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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's capital city leaders and state air quality officials are working together to help lawn care companies across the Wasatch Front and Tooele Valley switch to more environmentally-friendly lawn tools this spring.
Salt Lake City officials and the Utah Division of Air Quality announced Monday they are bringing back the Charge Your Yard program for a third year, this time focusing on incentives that help lawn care companies operating in Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele, Utah or Weber counties replace gas-powered leaf blowers and string trimmers with electric alternatives.
The program, which helped residents convert to electric lawn equipment, has eliminated an estimated 8.28 tons of pollution annually since it was launched in 2021, according to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
She explained that the two sides are focusing on lawn care companies this year because they are the "heaviest users" of lawn care equipment, running gear five to seven days a week during the busiest stretches, noting a two-stroke gas-powered leaf blower running for one hour can emit the same air pollution as the average vehicle traveling over 700 miles.
"Swapping two-stroke lawn equipment for electric is one of the most impactful ways we can improve our local air quality," she said. "While cars have gotten cleaner in recent years, thanks to modern emission controls and catalytic converters, two-stroke engines have not kept pace with these improvements."
Bryce Bird, director of the Utah Division of Air Quality, said the program has the potential to improve the summer ozone air quality situation in the region.
Division officials have analyzed emission sources in recent years and pinpointed lawn equipment as a major player in addition to vehicles.
For example, two-stroke equipment accounts for about one-fifth of all non-road emissions in the summer months. The group also found that commercial and institutions typically run blowers and string trimmers more frequently than residents, so it became this year's primary focus.
"We know that there are equipment manufacturers that have developed great equipment, great battery technology, and with some incentives and encouragement, we're going to (show) how this is useful," Bird said.
Under the program, businesses can receive $500 for every electric-powered blower and trimmer they purchase up to $3,000. All gas-powered equipment must be recycled in order to receive the credits.
Companies in the five selected counties can apply online between now and April 24. Any business that signs up will be notified by April 28 if they can qualify for the discount.
Mendenhall said Salt Lake City has already started to switch over to electric lawn equipment. The City Council spent $450,000 last year to purchase new electric riding lawnmowers, which are expected to eliminate 1.2 to 2.4 tons of pollution annually alone. That's on top of dozens of other electric lawn equipment.
She hopes that local businesses will now follow suit.
"It is very good for the air that you're breathing in right here in the community," she said. "We hope that ... our experience with these electric lawn equipment pieces shows the businesses — looking to advantage of up to $3,000 of cash to make that transition — that it works."
