutoni, commissioner of the city's Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, said his workers also depend on leaf blowers to clean up city streets and public parks. Corporation Counsel Frank Rubino said the department would not be affected because municipalities are generally exempt from such restrictions. Landscapers called that a double standard.

The council's legislation committee took no action on the resolution drafted by Councilman John Murtagh, R-5th District, and said discussion would continue at a later hearing.