RI electric leaf blower discount offered for landscapers. What you need to know.

On By Pranco

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PROVIDENCE – Gas leaf blowers are criticized for the noise and air pollution they emit, but replacing them with quieter and cleaner electric models could cost a lot of money.

That’s why the state is now offering to cover some of the costs to help commercial landscapers make the switch.

Below a new program was announced this weeklandscaping companies can apply for up to $1,250 to cover the cost of an electric leaf blower and batteries.

The program is funded with $250,000 appropriated in the state budget signed into law by Governor McKee in June.

With such a limited amount of money, the state Office of Energy Resources, which administers the rebate program, expects capacity to be reached quickly.

“Applicants are strongly encouraged to act quickly to secure funding,” the agency advises.

The state program comes after Barrington offered discounts

The pilot program was created through state legislation sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Boylan, a Democrat from Barrington, and Sen. Samuel Zurier, a Democrat from Providence.

The idea for it was based on a $25,000 program rolled out in Barrington last year that offered city residents $100 off electric leaf blowers. Boylan has said the program proved to be “wildly popular.”

“People want quieter, cleaner lawn care,” she said in June when the statewide rebate was added to the budget. “By offering a pilot rebate program for commercial landscapers, we can accelerate this transition to more sustainable practices across the industry and help promote a greener, healthier future for our communities.”

The two-stroke engines used by leaf blowers and other lawn equipment are among the most polluting types of internal combustion engines because they mix oil and fuel, leading to emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Replacing them with electric models would not only help reduce the pollutants that contribute to asthma and other respiratory diseases, but would also reduce emissions that contribute to climate change.

Gas-powered fans are banned in California, Washington, DC and Portland, Oregon, among other places. Zurier spent two years introducing legislation that would have banned its sale in Rhode Island, but no progress was made. Providence has also considered phasing them out.

Here’s how it works:

Applicants who qualify for the new incentive program can receive $1,000 or 50%, whichever is less, of the cost of an electric leaf blower.

Businesses located in communities with the highest asthma rates in the state can receive an additional $250. Those communities, based on Department of Health data, are Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, Westerly and Woonsocket.

Businesses are limited to two discounts each.

Only purchases made after the program start date of November 21 are eligible for discounts. The application deadline is June 30, 2025.

Only businesses registered in Rhode Island are eligible for the program. Residents, non-profit organizations and government agencies cannot apply.