After a lengthy public comment period, Swarthmore Borough Council amended its combustion-powered outdoor maintenance equipment (CPOME) ordinance proposal. The revised ordinance will apply only to leaf blowers in the borough and includes a two-year adoption period rather than the original four years. The previous version would have applied to all combustion-powered lawn equipment. The new version aims to balance both noise pollution concerns and environmental ones against the needs of residents and institutions usings larger, four-stroke engines. During the public comment period, speakers, including a representative from Swarthmore College, voiced concerns regarding the ability of electric-powered mowers and large machinery to accommodate care for larger properties, and the mechanisms for enforcement potentially putting lawn care workers in vulnerable positions with law enforcement. The ordinance will be up for a final vote at the Monday, June 3, council meeting.
Source: The Swarthmorean; 5/17/2024