South Coast AQMD expands garden equipment rebate program

The South Coast Air Quality Management District's Residential Electric Lawn & Garden Equipment Rebate Program has been expanded to go beyond offsetting costs for lawn mowers, giving residents the opportunity to replace other gasoline-powered tools with electric models.

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AQMD officials on Friday announced that the rebate program for residents in the South Coast Air Basin will now include leaf blowers, trimmers and chainsaws. Trimmers can include weed wackers, edgers and brush cutters.

The program offers a rebate of up to $250 for each piece of eligible equipment from authorized retailers, with a limit of three per person.

"Using a gas-powered lawn mower for just one hour emits the same amount of pollution as a road trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas," South Coast AQMD Executive Officer Wayne Nastri said in a statement. "By expanding the program, we hope more residents will make the switch to electric lawn and garden equipment, that will reduce their carbon footprint and improve air quality."

Since 2017, the original Residential Electric Lawn Mower Rebate Program has achieved emission reductions in the South Coast Air Basin of approximately 1.4 tons per year of volatile organic compounds and 0.28 ton per year of nitrogen oxides, according to South Coast AQMD.

Rebates are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, and the destruction of the old gasoline equipment at a certified scrapper is required. The new equipment must be cordless and include a battery and charger to receive the rebate.

Applications can be submitted online for the rebates, overseen by South Coast AQMD, which is the regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley.

South Coast AQMD also offers an existing Commercial Electric Lawn & Garden Equipment Incentive & Exchange Program that offers up to an 85% discount for commercial gardeners and landscapers.